Transit ridership survey could be on way

By BOB BRUTON – Barrie Examiner February 16 2011

Don’t like Barrie’s bus service? Here’s your chance to do something about it.

City councillors have given initial approval to spend $75,000 on a transit ridership survey and public consultation program to help look into other ways to deliver the service.

“We really have outgrown the model we have,” said Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman. “This can be a significant step forward. I think there are a lot of opportunities to improve it.”

“Residents want a quick and reliable transit service,” said Coun. Lynn Strachan. “By reviewing the way we deliver that service we will be better equipped to provide transit as an alternative for our residents.

“I think that if we improve the system that some people will choose to leave their cars at home and utilize public transit. I am interested in hearing more about what the residents have to say throughout this process.”

Lehman and Strachan, who represents the downtown, say recent changes to Barrie’s boundaries (absorbing 5,664 acres of Innisfil land) and potential future growth provide the chance to review the city’s single transit hub model.

Many city routes go through Barrie’s Transit Terminal, located downtown, but it’s not as central as it was before south-end growth and the acquisition of the Innisfil land.

“Our city has grown from a small town and our transit system should reflect that growth,” Strachan said. “We do not need to have one hub for all of buses to pour into in our downtown.

She says other Ontario cmuniciaplities have been very successful using the ‘hub’ system – such as Brampton, Ottawa and York Region – but that Barrie might be better off modifying that model.

“I do think that we require hubs, or connection points for our buses,” Strachan said. “One of our greatest challenges with transit is that we have a huge bay (Kempenfelt) in the middle of our city, which makes north-south routes challenging.”

Change is also needed, say Lehman and Strachan, because other bus route models could increase the frequency of service and expand some routes.

Barrie’s GO Transit service, operating for more than three years now, has also affected bus service patterns and city traffic. A second GO station on the Allandale land is to be operational by year’s end.

And if a bus station is no longer needed in downtown Barrie, that city-owned building could be turned into a year-round farmers’ market.

“It’s an opportunity to do something different with our transit terminal,” Lehman said.

“The really exciting piece about this project is the potential to use the transit terminal for a permanent market in the downtown,” Strachan said. “This will help to serve local residents and revitalize our core.”

The 2009 Ontario Municipal CAO’s Benchmarking Initiative (OMBI), which measures the cost and effectiveness of services provided by 15 municipalities, grades Barrie Transit in six categories.

Barrie is above the median in cost recovery and the cost of each passenger trip, but below the median in trips taken per resident, hourly operational costs, total operation costs and the utilization of transit vehicles.

Council will consider final approval of the transit survey at its Feb. 28 meeting.

The $75,000 cost would be funded from council’s strategic priorities account.

bbruton@thebarrieexaminer.com