Adjala-Tos hears transit pitch

By Brad Pritchard Alliston Herald June 11 2013
ADJALA-TOSORONTIO – A company has been given council’s consent to ask Adjala-Tosorontio residents what they would want out of a public transit system.
Darren Parberry of Métis Transportation Limited, who recently has been making the rounds to other Simcoe County municipalities, made a deputation to council at its June 3 meeting asking for permission to survey residents about their transit needs.

Parberry sketched out some details of how a transit system could potentially work.
He made it clear the system would not require any public funding and would be funded through various advertising models on the buses and at bus stops.
He said fares would be “as reasonable as possible,” saying a standard in-town fair would be set around $2 and $4 for premium service.
The company is also looking at providing family passes at about $60 per week, which could be used for up to five people.
Parberry said his company will be starting a service in the County of Peterborough later this year and has already been given support from the County of Simcoe, along with the municipalities New Tecumseth, Oro-Medonte and Severn Township.
For the survey, he said residents will be able to fill them out two ways, either online or by dropping off a form in a ballot box. They will be collected over a six to eight month period.
Parberry said the service would likely be offered locally in its first year, but could be opened up for cross-boundary service the following year.
Council was generally supportive of the initiative, but made it clear there would be no public funding.
“Transit that reduces the cost for people would be a very good thing,” said Deputy Mayor Mary Small Brett.
Some council members had concerns, including Coun. Sam Keenan, who doubts a service would be viable given the population of the township.
Coun. Floyd Pinto thinks the service would be impractical for most people.
“To catch the bus, I would still have to drive from my home to the 5th Sideroad, park my car, and then take the bus?” he said.
Parberry said the transit proposal will be considered feasible if 60 per cent of the surveys come back answering yes.
“That’s when we would proceed to stage two,” he said.