The Northern Rockies Seniors Society will continue to cruise through the community after the regional municipal council voted in favour of providing a grant for their on-demand shuttle service.
During the Northern Rockies regional municipal council meeting on August 11, the community’s need for improved access to transportation was highlighted several times – including in a presentation on community needs at the beginning of the meeting.
In 2024, the council supported the Northern Rockies Seniors Society’s initiative to create a scheduled bus service, but the task proved too costly for the seniors group who wrote a letter to council ahead of the recent meeting.
They said the provincial requirements for a scheduled bus service are more demanding than an on-demand shuttle service, and ultimately, the pursuit was not financially feasible.
An administrative report from municipal staff said they were informed the seniors society would not be able to continue the scheduled route program in May. An issue they identified involved licensing the current buses and finding drivers who were qualified to the provincial standard for scheduled services.
Instead of the initially-planned grant of $55,000 for scheduled service, the seniors group asked for $15,000, the amount the Bear Pit historically supplied for their on-demand shuttle service.
Without the council’s funding, the senior society said they would have to scale back their operations and only offer rides to seniors and people with disabilities.
“It’s only fair that we continue to support the Northern Rockies Seniors Society’s transportation project,” said Northern Rockies regional municipal councillor Lorraine Gerwing, while moving for the council to vote, which resulted in favour of providing the $15,000 grant.
The seniors society’s on-demand bus service is available for all community members in the Northern Rockies, regardless of their age.
The Bear Pit also briefly discussed other groups who were interested in a bussing contract and said they will remain on the hunt for a solution to the gap in Fort Nelson’s scheduled public transit.
