The county has received nearly $500,000 from the province to help develop a ridesharing program for Wellington residents.
On June 28 the county announced it received the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) grant for the service, which is scheduled to launch next April 2019.
County officials say the service will utilize a mobile app to book, pay and track trips, and a call centre will be available for residents without a mobile phone.
“Wellington County residents, especially those living in rural areas, face a number of transportation barriers,” Warden Dennis Lever stated in a press release.
“A demand-based transit service will provide our residents with cost-effective options, helping them travel to and from work, visit the downtown cores of our municipalities, and make all parts of the county more accessible.”
The need for a public transit service in Wellington was identified in the county’s 2015 Rural Transportation Study, and more recently in a 2018 study and community response survey, officials say. The survey results showed 89% of 869 respondents wanted a public transportation system.
County officials say an “implementation team” is working with Dillon Consulting Limited and community partners to design a system that makes it “more convenient for residents, visitors, seniors, youth, persons with disabilities, and others to access essential services.”
“The impact that this grant will have on rural Wellington residents is tremendous,” said Karen Armstrong, Rural Wellington Health Link collaboration coordinator.
“For many residents, transportation is a barrier to accessing health care services, the food bank, counselling, employment and other necessary supports to function optimally. The grant will reduce barriers to daily living and improve the health of our population.”
Councillor George Bridge, chair of the county’s economic development committee, said, “The idea of linking different parts of Wellington County through transportation, is not a new one.
“This easy-to-book system will increase opportunity for ridesharing, provide more options to local employers and their workers, and bring us one step closer to connecting our rural and urban communities.”
For more information visit www.wellington.ca/transportation.
