Put the brakes on giving free bus rides home to Barrie high school students.
City councillors received a staff report Monday that concludes public safety and capacity issues don’t warrant the free rides, so they took no action on the idea.
Coun. Mike McCann, who hatched the plan, said he wasn’t pleased to see it run out of road.
“Am I happy with it? No. Do I agree with it? No. But am I going to fight it and challenge it? I just don’t think this is a fight I’m going to die on my sword on,” he said. “This is when bureaucracy and I just don’t get along well. I think there’s a real clean, practical solution and you get the school board, you get city hall, you know, getting in the way I think of good work.
“I just think this needed to be pushed a little harder.”
In September, council approved a motion that transit and parking strategy department staff, in consultation with local school boards, investigate the feasibility of providing free bus service to Barrie high school students until Dec. 31, 2020. Buses would only be provided within one hour following the end of school time, between 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m., and at bus stops adjacent to Barrie secondary schools.
But city staff don’t recommend the plan; it would likely cause capacity issues on Barrie Transit, wouldn’t be supported by either the school boards or the health unit, and would be difficult to administer in this short time period.
City staff say that during the 12:30-2 p.m. timeframe, Barrie Transit has limited capacity to absorb even a small percentage of free transit riders. And because many of Barrie’s high schools have more than 1,000 students, there is potential to put significant pressure on the already limited bus capacities. This could negatively affect riders who depend on the service for essential travel to work, appointments, grocery stores, etc.
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit also prefers continuing with distancing requirements for transit busing. The current capacity on conventional Barrie Transit buses is 20 riders, to allow physical distancing, and passengers must wear masks.
The health unit’s position is based upon trending data of increased COVID-19 transmission both within the city, in the county and across Ontario. Almost 70 per cent of current active cases in Simcoe County and Muskoka are in a younger demographic, 18-34 years of age.
Free transit for Barrie high school students, from 12:30-2 p.m. through Dec. 31, would also cost the city an estimated $10,000 in revenue. Bus fares are $3.25 per ride for high school students, although a student (age 13+) monthly pass is available for $66.75. A student ride card for 10 trips goes for $24.50.
McCann said the $10,000 is definitely significant, but there’s a flipside.
“To me the better question would be … what value would you get from the $10,000,” he said, “and the value I think outweighs the $10,000. I’m looking at an opportunity that could really help the students, you know, get from 'A' to 'B', in a safer capacity.
“This was a great marketing opportunity to maybe let families, and especially the kids, know that there’s an alternative way of transportation.”
Public, Catholic and French language school boards are required to provide no less than five hours of instructional time for in-person learning, each day.
When city staff contacted the school boards for feedback regarding the September motion, staff were told the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium and the public school board wouldn’t support the motion if it encouraged students to leave before the end of the scheduled school day.
School boards have been instructed to limit indirect and direct student contacts as much as possible. The development and implementation of safe travel plans for students to/from school begins before students arrive at the bus stop in the morning. To support this and in conjunction with their transportation providers, boards have created comprehensive transportation plans.
City transit and parking strategy department staff, in consultation with the local school boards and the consortium, will continue to investigate the feasibility of implementing a longer term solution to provide free transit service to Barrie high school students and report back.
