The Saugeen Mobility and Regional Transit wants to increase its ridership numbers. The group known as SMART wants to form new partnerships to make that happen.
The Manager of Transit Services Roger Cook wants to sit down with Grey, Bruce and Wellington Counties to discuss a possible partnership with the specialized public transit system.
Cook believes the Saugeen Mobility service would work very well in parallel with the Counties EMS services.
Cook says the transit system can provide non emergency medical transportation to and from hospital.
Cook notes the majority of Saugeen Mobility rides are medically related.
He believes such an arrangement could provide the Counties with significant cost savings.
In turn, the extra service will boost Saugeen Mobility’s ridership numbers, which are directly linked to the amount of government funding the not for profit group receives.
Cook has already had some preliminary talks with Bruce and Wellington Counties and he hopes to have the same opportunity with Grey County in the near future.
Southgate has agreed to partner with SMART for the rest of the year on a trial basis and it will cost over 48 hundred dollars.
Saugeen Mobility caters to the mentally and physically challenged as well the elderly of Arran-Elderslie, Brockton, Hanover, Kincardine and West Grey.
