Brandon Transit still feeling effects of COVID
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/11/2023 (842 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Brandon Transit has yet to return to pre-pandemic ridership levels, according to a presentation being given at tonight’s Brandon City Council meeting.
Back in July, city council approved a bid from Watt Consulting to create a new long-term plan for Brandon Transit and develop an alternative service model to the current hub-and-spoke system it currently uses.
Those efforts are still in the early stages, but Watt Consulting will present what it has learned to this point on Monday and inform council on how the rest of the process will proceed. A copy of Watt’s presentation slides was attached to Monday’s agenda.
In both 2018 and 2019, Brandon Transit recorded more than one million instances of riders boarding a bus. That number plunged to approximately 741,000 in 2020, approximately 661,000 in 2021 and rose to approximately 815,000 in 2022.
Compared to four peer transit systems of similar size in North Bay, Ont., Belleville, Ont., Fredericton, N.B. and Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Watt’s information states that Brandon Transit exceeds the average for rides per revenue hour and operating cost per revenue vehicle hours, but lags behind in the operating cost of each trip.
The city’s busiest routes were identified as Route 17 (South Central), Route 15 (East Hospital/ACC) and Route 8 (Maryland West). The afternoon and evening peak number of passengers is higher than in the morning, which Watt suggests could be due to people getting rides in the morning and using transit to get home.
GRANTS REVIEW REPORT
In other business, with the city’s next round of budget deliberations on the horizon, council will hear a report from its grants review committee on what organizations it suggests the city should provide funding to in 2024.
Of a total of $510,160 in requested grants from 26 service organizations and 9 cultural groups, the committee is recommending that $171,000 be disbursed.
If the recommendations are accepted, the highest single recipient will be the Helping Hands Centre soup kitchen, which requested $50,000 and will receive $30,000.
Samaritan House Ministries would receive all $35,000 in requested funds but split across two programs. Its food bank will receive $20,000 and its safe and warm shelter $15,000.
The Brandon Friendship Centre would receive $15,000 of a requested $20,000.
Grant amounts are determined by groups demonstrating a financial need for the funds they request and funds cannot be used to pay for major building repairs, salary costs, insurance or taxes.
MEREDITH PLACE REQUEST
After being postponed from a previous meeting, Lois Ruston of YWCA Westman will make the case for the city to waive landfill tipping fees associated with the demolition of the old Meredith Place transitional housing building.
Once the century-old building is demolished, the YWCA plans to build a replacement at the same location. The original building was closed due to mounting maintenance and repair costs needed to keep it operational.
FINAL VOTES ON UTILITY RATE HIKES
Following approval granted by Manitoba’s Public Utilities Board last month, city council will hold second and third readings on a bylaw that will finalize water and wastewater utility rates hikes.
The first increase will be in place retroactive to Oct. 1, 2023, with following increases coming into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, Jan. 1 2025 and Jan. 1, 2026.
Other items on the agenda include a budget presentation from the Western Manitoba Regional Library, an annual update from the Brandon General Museum and Archives, a discussion of a bylaw amendment proposed by Coun. Bruce Luebke (Ward 6) intended to address contamination in materials collected by the city’s green cart program and first reading of a bylaw amendment that would officially create an environment and climate change committee.
Meetings start at 7 p.m. in council chambers on the second floor of Brandon City Hall at 410 Ninth Street. For those who can’t make it in person, meetings are broadcast live on WCGtv and livestreamed on the city’s YouTube page.
» cslark@brandonsun.com
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