INNISFAIL - A comprehensive review of the town's future community transportation options is being launched with the creation of a Transportation Service Ad-Hoc Committee.
Town council approved the creation of the new three-member ad hoc committee at its regular meeting on March 26. The appointed members are Don Harrison, manager of the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion, Coun. Jean Barclay and former councillor Heather Taylor.
The mandate of the ad hoc committee is to review the current transportation needs of the community and to explore future options and report its results back to council by May through an administration report.
Todd Becker, the town's chief administrative officer, said administration will conduct a "full data analysis" of the entire service, from statistics and costs of buses. He added there will be a review of other available means of transportation, as well as identifying gaps in the community and a review of the grant application for the new provincial government rural transportation pilot program, a regional partnership which the town recently approved in principle.
"We will see how all this spits out. We will do all the work administratively, present it to this committee, and they'll send us back to do whatever work, and we will present it formally to council," said Becker.
The creation of the committee follows the town's efforts to find a new transportation delivery option to replace the aging Innisfail & District Handivan, a service operated out of the legion and providing 972 in-town trips last year.
The handivan, a 2004 Ford model with more than 232,000 kilometres of use, is primarily used by seniors and citizens with mobility and special needs issues, but was pulled from out-of-town service last year due to mechanical issues.
Town officials said last year the estimated cost for a new handivan could be between $90,000 and $125,000.
However, the town and legion have been looking at other options. Council was told March 26 that administration and members of the town's Transportation Committee went to Red Deer on March 6 to inspect three retired buses and vans.
In a report to council, council was told the three retired Red Deer vehicles were larger than the aging Innisfail handivan and had an average of 276,000 kilometres of use. While two of the 2009 vehicles were determined to be in "good overall conidtion" and in better shape than the Innisfail handivan, upgrades would be required. As well, the Red Deer vehicles would not be good for gravel roads as they were not designed to keep dust out. The City of Red Deer offered the buses for a price of $2,000 each.
"We knew they weren't going to be brand spanking new, but maybe they are better than what we have. Right now we are evaluating that with our mechanic," said Becker, adding that purchasing a brand new handivan for the town will also be considered. "That is another option. Do we want to take on more fleet or should we be setting plans a little higher and move into a newer unit to meet the needs of the community, and outside the community because right now we have limitations as the bus will only go inside town."
Becker said the new ad hoc committee will be engaged with its mandated work throughout the rest of this month.
