Rocky View Regional Handibus general manager Paul Siller is looking to attract some political attention in the hopes of accommodating what has been an increase in both passengers and trips by the local transportation provider.
“Historically, provincial MLAs don’t think this is a big deal until someone close to them starts really having a problem, and then it’s too late for us to do anything,” Siller said.
The number of passengers has grown by 17 per cent (from 610 in 2014 to 791 this year), while the number of trips increased by almost 30 per cent (10,453 in 2014 to 12,549 this year), as noted in numbers released by the society.
Siller suggested a number of factors behind the growth.
“The population is growing in Cochrane, Chestermere and Rocky View County and at the same time we have an aging factor.”
Siller has observed a trend to get patients out of hospitals and returned home in a shorter amount of time.
Generally, Siller said people who use their service are seniors and people with disabilities, “but really we’re about the people who have transportation barriers. That includes the people with disabilities who can’t drive themselves, but it also means people who are low-income.”
Siller said that the Handibus service isn’t just about medical trips.
“Sometimes, it’s about getting groceries, sometimes it’s about seniors’ recreation program over at the Spray Lake (Sawmills Family Sports) Centre.
“We’re filling a public transit role for people who have very few other options.”
As a result of the growth, there’s been increasing pressuring on providing services with resources stretched, Siller said.
He explained that one issue exacerbated by the growth is appointment times scheduled outside of regular work hours.
To illustrate, Siller recalled a passenger who had a 6:30 a.m. cataract treatment appointment in Calgary. With transit time to and from the destination, “that’s basically asking a driver to put three extra hours on to their day.
“We just don’t have the resources.”
Siller recounted another case where two Cochrane residents both had to use the Handibus service to get them to dialysis treatment but, due to time conflicts, two buses were sent – doubling up on resources when the trips should have been combined.
Currently, the Handibus Society has 16 vehicles, including backups, which operate during weekdays with an average of 140 trips in a day. On any given day, 12 are working with eight designated to the Rocky View Schools board. That leaves five or six available for municipalities, Siller said.
With the increase in mind, he said they would like to bring that number to 10.
At this point, Siller is hoping to get at least a few politicians to take interest, which in his eyes has been neglected. “I don’t care if they’re opposition or government; it would just be nice to have a couple of MLAs champion this from time to time.
“People only notice that they need this when they lose their ability to drive. Everyone takes for granted their ability to drive.”
