With a demand for the service, Halton Hills Council has approved an extension of the ActiVan shuttle bus pilot project that takes local residents to Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH).
The initiative was introduced last fall, providing accessible transit for older adults and people with disabilities to the hospital in south Halton.
At its introduction, the pilot was supposed to last 33 weeks. But after proving to be a success, staff recommended that council extend the project until December. According to staff, the cost of expanding the service will be $21,382.
Council will be reviewing a permanent shuttle service as part of its 2023 budget process. Staff hopes to include expanded service delivery times for medical appointments and transporting dialysis patients.
“Many people who need appointments that can’t be covered at the Georgetown Hospital have to travel to Oakville,” Councillor Moya Johnson said in council. “We know taxis will go there, but it’s not cheap.”
Staff estimates that an additional ActiVan operator would be required if the service goes permanent. It would cost the Town an additional $66,300 per year to run, including labour and fuel costs.
ActiVan provides door-to-door service for a flat fee of $4 per ride or $100 for a monthly pass, serving as a lifeline to those who need to travel for their medical appointments but are unable to drive themselves.
Since the pilot came into being, ActiVan has accommodated 921 trips to OTMH - 429 at 8:30 a.m, 418 at 3 p.m. and 74 at 11 a.m. Those are the fixed departure and arrival times for the service, which is provided from Monday to Friday. The staff report proposes increasing the frequency from three departures and arrivals to four, at 8:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
“I really appreciate that we’re moving forward with these transportation services. I think there is a big demand for it,” said Councillor Ann Lawlor. “I appreciate that, as budget allows and as demand increases, the Town is responding to the demand for this kind of service.”
