Burlington for Accessible Sustainable Transit hosts its seventh Transit Users’ Forum in the group’s 13-year history this Saturday, while a city consultant begins a five-month study of the potential for completely fare-free public transit in Burlington.
Members of BFAST said progress has been made in the past seven years, but challenges remain and the city can do more to support and improve local transit.
Collin Gribbons said the May 4 forum, starting at 1 p.m. at Burlington Public Library Central Branch, provides an opportunity for transit users and supporters to be heard — with several city councillors and transit staff in attendance and participating.
“It’s a really good opportunity for transit supporters to get their points across, and get their questions answered,” Gribbons said. “Contact with council and staff is always very valuable.”
Those opportunities have not always been there.
Gribbons and fellow BFAST members Doug Brown and Jim Young said prior to 2015, the group — and transit in general — had no friends at city hall.
Brown said Burlington Transit went through a “down cycle” from the 1990s on, after having a more robust system previously. He said councils at that time “were hostile to transit” cutting budgets and increasing fares.
By 2000, ridership dropped drastically “because the system had been degraded,” Brown said.
He said Burlington hired city manager James Ridge in 2015 and Ridge brought in respected transit manager Sue Connor in 2017.
“They laid it on the line to council,” Brown said. “(Ridge) saw transit was in trouble and immediately addressed issues.”
Brown said council and staff support for transit increased. And the 2018 election brought in a more transit-friendly council. Since then, improvements have come — particularly in the relationship with transit staff and council.
“In 2018, the system was on the verge of collapse,” Gribbons said, adding drivers were working 60 hours a week, maintenance was deferred and equipment “was falling apart.”
On Saturday, current Burlington Transit director Catherine Baldelli is expected to unveil updated transit statistics and data for 2020 to 2023 in a state-of-the-system report and a question-and-answer session — a far cry from the years when transit staff had nothing to do with BFAST, or its annual forum.
Ridership increased by 14 per cent from 2019 to early 2020, and BFAST members said they expect updated data to show it has grown to surpass pre-COVID numbers.
Left Turn Right Turn Ltd. of Toronto was awarded a $67,246.30 contract at the end of March this year to “provide detailed analysis on fare free transit, including pros and cons of different options as well as recommendations” and is expected to report to Burlington city council by the end of September.
Fares are currently free for children under 12, adults 65 and over, and youth from 13 to 19 on weekdays after 6 p.m. and all day on weekends. Full fare-free transit would mean no riders paying a fare.
According to the tender, the “intent of the study is to identify all potential impact(s) of providing fare free transit” and provide councillors “enough information to make an informed decision on whether fare free transit should be offered in Burlington.”
But Gribbons said BFAST doesn’t expect “earth shattering results,” suggesting the study’s terms of reference are limited.
“They won’t be looking at the economic benefits at all,” he said. “I think that’s a missing piece of the puzzle.”
Brown said studies of transit should take in the broader impacts of transit — including impacts on greenhouse gas emissions.
“There’s a growing body of evidence when you take in community benefits, transit more than pays for itself right now,” Brown said. “We need to look at the whole economic picture. Not just the fare box and operating costs.”
Ben Goodge of consultant Left Turn Right Turn said the company is working with Burlington Transit in the early phases of the project.
“Over the next five months, we will complete the (tender) requirements … which includes a background review, community benefit and risk analysis, an organizational impact assessment, financial analysis, and the development of recommendations and the final report,” Goodge said.
Goodge said Orangeville is conducting an ongoing two-year fare-free pilot study and other municipalities have adopted partial fare-free practices, similar to what Burlington has done for older adults and youth.
“Our research will examine these experiences to glean insights and lessons that may inform our recommendations for Burlington,” Goodge said.
- Article was updated
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Meanwhile, BFAST’s Jim Young said “phenomenal” residential intensification drives the need to improve transit.
“One of the biggest fears people have is reduction in the amount of parking spaces available,” Young said, pointing out the province is looking to eliminate minimum parking requirements for new residential builds near transit and rail.
“If you don’t have any parking, you better find a way to get a bus,” Young said. “I think the city understands it.”
He said one key is getting more transit operational funding to ensure available buses are on the roads.
Gribbons said there’s still an issue getting enough operators to cover all shifts, and there are some routes not up to full schedule.
“It’s transit’s intention to bring them up to full schedule. Hopefully it will get resolved in the next six months. They’ve made some progress,” Gribbons said.
He said BFAST’s overall belief is that transit can do more to fight climate change, decrease congestion and make cities like Burlington more livable.
For more information on BFAST and the 2024 Transit Users’ Forum visit https://bfast.ca/
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