Transportation in Grey County: Past, Present and Future 1 Seniors - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transportation in Grey County: Past, Present and Future

Seniors’ Summit 2019 – Aging Well in Grey and Bruce Counties September 25, 2019

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Seniors’ Summit 2019 - Transportation

 Transportation | Definition of Transportation by Merriam- Webster https://www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › transportation  Sep 12, 2019 - Definition of transportation. 1 : an act, process, or instance of transporting or being transported. 2a : means of conveyance or travel from one place to

• another. b : public conveyance of passengers or goods

especially as a commercial enterprise. 3 : banishment to a penal colony.

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 Transportation has been an identified barrier throughout Grey and Bruce Counties for many years.  It is a daunting task that includes some out of the box thinking, cooperation between transportation providers, both private and public, and the realization that there is no cookie cutter solution.  The fact that Grey and Bruce Counties is rural and vast only adds to this interesting need.

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 Home & Community Support Services of Grey/Bruce has been providing non-emergency and social transportation to the residents of Grey and Bruce for over 25 years.  We are a non-profit organization that is funded through the South West Local Health Integration Network.  Transportation is provided by trained volunteers using private vehicles and paid drivers using wheelchair accessible vans.

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 This service is available to residents in Grey and Bruce Counties who have identified a barrier to accessing existing transportation providers such as taxi, city transit, friends or family.  To be eligible for this service, you must be a resident of

• ne of the 2 counties and be 18 years of age or older.

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 This service is available Monday to Saturday, 7am-7pm. With only medical rides being accommodated on Sundays.  All rides are based on the availability of volunteers and vehicle capacity.  All rides must be booked through the Transportation Office.

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 The Transportation service will try to accommodate as many medical rides that you may require in a week based on availability and one non-medical ride a week.  Medical rides can be to any location within Grey and Bruce Counties as well as to the major cities, London, Kitchener, Barrie, Toronto, Orillia, etc.  Non-medical rides are limited to within 50 km of Grey and Bruce Counties.

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 Transportation Fees: Local Trip – 20 km and under round trip in 1.5 hours = $10 Long Distance Trips – any trips over 20 km are calculated based

• n .45 cents/km using our mapping tool.

Transportation Schedulers can give an approximate cost at the time of booking. Parking charges, if applicable, are the responsibility of the person taking the ride and these can be invoiced. You are invoiced on a monthly basis with all monies being paid to HCSS.

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 In order to book a ride, we do require 2 business days notice.  To cancel a ride we require notification by 1pm the business day before or a cancellation fee will apply.  Anyone that has not used the Transportation Service before must go through Central Intake for assessment and eligibility.

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 Wherever possible, we try to avoid duplicating services and HCSS will work with other transportation providers in Grey and Bruce.  In 2014 Grey County Council directed staff to investigate

• ptions for a long term strategy to coordinate the rural transit

systems within Grey County to provide an enhanced service while maintaining a neutral overall budget.  The goal was to develop improved transportation options for the residents of the county.

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 Staff worked with Lough Barnes Consulting to review what was in place for transportation at the time and what systems change might look like.  Extensive consultations occurred throughout the county with the providers of transportation services, funders, council members and

• rganizations that serve vulnerable populations such as youth,

seniors, persons with disabilities and people living in low income, all

• f whom require transportation services.

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 Findings included:  By 2017 it was estimated that 1 in 4 residents would be a senior.  Heavy reliance on volunteers both official and unofficial to meet some of the transportation needs within the county.  Despite various services available in the community, consultation revealed the eligibility criteria left youth and people living in poverty underserved by funded services due to mandates. 12

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 Consultant’s Recommendations:  Centralized access through a 24/7 booking software would help residents to get access to existing transportation services.  Coordination of the transportation services would lead to less duplication and improved operational efficiencies.  The County of Grey and HCSS became partners on this project, for over a year engaging with the other transportation providers, attempting to find a way to engage the others to on board a shared scheduling technology through the existing MOVIN’GB service. 13

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 Data gathered during this work assisted with a successful application to the Ministry of Transportation for a grant to provide more transportation for residents using existing services.  Grey County received Coordinated Rural Transportation Pilot Project funding of $99,970.00 to provide improved transportation options from April 2016-March 31,

• 2017. In addition, the Ministry provided an additional $50,000.00 to Grey County

to extend the pilot project from April 1, 2017-March 31, 2018. Grey County provided an additional allocation of $50,000.00 for each of the two years to support additional funding needs.  After many meetings, it was decided to try a run from Wiarton to Owen Sound, twice weekly but then the Bruce Peninsula Transit Bus started their run and not wanting to duplicate service, the MOVIN’GB run was ceased.

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15  In Fall 2017, a fixed route down Highway 10 was then planned and

• implemented. This route ran two return trips a day between Owen

Sound and Shelburne and operated twice a week.  The vehicle, 9 passenger van, had a 75% occupancy and was able to accommodate one wheelchair.  This route ran with the funding from the MTO grant until March 31, 2018 and the County of Grey continued to support this route financially until December 31, 2018 pending a second successful MTO grant opportunity.

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16  HCSS and it’s Transportation Service continues to provide rides to the residents of Grey and Bruce Counties.  Saugeen Mobility and Regional Transit continues to support their 9 member Municipalities.  Public transit continues within the City of Owen Sound.  Taxis in various towns throughout Grey and Bruce Counties are

• perating.

 Private transportation services continue to expand throughout the 2 counties.

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 In spring 2018 The County of Grey again engaged Lough Barnes Consulting to support a new Community Transportation Grant

• pportunity through the Ministry of Transportation.

 Public consultations through online surveys and engagement with service providers, organizations and employers occurred, along with data gathered during the initial grant period led to a successful application for a funding allocation for 1.85 million for a five year program that would involve a long distance intercommunity approach as well as a local route to connect residents within their communities. 17

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18  Funding has been divided into two levels, local and intercommunity.  It is anticipated that the local (Launch Pad, Hanover and area) project will start October 2019 to align with the start of programs.  A local transit solution for Hanover and its surrounding area to support student transportation to and from Launch Pad.  A local solution in Northwest Grey and Bruce County (Owen Sound, Georgian Bluffs, including Wiarton).  Service will be three days per week between Owen Sound and Wiarton along Highway 6.

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Highway 10/ Highway 6 Corridor

 The fixed route will operate between Markdale and Owen Sound.  Service targeted for employment, medical and shopping purposes.  A connection southbound between Markdale and Dundalk will be developed in collaboration with the Township of Southgate.  Consultation with stakeholders and experience with the earlier community transportation pilot program identified a gap in the Community Transportation funding model.

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20 Highway 26 Corridor  This route will connect Owen Sound, Meaford and Town of Blue Mountains for employment, medical appointments, shopping and Georgian College campuses.  A connection to South Georgian Bay Transit will be available for those travelling further east.  There will be one vehicle deployed per route. The route will have two runs a day (AM and PM), five times a week and aligned with connecting service requirements.

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 Grey County released a Negotiated Response for Proposal (NRFP) which closed on September 13th.  Grey County is seeking a transportation service provider to develop an innovative “Made in Grey” solution to meet the transportation needs of our residents.  We were seeking proposals that would allow us to implement a service that meets basic requirements in the fall of 2019 and that can be enhanced to meet future demands.

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 Grey County is in the process of reviewing and evaluating proposals. Once a decision is made, all information will be announced publicly.  Updates For more information contact me at Grey County Stephanie.stewart@grey.ca Follow www.grey.ca Contact your Municipality

Seniors’ Summit 2019 – Transportation

QUESTIONS

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Seniors’ Summit 2019 – Transportation

Barb Fedy, Director, Grey County Social Services, Grey County Barb.fedy@grey.ca Marg Johnson Director, Transportation Services, Home and Community Support Services mjohnson@homecommunitysupport.com Stephanie Stewart Manager, Community Transportation, Grey County Stephanie.Stewart@grey.ca

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