Addressing Affordable Access to Transportation in Elgin St. Thomas Elgin St

Addressing Affordable Access to Transportation in Elgin St. Thomas Elgin St. Thomas Public Health May 2017

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Transportation decisions and policies affect our individual lives, economy and health. In Elgin- St. Thomas, having access to affordable transportation is essential to having a job, going to school, accessing health care and social service appointments, participating in social and leisure activities and being connected to the community. In rural communities across Ontario including Elgin-St. Thomas, access to different transportation options is extremely limited. With Elgin-St. Thomas experiencing the effects of poverty, precarious work, low paying jobs, low levels of education attainment and an aging population, the need for affordable and accessible transportation options will only continue to increase into the future (1).

Transit systems in rural areas can be viewed as a valuable community service since it provides mobility and independence to people who are non drivers either by choice or by necessity. Some may argue that transit services do not serve enough people to be worth the cost. However, it is important to see transportation infrastructure as a valuable investment that positively impacts community health and well being whether or not the system is able to generate revenues. Municipal savings and expenses can be weighted against the benefits and costs to individuals, families, neighbourhoods, and businesses. The benefits cross many sectors since transit provides access to work, health care appointments, education and shopping. Additional trips made for these purposes result in increased earnings, improved health, involvement in social activities and additional spending in the local economy. Having access to affordable transportation is an important public health issue and has been identified as a priority in Elgin-St. Thomas by many community planning tables. Because it is such a challenging issue, it will require many community stakeholders working together to explore and support new approaches that can be successful and financially sustainable. This report will further examine:  the local issue of transportation,  why transportation is important,  outline the current transportation system in Elgin St. Thomas,  provide examples of rural transportation models in Ontario, and  and outline recommendations for local collaborative action.

TRANSPORTATION: A LOCAL ISSUE

HISTORY

As a result of the establishment of the Elgin St. Thomas Community Leaders’ Cabinet and the initiation of the Healthy Kids Community Challenge, a review of existing community reports was conducted. This review identified common themes or issues in our community. The top issues identified were: . Poverty . Food insecurity and food access . Safe and affordable housing . Transportation . Awareness of community services . Education and workforce development . Mental health . Community safety and violence prevention . Access to health services . Access to affordable recreation

Based on this review and discussions at the Community Leaders’ Cabinet, staff at Elgin St. Thomas Public Health systematically reviewed transportation, food insecurity and food access issues, safe and affordable housing and access to recreation using a process called System Mapping. System Mapping is an approach used to identify and present components of a system in a structured way to gather a better understanding of what is happening in the community, identify who is doing what, and what models other communities are using. These system map reports will provide an opportunity for community partners and the Community Leaders Cabinet to systematically and collectively develop a plan to address these community wide issues and improve the quality of life in Elgin-St. Thomas.

WHY TRANSPORTATION MATTERS

According to Litman, (2), transportation planning has been experiencing a paradigm shift. The old paradigm evaluated transportation performance based primarily on automobile travel convenience, speed and affordability and tended to favour roadway expansion. The new paradigm considers a wider range of options and impacts. Transportation system performance is evaluated more now on the basis of accessibility rather than mobility and is more supportive of integrated and multimodal planning considering its impact on public health and other areas.

Transportation and Health Impacts

Areas of public health that tend to be significantly impacted by transportation policy and planning include: traffic safety, pollution exposure, physical activity and fitness, equity and access to basic needs, and impacts to mental health (3). This report speaks most specifically to the issue of affordable access to transportation and the health equity impacts in our community. See figure 1 regarding additional details about linkages between transportation investments and

2 land use patterns and the impact on health outcomes. This information was prepared by Translink at the University of British Columbia to support the development of their regional transportation strategy.

Figure 1. Built Environment and Health Linkages

Marr (4) identifies five key demographic groups in rural Ontario who are at greater risk of experiencing transportation disadvantages. These groups include seniors, people with disabilities, youth, low income households and women. Poverty within Elgin-St. Thomas cannot be reduced without considering improvements to its transportation infrastructure. According to the Community Health Status Report, 2015, 16% of residents of Elgin-St. Thomas were living in low income using the Low Income Measure After Tax. Figure 2 illustrates that higher rates of low income households exist within the City of St. Thomas as well as the outer rural areas of the County. Twenty percent of people who were renting were spending more than 30% their household income on shelter costs (5). This leaves very little money left over for living costs and affordable options for transportation. Limited access to services and the social exclusion that results from a lack of transportation prevents people from attaining their full social and economic potential (6).

Figure 2. Percentage of the Population in Low Income in Elgin St. Thomas, 2011

The areas with the three darkest colours represent the highest concentration of low income household.

In order to utilize health care services, access to transportation is critically important. Travel distance and access to transportation challenges, that exist within rural communities, impact the likelihood that someone might miss or delay a health care visit. Those who lack access to affordable transportation options are often the same people who have the greatest need for health care services (7). Providing transportation to health care and social services for those who need it most increases the utilization of these services and may reduce future costs down the road for emergency and preventable hospitalization. Missing a trip for routine care or preventive health check ups might result in a medical trip that ends up costing more than the trip that was missed (8).

Elgin County continues to have a predominantly aging population and seniors continue to use the volunteer based transportation options that presently exist to access health care and essential services (9). Seniors currently make up 16% of the population in Elgin-St. Thomas and that proportion is increasing over time as health outcomes improve and life expectancy rates continue to increase. By 2031, researchers indicate that the number of seniors 65 and over will grow to about 25% of the Canadian population (10). Many seniors become unable to drive as they age making tasks such as getting groceries and accessing essential services very challenging. Providing transit options allows seniors a safe alternative to getting where they need to go.

To create an effective transportation model in our community for a growing and aging population, it is important that local leaders can identify what challenges exist, recognize the potential economic impacts of transit in rural areas and what Ontario’s vision for rural transportation is. The vision for rural transportation in Ontario includes the contribution to

4 quality of life, the development and support of an efficient economy and the maintenance of a healthy natural environment. (11). This can be accomplished by increasing service options, centralizing transit services within communities, advocating for a national transit policy, ensuring funding is available and maintaining a focus on the customer.

Transportation and Economic Impacts

In rural areas, there are many economic impacts of public transit that may include: employment and business activity, increased mobility, cost impacts for customers using the system, expenditure patterns and growth impacts on the local economy. Public transit systems can lead to increased employment and local business (12). Without access to a personal vehicle, many who live in rural areas are not able to travel to work or school. The ability for individuals living in rural communities to access education and training programs can drastically increase their long term employment and earning prospects as well (13). Almost half of the labour force in Elgin-St. Thomas, have high school level education or less (14).

According to data from the National Household Survey (NHS) from 2011, 86.18% of Elgin-St. Thomas residents who were employed at a usual workplace drove a car, truck or van to work daily. The median duration for a daily commute for people in Elgin and St. Thomas was 20.6 minutes. In rural areas the commute durations were higher, such as in West Elgin where the median was 30.2 minutes and Dutton/Dunwich was 30.5 minutes (15). A personal vehicle can cost up to $7,240 per year, considering almost 60 km of travel per day as well as the cost of maintenance, car payments, insurance and licensing (16). Without an alternative means of travel, having to purchase and maintain a vehicle can be costly.

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM MODEL IN ELGIN-ST. THOMAS

Systems mapping was undertaken to identify and classify the community supports, programs, and services located within Elgin County. The system model below (Figure 3) has organized transportation into 3 domains: public, private, and active transport. Each of the three major transportation categories is further divided into specific resource categories.

Figure 3. Transportation System Model for St. Thomas Elgin

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Transport Canada defines public transportation as “a transport service offered by the municipal government for the general public”. The City of St Thomas is the only community in the Elgin County area that provides public transportation. Voyageur Transportation is the bus company that is subcontracted by the City of St. Thomas to provide public transportation. Public transportation has been divided into two sub-classifications based on the current service provided within the City of St. Thomas. These components are:  Conventional Transit Services  Parallel Transit Services

Conventional Transit Services Conventional transit service is also referred to as fixed-route service. Conventional transit or fixed-route service is defined as a vehicle travelling a scheduled route, stopping at specific sites one or more days per week. The vehicle may be a bus, train, subway or streetcar (17). The City of St. Thomas’s conventional transit service has five routes available across the City connecting major businesses, shopping areas, schools and medical facilities. The central transfer point is located at Talbot St and First Ave, across from Wal-Mart. The cost per adult, child, student or senior is $2.50 per trip, with discounts given to advance single-use and monthly passes. Purchases for advance passes can be made at 614 Talbot Street St. Thomas, the Transit Operational Centre. Exact change must be given for single-use tickets purchased on the bus. Transfers are free and are given upon request at the time of purchase. Transfers cannot be used on previously travelled routes or if they are expired (18). Each route runs every half hour. More information regarding the conventional transit service in St. Thomas can be found in Appendix A and B.

Best practice guidelines are given for transportation in relation to community design for public transit strategies (19):  Transit bus stops are to be 400 m, or a 5-minute walk, from each residential unit and 800 m, or a 10-minute walk, from express stops or transit stations.  Basic public transit service, defined as one bus every 20-30 minutes, is recommended for 22 units per ha / 50 residents and jobs combined The City of St. Thomas abides by these guidelines as outlined in the City of St. Thomas Roads and Transportation Maintenance Standards which states that walking distance to conventional transit service are not exceeding 400 m within the urban area and 200 m from major trip destinations and senior residences (20).

Parallel Transit Services The City of St. Thomas’s parallel transit service (21) is a door to door personalized service available to people with disabilities who are unable to use the conventional service. The cost per adult, child, student or senior is $2.50 per trip, with discounts given to advance single-use and monthly passes. Purchases for all passes must be in exact change and can only be purchased on the bus. Children under the age of 5 who are accompanied by a parent or guardian or an attendant

6 may ride with the applicant free of charge. The following information outlines the application procedure with additional details outlined in Appendix A:  The applicant must register in advance, with an “assessment of health conditions” form filled out by a registered health professional or an Accessible Parking Permit.  The completed form must be dropped off at the Environmental Services Department at City Hall between the hours of 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday.  Once approved bookings must be completed three to four days in advance by calling the Parallel Transit booking office at 519-631-0001.  Priorities are given for employment, school, medical and personal/leisure trips, in that order (22).  The service runs between the hours of 7:15 am and 6:45 pm, Monday to Friday and between 9:15 am and 6:45 pm on Saturdays. There is no service on Sundays or holidays. Conditions of use of St. Thomas Parallel Transit include either permanent or temporary conditions such as:  Cannot walk without assistance of another person or a brace, cane, crutch, a lower limb prosthetic device or similar assistive device or who requires the assistance of a wheelchair.  Portable oxygen is a medical necessity.

Financial Performance of Public Transportation

In the City of St. Thomas, Roads and Transportation Standards contains a financial policy in regards to public transit with a revenue/cost ratio. The ratio aims to have fare revenues plus coverage for the subsidized rate for seniors and students to be equal to 40% of the total operating costs. Additional service when requested within the City would be based on fare revenues equal to 50% of the operating costs and outside the City limits 100% of the operating costs. Parallel transit is to match the fare schedule of conventional transit (23). See figure 4 for additional transit financial performance information.

Figure 4. Ontario Urban Transit Fact Book, 2015 Operating Data

Transit R/C Cost effectiveness Cost Efficiency Service Utilization Average Fare Monthly Systems Ratio (Total Dir. Oper. (Tot. Dir. & Aux. Reg. Serv. Adult Fare Exp./Reg. Serv. Oper. Exp/Tot. Veh. Pass/capita Pass Hr. St. Thomas 32% $4.64 62.51 6.37 $1.43 $60.00 Average for 35% $5.33 84.57 9.86 $1.75 $78.13 pop’n groups under 50, 000 All Ontario 60% $4.14 154.03 83.02 $2.39 $85.43

In February 2017 the Ontario Works Department in the City of St. Thomas moved forward with implementing a bus pass pilot project to assist low income residents with the cost of conventional transportation. Transportation had been identified as one of four key priorities by the Elgin St.

Thomas Coalition to End Poverty in 2016. With environmental services, treasury, customer service and Ontario Works on board, the proposed plan is to provide vouchers to those currently purchasing bus passes in hopes that it will improve employability and general quality of life (24). Even though in the City of St. Thomas a monthly bus pass is only $65.00 (2017) and may seem economical, the cost is very expensive to those individuals who are recipients of social assistance benefits. Transportation costs end up being a large percentage of the total household budget.

PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION Alternatives to public transportation include the use of private transportation, especially for people living outside the city limits. Private transportation is defined as a transportation service owned and operated by a non government body for the purpose of profit or not for profit. Private transportation has been divided into three sub-classifications based on the current services accessed by the public in Elgin-St. Thomas. These components are:  Taxi Services  Volunteer-Based Transport Services  Ride Share

Taxi Services A taxi service is defined as a for profit service providing transportation for specific locations to the general public by a private company. Currently in Elgin-St. Thomas, there are four taxi services out of St. Thomas, Aylmer and Port Stanley and two more in Oxford County that service Elgin County. All taxi companies within the City of St. Thomas have mileage rates and base rates set by the City. Currently, the base rate sits at $4.50 and the mileage rate at $2.80 per kilometer (25). The City of London’s base rate for taxi service is $3.50 with a mileage rate of $1.92 per kilometer (26). Elgin County has not set a mileage or base rate for taxi service leaving taxi companies to set their own flat rates. Private transportation such as taxis in rural communities, while improving transportation access, is limited by the high costs. For example, the rate from Port Stanley to St. Thomas from Dockside Cabs is $25.00 one way (as of February, 2016). To travel from Aylmer to St. Thomas with J & D Taxi is $27.00 one way. In some communities, taxi services have been subsidized by the municipality or other community provider. The complete list of taxi services and information concerning flat rate charges can be found in Appendix C.

Volunteer-Based Transport Services A volunteer-based transport service is defined as a not-for-profit service providing access to transportation to the clients of a community organization, based on the availability of volunteer drivers. This method is delivered in two ways, community buses or the vehicles of volunteers. Transportation is reasonably priced ranging from a one-time registration fee, low mileage rates, set fees with subsidies available to no cost at all. Many of the rides require advance booking and are typically only available during day time hours. Eligibility requirements restrict use to cancer patients, seniors, adults with disabilities or for those who need transportation to medical appointments and programs offered through the community organization. The West Elgin Transportation Network is one example of a volunteer based transportation service offered in Elgin County. This service provides non-emergency transportation to local medical

8 appointments and regular activities such as shopping or visiting friends and family in the West Elgin region. Volunteer drivers use their own vehicles and all rides are dependent on volunteer availability (27). A complete list of volunteer-based services available in Elgin County can be found in Appendix C.

Ride Share Rideshare is defined as a not-for-hire transportation service for people who share a common destination either one time or daily. The City of London, in partnership with surrounding counties, launched RegionaRideShare.ca (28) to provide a free online platform for users who also live in surrounding communities like Elgin County to register their daily route to work or school. The registration process is outlined below.  Visit regionalrideshare.ca and click on public registration or participating organizations. Use the public registration if the employer, educational institution, or organization is not yet directly participating  Provide the following information: email, nickname, name, gender, whether a smoker or not and second language (if applicable). The name is kept private.  Register route by providing origin, destination, and frequency and schedule of rides. Other information required: whether the rider holds a driver’s license, and interest in being a driver or passenger.  Once registered, the website will match the rider with others who share the same route.  The rider is then provided the opportunity to accept or decline invitations to share the ride. More information can be found at regionalrideshare.ca.

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, active transportation is defined as any form of transportation that is human-powered such as walking, cycling, non-mechanized wheel chairing, and skateboarding. Supportive infrastructure for active transportation is encouraged by integrating features into community design. Features include trails, parks, sidewalks, and street lighting (shaping active, healthy communities). Many of the municipalities within Elgin support active transportation within their official plans. It’s important for active transportation to be promoted in our community as an alternative to the car culture and attempt to get more people physically active. Not only can active transport be seen as a way to be physically active but it can also be seen as a mode of transportation when practical to commute from one place to another.

TRANSPORTATION GAPS IN ELGIN-ST. THOMAS

The City of St. Thomas is fortunate to be able to provide their residents access to a fixed route conventional transportation service that operates weekdays from 7:15 am until 6:45 pm and on Saturdays from 9:15 am until 6:45 pm. Currently, service is not offered on Sundays and some statutory holidays. There is also afternoon disruption in the 5a commercial route schedule on school days which may pose issues for some travellers using this bus in the afternoon on school days. Strollers must collapse to fit between the seats on the bus for safety reasons. Monthly adult fares cost around $65.00 per month. The bus pass program that is currently being piloted in St. Thomas is assisting Ontario Works clients with transportation costs. In addition to the

9 conventional service, the City of St. Thomas is able to offer door to door parallel transit service to people with disabilities. Again, service is not available after 6:45 pm on weekdays or Saturdays and parallel transit is not offered on Sundays or holidays.

In addition to these transit services, taxi service is also available within the City but is currently an expensive transportation option. The Central Community Health Centre offers a volunteer based transportation service to its clients and some additional social service agencies presently budget for transportation services for clients. Costs may or may not be associated with volunteer based services. Additional information is located in Appendix C. Being able to offer transit service options are very important because some of the lowest income residents live within the City limits and they may not have the funds to support owning a personal vehicle. Public transportation, private transportation and volunteer based transportation offers many mobility options so that residents can get to where they need to go and feel connected within the City limits with some options being more expensive than others.

With 57% of residents living outside of the City of St. Thomas, that means that approximately 49, 556 people would not have access to the fixed route conventional transit service nor the parallel transit services available within the City. There are approximately 23,286 people who live in the east end of Elgin County including: Bayham Township, Malahide Township and the Town of Aylmer (29). According to figure 2 of this document, some of the lowest income residents within our County live in Malahide township in the regions south and north of the town of Aylmer and within Bayham township in the regions surrounding the communities of Port Burwell and Vienna. Pockets of lower income also exist within the regions of West Elgin. The Western region of Elgin County is supported by both private and volunteer based transportation services including: Four Counties Community Transit System as well as the West Elgin Transportation Network. Mennonite Community Services offers a limited volunteer based transportation service to the eastern region of Elgin County. Other transportation options to East Elgin would be use of private taxi services (Appendix C). Private transportation such as taxis in rural communities, while improving transportation access, is limited by the high costs and with a high number of low income households located in East Elgin, transportation options are unaffordable.

For those who do not have access to a car, it would be extremely challenging to have a job, attend appointments, shop for basic necessities or feel connected to the community. Active transportation may not always be a practical mode of commuter transportation in rural regions as distances potentially could be very long. What further complicates the issue of transportation in these regions of Elgin County is the lack of community resources that are available which forces residents to travel longer distances in order to get access what they need. Currently, according to the information gathered for this report, one could conclude that the largest gap in transportation options exist within the East Elgin region of the Elgin County.

EXAMPLES OF RURAL TRANSPORTATION MODELS IN ONTARIO

Elgin County isn’t the only rural community within Ontario that faces transportation challenges. Most rural communities across Ontario are faced with the challenges of:  low density and dispersed nature of the population,  the long distances of trips, and  a lower tax base making available funds for transportation scarce. As a result, a number of municipalities, agencies and private sector companies have responded to attempt to fill the transportation gaps. Traditionally, each organization operates within their own mandates which often continues to leave gaps within the community and leads to a disconnected system with potentially little or no availability of transportation services (30). To address these challenges, a number of rural communities in Ontario have established cost shared coordinated rural transportation models. These models have the ability to enhance the cost effectiveness of transportation as a whole and improve overall service quality.

One approach used to improve access to transportation in rural communities has been offered through a blended flex public transit service. In Bancroft, Ontario, a transport service called TROUT (The Rural Overland Utility Transit), uses a mix of transportation services including, scheduled regional routes, door-to-door service, individualized service, and special destination trips to increase ridership and revenue. The scheduled regional routes consist of a fixed route system with stops throughout the region, connecting Bancroft to most businesses and medical centers. The door to door service provides registered clients, with eligibility requirements (older adults and adults with disabilities), pickups during the fixed route schedule. These pickups aim to be similar in time and locations to the fixed route schedule. The individualized service differs from door to door service by providing wheelchair accessible service outside the hours of the fixed route schedule, for clients returning home from hospital or for medical appointments. Finally, special destination service provides transportation outside the fixed route schedule during events or when interest for a specific destination is high, such as Sunday morning church service (31).

The County of Northumberland and several local municipalities offer rural transportation within the County that is affordable, accessible, and sustainable for all residents. Services are pre- booked and clients are driven in agency vehicles. Wheelchairs, walkers, child car seats, etc. can be accommodated. The rural service is currently operating in Cramahe & Alnwick/Haldimand Townships as well as the Municipality of Trent Hills, with limited transportation to/from the Municipality of Brighton. Riders must be registered to use this service by completing a client registration form prior to riding, and those under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Bookings are handled through a centralized scheduling office that serves all residents across the County. With so much of the County being rural, it was decided that having set routes would be impractical. Many people live quite a distance from even a side road, and many others would not be able to walk to the main highway to be picked up by the bus. Those with children need to bring car seats and strollers, and would not be able to walk very far to catch the bus. Thus, they designed a pre-booked service, with advance notice required, and the daily schedule is

11 derived from the bookings. Some of the riders have made regular bookings, so that some of the routes are now fairly predictable. This allows additional flexibility in that people will sometimes call the same day to check if the van is coming around anyway, and, if so, will ask for it to pick them up too (32).

The town of Innisfil has currently partnered with the global company Uber to help bring an innovative subsidized, on demand transit services to its residents. This is the first known ride share partnership of its kind in Canada. Uber will offer discounted trips to certain destinations in the town of about 36,000 people. The town conducted a feasibility study in 2015 and found that it would cost about $270,000 to provide a fixed route bus service to its residents. Instead, the town will provide $100,000 in 2017 for the partnership which will launch in May. A further $125,000 will be provided for the partnership in 2018. Residents pay a base fee of $3.00 for trips to key locations and the town will subsidize the remainder of the fare. The town will rely on cab companies for accessibility cabs. For those residents who do not have smartphones to book trips, ipads will be provided by Uber in key locations across the town (33).

The City of Hamilton provides accessible subsidized taxi fares with their Taxi Script Program. This program allows registered eligible users a 40% discount when travelling with a local taxi company. Under the city of Hamilton By-law, senior citizens 65 years of age and older receive a 10% reduction on taxi meter rates. The taxi script book includes the following (34):  Taxi Scrip coupons cost $24 per book. Inside the book you receive $40 worth of Taxi Scrip coupons. Passengers may purchase up to three (3) Taxi Scrip books per month only.  Each book contains a combination of $1, $2, and $5 coupons, totaling $40.  For ease of identification, the coupons are punched with one (1) hole in the $1 coupons, two (2) holes in the $2 coupons, and no holes in the $5 coupons.  After purchasing the Taxi Scrip coupons, ar seven-digit ATS passenger number (as printed on your ATS Photo ID Card) is written on the back of each coupon in the book.

SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AFFORDABLE TRANSPORTATION IN ELGIN-ST. THOMAS

Transport Canada has produced a summary of best practices for small communities interested in developing sustainable transit options. This report suggests communities consider developing a strategic plan to bring together community members to guide and motivate decision making to identify collective goals, resources, challenges and opportunities. Rural municipalities can also be encouraged to consider a triple bottom line which gives equal weight to the economic, social and environmental benefits of implementing transit services. This report suggests that communities should look at transportation projects as more than line items in a budget. Municipal savings and expenses can be weighed against the benefits and costs to individuals, families, neighbourhoods, businesses and the local ecosystem. Communities can also focus initial efforts on a small number of priorities to ensure success and gain momentum for additional action (35). Figure 5 outlines a transportation action plan created for Elgin-St. Thomas based on best practice information used for completing this report.

Figure 5. Transportation Action Plan

Goal: To improve access to well connected, affordable transportation for residents living in Elgin-St. Thomas.

Transportation Action Plan Primary Role or Responsibility

Recommendations Comm Munici Provin Federa unity pal/Co cial l unty 1. That Elgin-St. Thomas consider mobilizing a transportation * * task force in possible collaboration with the Elgin St. Thomas Coalition to End Poverty in order to determine the best course of action for developing a coordinated multi modal transportation strategy. Working together, a task force could set a common agenda and goals, build upon and explore the coordination of current transit options, determine current community expenditures on transportation, benefit from various stakeholder leadership and expertise in order to develop cost effective, successful and sustainable short and long term goals. Consideration may be given to conducting a feasibility study similar to the study conducted by Norfolk and Haldimand County to build a case for transportation within St. Thomas Elgin (52). Success and decisions made will really depend on commitment from the City, the County and community agencies and transportation service providers. Coordinated transit strategies are not a one size fits all and may include some the following components: A. Discounted bus passes and short term transportation * * support/subsidy programs to low income earners. B. A central contact point through which residents can learn * * about and book transportation (eg. central ride board of volunteers, organization info on transportation options, who offers what, bus tickets, route maps, trail maps). C. A Coordinated central, easily accessible car * share/ride share/car pool program. D. Increased transportation financial support offered by the * * City, County and its lower tier municipalities, social service agencies and community organizations to access programs and services. E. Encouraging local grocery stores, pharmacies, daycares, * and food banks to provide no/minimal cost delivery services and/or customer transportation. 2. To support active transportation infrastructure that can be * * used as commuter pathways to connect neighbourhoods and rural areas of the County and integrate with public transportation systems within the County. Create public awareness messaging that educates residents about

alternatives to the car culture and educate about the benefits of active transportation to commute. Advocate for urban and rural designs that reduce distances that people have to travel to get to work, school, recreation and shopping. 3. Advocate to the government of Ontario to take a more * * * active role in rural transportation solutions. 4. Advocate to the provincial and federal governments for * * * * cheaper gas and/or gas subsidies, credits and/or rebates. 5. Encourage the provincial and federal governments to * * * coordinate government policies such as social assistance, subsidized housing, child benefits, old age security, employment insurance and a national transportation strategy to assist individuals and households that are income insecure and free up more funds that can be used for transportation. (36) Northumberland Poverty Reduction Action Committee. Making a Difference in Northumberland County. (Cobourg, 2009) p. 28. (37) A Compendium of Poverty Reduction Strategies and Frameworks (Tamarack: Kitchener, 2009) at 7.

CONCLUSIONS

It is challenging to identify and quantify the benefits of transportation and transit systems. Access to affordable transportation is essential to having a job, going to school, accessing health care, living independently, accessing recreation and essential needs and being connected to the community. Living in rural communities can present many unique challenges to accessing affordable transportation options. Analyses of rural transit systems in the United States conclude that return on investments in transit systems can be achieved because they allow residents to live independently and they increase the level of business activity in the local community. Transit systems allow for rides to medical appointments, employment and shopping for essential needs. These are trips that might not have otherwise been made and generate great economic benefit (38).

Moving forward with affordable transportation solutions, it is recommended that Elgin-St. Thomas consider mobilizing a Transportation Task Force to determine the best course of action for developing a coordinated multi modal transportation strategy with special attention given to the East Elgin region of Elgin County. Evidence contained within this report would suggest that there are minimal transportation options available to residents living within this region. In addition, Malahide and Bayham townships have some of the lowest income households within the County with limited access to resources in the rural areas. Working together, a transportation task force could set a common agenda and goals, build upon current transit options that already exist, determine current expenditures on transportation, benefit from various stakeholder leadership and expertise in order to develop cost effective, successful and sustainable short and long term goals. In order for a transportation strategy to have long term success, commitment from County, City and agency stakeholders is necessary. Advocating for coordinated government policies and a more active governmental role in rural transportation solutions is important at providing sustainability into the future. Having access to affordable transportation improves health and well being and is a good investment for our community.

APPENDIX Appendix A: Full System Ride Guide

Appendix B: Public Transportation Inventory

Conventional Transit Services Schedule Single-Use Advance Pass Monthly Pass (Exact Change) 614 Talbot Street, 614 Talbot Street, St. Thomas St. Thomas Route 1 Northside Weekdays 7:15 am - 6:45 pm Saturdays 9:15 am - 6:45 pm

Route 2 Elgin Mall Weekdays 7:15 am - 6:45 pm Saturdays 9:15 am - 6:45 pm

Route 3 Talbot Weekdays 7:15 am - 6:45 pm Adult $2.50 Adult $2.00 Adult $65.00 Saturdays 9:15 am - 6:45 pm Child $2.50 Child $1.50 Child $55.00 Route 4 Hospital Weekdays 7:15 am - 6:45 pm Student $2.50 Student $1.50 Student $55.00 Saturdays 9:15 am - 6:45 pm Senior $2.50 (must show ID) (must show ID) 5a Express Commercial School days 8:15 am - 2:45 pm Senior $1.50 Senior $55.00 & 3:45 pm - 6:45 pm Non-school days 7:15 am - 6:45 pm Saturdays 9:15 am - 6:45 pm 5b North Student Express School days 7:15 am & 3:15 pm 5b South Student Express School days 7:45 am & 2:45 pm

Parallel Transit Services Schedule Single-Use Sheets of 10 Monthly Pass (Exact Change) (Exact Change to (Exact Change to the Bus Driver) the Bus Driver) Door-to Door Service Monday to Friday Adult $2.50 Adult $20.00 Adult $65.00 Call 519-631-0001 7.15 am to 6.45 pm Child $2.50 Child $15.00 Child $55.00 (3-4 days in advance) last pick up at 6.30 pm Student $2.50 Student $15.00 Student $55.00 Saturday 9.15 am to 6.45 pm Senior $2.50 (must show ID) (must show ID) last pick up at 5.30 pm Senior $15.00 Senior $55.00 No service Sundays or Holidays

*Parallel transit service application forms are available online or by calling 519-631-1680.

Appendix C: Private Transportation Inventory

Private Transportation Taxis Services Areas Served Accessible Hours Contact Cost Eligibility Your Taxi Elgin County (St. Yes 24 Hours 519-631-1800 $2.8 per km General Public Thomas) Base Rate $4.50 Red Line Elgin County (St. No 24 Hours 519-631-1200 $2.8 per km General Public Transportation Thomas) Base Rate $4.50 The Four Counties Rodney and West Yes Hours vary 1-800-724- $5 trip/$10 round General Public- Community Transit Lorne 3401 or 519- trip, will consider medical appts, System 693-8604 special Special needs and arrangements seniors J & D Taxis Service Elgin County No S-Th6am- 519-773-9566 Flat Rate (Aylmer to General Public (operates out of Midnight St. Thomas Aylmer) FS- 24 hr $27.00/return $40.00 Anywhere in Aylmer: $8.00 seniors/return $12.00 $10.00 others/return $15.00 Dockside Cabs Elgin County No 24 Hours 519-782-3855 Flat Rates in Port: General Public some $7/$11 return, (Port restrictions to: St. Thomas $25 Union $12, Sparta $25 KTN Taxi- Elgin County No 24 hours 519-688-3900 Flat Rate Pt Bur to General Public (operates out of Till $40, Till to Ayl Tillsonburg) $40 (no pick up in Aylmer), Till to St T $60 Why Wait Taxi Elgin County No 5 am-12 pm 519-842-7889 Flat Rates Pt Burwell General Public (operates out of (M-Th) $41, Ayl $40, Vienna Tillsonburg) 5am-2am Fri $35, St Thomas $65 5am-3am sat 10am-7pm sunday

Volunteer Based Canadian Cancer Elgin, Middlesex No 9 am-5 pm 1-800-263- Annual $100 reg. fee cancer patients Society- Wheels of and London 6750 to Subsidy available, and family-active Hope register & fee can be covered treatment book by OW & ODSP 72 hour notice West Elgin West Elgin No Mon to Fri: 519-768-1715 $0.25 per km, Seniors 55 plus Transportation 9am - 4pm Ext. 2210- 24- subsidy available and adults with Network 48 hr. notice disabilities VON Middlesex- Aylmer, East Yes/No Hours vary 519-637-6408 $0.35 per km medical Elgin Elgin, St. 48 hour subsidies available appointments, Thomas, Central notice social activities Elgin and programs

Mennonite East Elgin No Hours vary 519-773-3689 fee varies subsidies Appointments & Community 48 hour notice available FESPA program Services Family & Children's Elgin County No Hours vary 519-631-1492 no cost Transportation to Services of St programs and Thomas & Elgin services for clients only Fresh Start Elgin County, No Hours vary 519-639-5841 no cost Transportation to Maternity Support Oxford county medical and London appointments and programs, only for those in residential program Adult Day Transportation Yes M-F, 8-4 pm 519-631-9907 $10 for the program Applications for Programs for available to all to register and $10 for this program are Seniors locations transportation if processed by (Valleyview, needed Community Care Terrace Lodge, Access Centre Bobier Villa) Volunteer Bus Aylmer to No No Thurs am Dave Heldson no cost Pick up at Menno Program Frills grocery 519-866-3452 Lodge, Heritage store and return to book Place and at door if needed Central Community St Thomas, No Hours vary 519-633-7989 no cost Medical Health Centre Southwold, M-F appointments by Central Elgin referral only

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