The vote on July 26 came three days after the province’s annual Transit Assistance for People with Disabilities program (TAPD) announcement came out, allocating $5,669 for Humboldt.
The TAPD is an annual provincial grant program available to Saskatchewan municipalities who offer paratransit, otherwise known as mobility buses or handibus services that provide transportation options for residents with mobility impairments.
TAPD grant funding is calculated off ridership in the previous fiscal year, in this case 2020-21.
In June 2020, Discovery Ford, who had been providing the service of the mobility van since 2012, terminated their contract.
The contract had included providing an operator who took bookings, collected the fares, maintained the detailed log of van usage and was responsible for the general upkeep and advised city hall of any maintenance requirements or malfunctions.
For the months of July and August 2020, the city was able to maintain the operation of the mobility van using corporate service summer student driving while a tender application was posted. The only tender came from Direct Drive Taxi for $4,000 per month for the service contract and $450 per month for storage fees.
The contract expires on Aug. 29, 2021 with a clause for the extension of the contract if both parties mutually agree upon a one-year term. Upon the renewal of the contract, the service fee would automatically increase on an annual basis of two per cent for 2021-22 making it $4,530 per month.
In a report to council by Lori Yaworski, director of corporate services, Yaworski pointed out ridership was “considerably lower” over the past year, attributing COVID-19 restrictions with fewer appointments and social outings.
“Taking over the operation we wanted to know who was using it, what was happening but because of COVID we’re just going to have to see what the future holds and do a review at the time before we do the next contract renewal,” Yaworski said.
In the report Yaworski noted that council and administration have discussed meeting with organizations and individuals who have a vested interest in the need for an expanded accessibility transportation system “however, at this time it is difficult to have those meetings or conversations in light of the limited information available during the past year.”
“As we return to normal after the COVID pandemic, the uncertainty of the demand and need for the ridership and usage of the mobility van makes it difficult to make decisions about mobility van operations at this time,” Yaworski wrote.
Ridership logs show that in 2019 there were 1,437 rides or ride denials, which is equal to about 120 per month.
In the first nine months of 2021, there were 208 rides or ride denials, equal to about 23 per month.
In April 2021 there were 39 ride denials because the van was out of service due to repairs on the wheelchair lift.
Due to the lack of a taxi service within the city, the city has been expanding use with a registration of people not qualified for the handicap bus service but can use it as just a regular mode of transportation.
In the council meeting, councillor Roger Nordick said he was “shocked” by the cost of the program, even comparing 2019 numbers.
“Obviously we have to do something but in the meantime we still have to carry on with what we have in my opinion, but we have to work on this and I don’t know what the solution is,” Nordick said.
