Grey County Transportation staff say ridership has increased on the Grey Transit Route (GTR).
A staff report to be presented to Grey County Committee of the Whole July 28th outlines the increase, and also suggests a GTR Sustainability Business Plan Project be considered which would come up with ways to strengthen the service.
Staff say an increase in the price of fuel resulted in GTR’s fuel costs increasing by $7,000 in June alone, which could work out to an additional $50,000 to $70,000 in 2022, and potentially $65,000 to $85,000 or more in 2023.
The transit route started running in 2020. Thursday’s report says since council’s decision to add more service days per week and more runs per day as of April 1st, 2022, average monthly ridership has been up by 240 per cent.
A graph included in the report shows about 317 riders in March 2021, 392 in June of 2021, 876 in March of 2022, and 1,750 in June of 2022.
The Grey Transit Route goes from Owen Sound to Collingwood, Owen Sound to Walkerton, Owen Sound to Wiarton and Sauble Beach (the beach in the summer) and Owen Sound to Orangeville.
Staff say financial contributions by Bruce County, The Town of South Bruce Peninsula, and the Town of Shelburne are reinforcing Grey County’s leadership in expanding its GTR service.
Staff also say provincial Community Transportation Grant Program (CTGP) funding is being extended, noting, instead of running out in 2023, the provincial government has extended GTR’s Community Transportation Grant funding timeline through March 2025.
There is also a hope of confirming an agreement in August to provide wheelchair-accessible trips with a regional provider as the previous provider has become unavailable.
GTR is also enrolled in Google Transit, which according to staff, enables users to see GTR routes and schedules when searching for directions within or connecting to the service area.