The District of Muskoka could have a “demand-responsive” transit system by the end of 2024.
During the Jan. 18 Community and Planning Services Committee meeting, district council agreed to partner with Blaise Transit Ltd., a transit software company based in Saint-Hubert, Que., to work on the idea.
Sydney Piatkowski, transportation network coordinator for the district, said this “new direction for rural transit” will include the area’s six municipalities.
She explained the system bases routes on passenger demand rather than having a set route.
“It will be flexible to meet the diverse transportation needs of Muskoka and make transit accessible across the district,” she said, adding it will allow them to reach the more rural parts of the district.
She said the district will work with Blaise to create either an app, website, or both that will support payment and “all functionality of the service.”
On the back end of the service, Piatkowski said district staff will be able to see data about ridership demographics and where people are being picked up, which she believes will be handy if the district ends up operating the service.
However, that hasn’t been decided yet.
Through the planning process, Piatkowski said they will figure out if the district will purchase buses or work with a third party to run the service.
When it’s rolled out, Piatkowski shared they may partner with municipalities, using Gravenhurst as an example.
The municipality heard from a consultant in July 2023 that creating a transit service in Gravenhurst would benefit residents.
Piatkowski said they have talked with the five other municipalities in the district but, so far, Gravenhurst is “probably the one that’s most interested.”
“The sooner we can get this in place and get it streamlined, I think, the better for the district as a whole,” continued Piatkowski.
District Chair Jeff Lehman pointed out that in 2022, the district spent nearly $500,000 through its various initiatives to help people move around Muskoka. “Whether or not we ultimately save a great deal of money, I am dead sure we can provide a better service,” he said.
