Agenda Index City of Vancouver

POLICY REPORT
TRANSPORTATION

TO: Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic
FROM: Chief License Inspector, in consultation with Director of City Plans and General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: Possible Changes to the Vehicles for Hire By-law
 

CONSIDERATION

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services submits A and B for consideration.

COUNCIL POLICY

The Vehicles for Hire By-Law, Number 6066, amended by By-Law 7828, effective January 2, 1998: a By-law for licensing and regulating the owners and drivers for hire in the City of Vancouver.

The Vancouver Transportation Plan (1997): supports small community buses offering services around neighbourhoods and as a feeder service to the main BC Transit services. The Transportation Plan also identifies the need for a substantial increase in transit services to accommodate the growing demand for trips around the city.

PURPOSE

The City has received a request from a company called Supershuttle to issue up to 200 vehicle for hire licenses for a service known as "Supershuttle". The applicant describes the service as a private minibus service offering flexible routes and pick-up based on pre-booking, fixed fares and multiple hire. This proposal offers the opportunity of a new and significant transportation service, fulfilling an identified community need between the existing transit and taxi services. This report outlines some legal, commercial and transportation issues involved, and seeks Council's direction for further work.

SUMMARY

At the public meetings for the preparation of the recent Transportation Plan, there was broad support for community minibus services in neighbourhoods. As a result, the Transportation Plan (adopted by Council in 1997), proposed the use of small, community buses and custom services to serve communities where big buses are not warranted, and to feed major bus routes. The City has now received a proposal for a fleet of up to 200 vehicles to operate within Vancouver. The service proposed would be at a fixed fare and would take multiple hires. Passengers would pre-book by phone. Vehicles would not run on set routes. A typical trip would generally not be direct, instead picking up and dropping off passengers as needed. Staff view the service as fitting between the existing taxi service and regular transit, and is very similar to BC Transit's HandyDART service. A service of this nature is sometimes described as a "shared-ride taxi or van service", although Supershuttle describes it as a shuttle bus.

This report describes some issues to be addressed in licensing such a service. The report outlines preliminary findings and identifies further studies and consultation needed before a firm recommendation can be made to Council.

The conclusion of the report is that a shared ride van service, such as the one proposed by Supershuttle, could provide a valuable additional transportation service within Vancouver. Licensing and operational details need to be worked out in consultation with the Motor Carrier Commission, BC Transit, the taxi industry, and the public. The considerations ask for Council's direction for undertaking further study and consultation, and its agreement to identify necessary changes to the Vehicles for Hire By-law.

BACKGROUND

1. Proposed Supershuttle Service

A private applicant, Supershuttle, has submitted a proposal to the City to run a minibus service that would carry only pre-booked passengers. Supershuttle proposes to operate up to 200 vehicles, for a fixed fare (about $3.50 outside the Downtown), and with multiple hires (passengers paying individually to go to separate destinations from separate origins). Prospective passengers would book by phone for a specific destination, and would be picked up at a designated spot (such as home). The route to the destination would vary according to the mix of destinations of passengers carried. At this stage Supershuttle is not seeking a licence from the Motor Carrier Commission and so trips would have to be confined within Vancouver. Supershuttle could not carry passengers to UEL, other municipalities or the International Airport.

A consultant report prepared for the Supershuttle proposes the following markets:

(i) Commuter trips to the Downtown: peak period commuting to Downtown would provide a service more convenient than transit and less expensive than taxi. The consultant recommends these trips be targeted at the beginning of the service.
(ii) Future transit/taxi riders: riders who might otherwise consider travelling by transit or taxi.
(iii) Mobility challenged: for people who do not use wheelchairs but find regular transit too difficult and taxis too expensive. The vehicles would not accommodate wheel chairs.
(iv) Trips to sporting events: as an alternative to a car where parking and congestion may be a factor.

Two other markets are suggested in the applicant's proposal.

(v) Trips within the Downtown (proposed at a lower fare). Such a service might be appropriate for tourists.
(vi) Each vehicle would carry a bike rack to cater to bike riders who, for example, may not want to cycle home in the dark or bad weather.

The proposal from Supershuttle explains that the service depends on having a large fleet to dispatch to meet demands. Supershuttle has requested the City to issue the company approximately sixty licenses, at first, increasing to a maximum of 200 licenses within five years.

2. Jurisdiction Over Vehicles For Hire

The City's Vehicles for Hire By-law stipulates the conditions under which vehicles for hire may be licensed, and includes the regulations under which vehicles must operate. Various categories of vehicles for hire are identified, including: limousine, taxicab, and dual taxicab.

The By-law defines a taxicab as: "a 4-door sedan motor vehicle having a seating capacity of not less than four and not more than seven passengers." Taxicabs are limited under the By-law to taking the most direct route [Section 20(13)], may not take separate fares [Section 20(20)], and must charge the scheduled fare [Section 21(1)]. The total number of taxicabs is limited under the By-law, [Section 20(1)]. Only taxicabs licensed by the City are entitled to pick up passengers within the city [Section 6(6)].

All existing taxis in the city are licensed by the Motor Carrier Commission, under the terms of The Motor Carrier Act. However, this Act appears to give jurisdiction over licensing taxis to the City, as long as their operations are confined within the city boundaries. The Motor Carrier Act defines "taxi" as a motor vehicle designed to carry not more than ten persons, and that, with its driver is operated for hire, and includes a limousine.

3. Relationship of Supershuttle to Existing Transit and Taxis

Currently the City licenses 448 taxicabs, of which thirty are dual licence/wheelchair accessible cabs. The City estimates that more cabs are needed to meet demand.

In the past the City has auctioned taxi licenses to the highest bidder. At present, three out of four companies retain the licenses in the company name, with individual shareholders for each vehicle. Individuals may purchase an existing taxi license or ‡ share of a license through private sale. Prices vary from a low of $100,000 to a high of over $200,000 for afull license. The market value is determined by potential future revenues from the operation of the vehicle. Any additional licenses that may be issued could have a negative impact on the current or future value of the existing taxicab licenses.

BC Transit services have been expanding in the city, as has peak period ridership, but have been unable to keep up with the expansion of peak demand in the city. BC Transit finds it particularly difficult to compete with the car for cross-city trips (i.e. not to the Downtown), and in some parts of the city that have a lower level of service. Transit services are also lesswell suited to trips where passengers may have to walk several blocks home in the dark or bad weather. BC Transit also contracts the HandyDART service for people needing wheel chair access. This service does not meet present demand, to the extent that trips must be booked well in advance, sometimes up to two days ahead. HandyDART is expensive to operate, covering only 7% of its operating costs through fares. BC Transit recognizes that there is a considerable unmet demand for services that cannot easily be supplied by transit.

4. Greater Vancouver Transit Authority

This type of van service could form an integral part of the overall transit plan for the region. It may be inappropriate to consider a specific proposal at this time but rather refer this issue to the Greater Vancouver Transit Authority for evaluation prior to any implementation by the City.

DISCUSSION

1. Different Forms of "Paratransit"

Between regularly scheduled bus services and for hire taxicab services, there is a range of services that are often known as "paratransit". BC Transit runs a range of different services in the Province that can be considered as paratransit. Some are mainly for disabled people but will take other people as well (Quesnel). Some do regular trips to other communities on a fixed schedule but a flexible route (Princeton), or run different types of services at different times of day, such as a Commuter Club (Revelstoke). The services typically operate where regular transit is impractical, rather than as complementary to regular transit. HandyDART in Vancouver is a good example of how a paratransit service can complement the regular transit. More details are included in Appendix A.

The Transportation Plan proposed the use of small, community buses, or minibuses. Other examples of minibuses reviewed typically have several key features in common with regular bus services:

… they have fixed routes, although deviations from the routes might occur to pick up or drop off passengers;
… they do not require prior booking, and can be flagged and boarded from specified bus stopping areas.
… they operate a regular service along a route, so that passengers may have some expectation of when and where a bus might be available.

The proposed Supershuttle does not incorporate any of these three key features. On the other hand, the principal differences between the proposed Supershuttle and a regular taxi are that:

… it would operate on a fixed fare within a zone;
… it could carry more than one separate fare at a time.

Like a taxi, the Supershuttle would be free to go where the demand is. It could target a particular market such as short trips around the Downtown, and would have no obligation to service particular communities or be available at particular times of the day. Nor, from the proposal, would the Supershuttle be obliged to provide the next available vehicle, as is expected of regular taxis. Supershuttle describes the proposed service as a shuttle bus, but it appears to have more in common with a shared ride van. The distinction is important in establishing jurisdiction and operation, and for expectations of how the service might evolve once in operation.

For these reasons, staff believe the service should be viewed as a shared ride van service rather than a shuttle bus.

The remainder of this report reviews the implications of licensing shared ride vans. The comments are not intended to relate specifically to the service proposed by Supershuttle.

2. Does the City have sole jurisdiction to licence shared ride vans?

The Motor Carrier Commission (MCC) and the City have jurisdiction over bus services, other than BC Transit, and over taxis that cross municipal boundaries. The MCC does not have jurisdiction over taxis services operating solely within a single municipality or the City. Whether the MCC has jurisdiction over the licensing of "shared ride vans" depends in part on the way the service would operate. Council may wish to request the MCC to determine jurisdiction when Council decides what type of service it wishes to licence.

However, for services not covered by the Motor Carrier Commission, it is probable that other regulations and standards may not then apply. This would include the National Safety Code that governs the keeping of log books, hours of service and safety requirements. The City might then be responsible for ensuring appropriate standards are observed.

3. Changes Needed to the Vehicles for Hire By-law

There is no provision in the existing By-law for a shared-ride minibus service. For the City to license such a service, some important additions would be needed. However, the specifics of the changes would in part depend on the type and nature of service Council wishes to license. Having considered the service options available, Council might wish to add certainrestrictions to the service to be licensed. For example, it could limit the service areas or the pick-up requirements. The principal elements to be addressed in any future By-law amendment would include the following.

(a) Definition of a shared ride van

A shared ride van service provides an individual service like a taxi (from a passenger's point of origin and to their destination), but to more than one passenger at a time. This service is not covered by any of the definitions within the By-law. A new definition is needed if Council wishes to license such a service.

(b) Issuing of licenses

The current By-law contains a formula for the calculation of the appropriate number of taxi licenses. There are to be no more than 1.2 taxicabs for every 1,000 residents. Additional licenses are to be issued at a rate not to exceed ten per year (Section 20 (1)). (Note this would suggest about 616 cabs for the resident population in 1996, whereas 448 licenses have been issued.) A similar formula might be appropriate for shared ride vans.

(c) Regulation of shared ride vans

Specific changes to the By-law would be needed before Council could license any carrier. Proposed By-law changes would need thorough legal review and consultation with affected interest groups. It is probable that By-law amendments needed would include the following:

… Regulation: Section 20 of the current By-law regulates the provider, driver, vehicle, record keeping, pick-up, etc. of taxis. Similar regulations would be appropriate for shared ride van service, although the regulations would need to reflect the different nature of the service.

… Tariffs for shared ride vans: Section 21 of the current By-law regulates fares. A similar section would be required to regulate shared ride van fares.

4. Markets For Shared Ride Van Service

To license a shared ride van service, Council would have regard to consumer demand and for the impacts on the existing providers, taxis and transit. The market objectives could include the following:

… to satisfy identified service needs;
… to avoid markets well serviced by existing providers, especially where this might result in financial hardship, or reduction in the available service to the consumers;
… to provide a sufficient service base to allow a financially viable shared ride van service.

The service could not be licensed for trips outside Vancouver without the approval of the Motor Carrier Commission.

5. Operational Issues

There are several significant operational details that will need to be more thoroughly explored before the final recommendations can be made to Council on the operation and licensing of shared ride vans. These include, but are not limited to the following.

(a) Passenger Pick-up

Passengers could be required to pre-book a trip and may or may not be able to flag a shared ride van. BC Transit representatives request that vehicles not pick up passengers at bus stops. There may be difficulties in a congested area such as the Downtown, and a more detailed review of pick-up arrangements is needed. In the Downtown, several "collection points" may be desirable over separate pick-up points for each individual.

(b) Community Services

There is a high public interest in community minibuses, and the quality of community service could be a factor in selecting an appropriate licensee for a shared ride van. Some commitments to local service might be appropriate, both around the neighbourhoods, and from Downtown to neighbourhoods.

It should be noted that this proposed service will not provide wheelchair accessible vehicles which is a concern for these customers.

(c) Regulations for Licensees and Shared Ride Van Drivers

Regulations to apply to licence holders and drivers could be similar to those required of taxicab companies and drivers, including chauffeur's permit.

(d) Safety Provisions and Enforcement

Taxi safety standards are set and enforced by the provincial Motor Vehicles Branch. If a service is not licensed by the Motor Carrier Commission, the Motor Vehicles Branch would not set or enforce safety standards. The City would have to arrange for safety enforcement, which could result in some additional costs to the City. Some arrangement for cost recovery from license holders could be needed.

(e) Fleet Size Restrictions

For practical, reliable and responsive service a practical minimum fleet size might be appropriate. However, as with existing taxi service, the vehicles and licenses, need not be held by one owner. As the fleet size requirement is a key factor in limiting future access to licenses, this requires closer examination.

6. Options for Issuing Licenses

If Council decides to make the necessary changes to the Vehicle for Hire By-law a secondary matter would be how to distribute licenses. There are several options including consideration of the current proponent.

(a) A single service provider

This might offer the easiest way of establishing a service. However, to the extent that a licence confers certain financial benefits, the allocation process will need further study. Also, Section 153 of the Vancouver Charter may preclude the City from offering licences to only one provider.

Section 153 of the Vancouver Charter reads in part as follows: "... the Council shall not have the power to grant to any person any special rights, franchise, privilege, immunity, or exception beyond such as all others in the like case are entitled to, unless the granting of the same has been authorized by a by-law requiring the assent of the electors."

(b) Multiple Service Providers

With multiple service providers, the problems of enforcement of the Vehicle for Hire By-law become greater. Experience with the existing taxi industry also suggests that there is a minimum fleet size that would be economic and effective.

(c) Multiple Service Providers With a Shared Dispatching System

A centralised dispatch agency or "brokerage" might overcome some problems of minimum fleet size and enforcement. This could allow the City more flexibility in the distribution of licenses, but might increase enforcement problems.

Further consideration of the distribution of licenses would be needed before staff can make recommendations to Council.

7. Preliminary Consultations

Preliminary consultations have been held with BC Transit and the taxicab industry in Vancouver in the preparation of this report. Further consultation with these and other interested agencies, organizations and individuals would be appropriate for the next report back to Council.

(a) BC Transit

Initial reaction from BC Transit representatives to the proposal for a shared ride van service is that it would provide for a niche market and is not expected to pose a problem for the regular transit service. However, a shared ride van service should not be allowed to use regular transit bus stops. Also, it appears that there are increasing demands for BC Transit HandyDART services, from health care agencies and others, which BC Transit is unable effectively to meet. Existing fares cover only 7% of the operating costs of such services. A service that would offer economical rides to people who are unable to ride regular transit, could be a considerable benefit to the community.

(b) Taxi Industry

Staff also discussed the possibility of a shared ride van service with directors of one of Vancouver's largest taxi companies. The initial reaction was that the company had some interest in running such a service, but had been concerned about problems of management, enforcement and dispatch. Directors had some concern about the financial implications for the taxi business and what this could mean for retaining quality drivers.

(c) Motor Carrier Commission

The Motor Carrier Commission suggests that it would probably be advisable for the City to submit proposals for changes to the By-law once the specific changes to be recommended are known. At that stage the Commission will be best able to decide if the proposed service would require a licence from the Commission.

8. Follow-up Report on Changes to the By-law and Other Issues

A more detailed study is required before recommendations can be made to Council on changes to the Vehicle for Hire By-law and other operational and licensing issues. It may not be possible to resolve fully issues of jurisdiction and license distribution by this time. The study will require reallocation of some existing staff resources and could require funds to cover the costs of legal advice. It is anticipated that a consultant will be needed to examine the financial implications for the City and the taxi industry.

Staff estimate that this project will require considerable resources, including legal advice, and financial impact assessment. Up to $50,000 may be required to cover staff and consultant costs. These costs include a temporary Planner II for a three-month period at $14,695 and consultant fees up to a maximum of $35,000. It is difficult to determine the actual consultant fees at this time as the scope of work is not yet clearly defined. Staff costs could be funded from contingency reserve and consultant fees will be requested in a subsequent appointment report. This work will include an assessment of financial impacts on the taxi industry, review of vehicle standards and proposed enforcement criteria for this type of service. It is anticipated that the taxi industry will have significant concerns which will need to be addressed.

CONCLUSION

(1) Small, community buses are proposed in the Transportation Plan to provide services within neighbourhoods. A shared ride van service could provide some benefits of community buses.

(2) A preliminary review of the Motor Carrier Act suggests that the City has sole jurisdiction to license shared ride van (without MCC approval), as long as the service operates entirely within the City of Vancouver.

(3) Changes would be needed to the Vehicles for Hire By-law. The Business License Section, in consultation with Legal Services, will need to undertake further studies and consultations before changes can be recommended to Council.

(4) As part of the review of the By-law, staff need to undertake more detailed study and consultation to decide the most appropriate regulations and operating arrangements. Consideration would include the need for financial viability.

(5) Business License Staff with Legal Services need to give more detailed consideration to an appropriate means for awarding licenses.

(6) Staff need to review the services available to the disabled and look at options for wheelchair accessible vehicles as part of this type of business.

(7) A shared ride van service could be a significant contribution to the city's transportation system. Although the concept is favoured in principle, further consultation with the Motor Carrier Commission, interested and affected agencies, organizations, businesses and residents is desirable along with possible referral to the Greater Vancouver Transit Authority before recommendations can be made to Council.

* * * * *

EXAMPLES OF PARATRANSIT SERVICES IN CANADA

1. BC TRANSIT PARATRANSIT SERVICES

(1) HandyDART

HandyDART provides a service for people with disabilities who cannot manage the regular transit system. HandyDART operates as a shared-ride door to door service. There are no fixed routes although one fixed HandyRoute service was tried in the Oak-Cambie corridor it did not generate enough ridership to justify its retention. Passengers must book in advance, and riders are allocated by priority - journeys to work, post secondary education or medical appointments have priority over social, domestic and pleasure purposes. Many rides are booked on a subscription basis. (e.g. the same time each Friday for a number of weeks for a recurring hospital appointment), and trip requests have to be rejected due to lack of capacity - the number of refusals understates the suppressed demand since users do not bother to try to book trips which they know will not get priority treatment.

BC Transit administers the service and provides the vehicles, but operations and bookings are contracted out. There are nine separate contractors, Vancouver being the largest with 86 vehicles offering 7,630 registered users, 157,600 service hours in 1996/7 at a utilisation rate of 46.7 trips per active user. BC Transit intends to bring dispatching in-house when new software can be acquired, facilitating cross-boundary travel. Currently, trip matching and dispatching is done manually and cross-boundary trips can require difficult transfers between operators and vehicles.

HandyDART services are less expensive to operate than full-sized buses ( about $42 per hour, compared with about $80 per hour), but lower utilisation produces a cost per user trip of $17.50 (operating cost per revenue passenger on conventional transit is around $2.50). BC Transit covers 7% of HandyDART costs from fares, but is aiming to increase this to 10% (compared with 30% for conventional transit, aiming at 35%).

Generally the services are overloaded and becoming more so. This reflects both the challenging demographics of the region and the growing number of people with disabilities who are being integrated into the community rather than living in long-term care facilities. Some health services increasingly use HandyDART to pick up their customers. Because of the demand for HandyDART services exceeds the ability to deliver services, BC Transit offers limited quantities of half-priced Taxi savers to registered users.

(2) Other Paratransit

Paratransit is a general name for a class of transportation service offering more flexible and personalised service than conventional fixed route systems and includes dial-a-ride, shared-ride minibus and subscription bus services. It offers a level of service between conventional transit and taxis but is not restricted to persons with disabilities. It allows for the extension of transit into less densely populated regions. Some systems offer conventional and HandyDART as well as paratransit services depending on demand.

BC Transit runs paratransit services in 28 communities in the Province (Boundary, Castlegar, Comox Valley, Columbia-Shuswap, Cowichan Valley, Cranbrook, Creston Valley, Kaslo, Kimberley, Nakusp, Nelson, North Okanagan, Okanagan-Similkameen, 100 Mile House, Osoyoos, Parksville/Qualicum Beach, Port Edward, Powell River, Princeton, Quesnel, Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, Smithers, Squamish, Summerland, Sunshine Coast, Terrace, Williams Lake).

BC Transit contracts out all municipal services (HandyDART, paratransit and conventional transit).

2. TORONTO DIAL-A-BUS

Dial-a-ride buses operated in Toronto in the 1970s. The only information available at this time is on the earliest experimental service run in 1969 in Bay Ridges.

This service was evaluated after a year in operation and reported in, "Dial-a-bus: The Bay Ridges Experiment" by the Ontario Department of Transportation and Communications. The Dial-a-bus ran on a limited route system, operating from the Bay Ridges GO Train station in the Pickering east of Metro Toronto. Dispatching technology was limited to drivers working out there own routes on maps while waiting to begin their route. This seemed adequate enough for a lightly travelled route with one fixed end, ie the GO station.

The service is no longer a dial a ride, and operates as a small bus service.

3. FLEXIBLE ROUTE TRANSIT IN WINNIPEG

The City of Winnipeg Transit has been experimenting with flexible route minibuses, called DART (Dial a ride). So far these have been neighbourhood based, and replace larger buses. Vehicles seat up to 30 people although loads above 20 people have proved not to be practical.

DART will pick up passengers at home but drops off at bus stops. The number of bus stops was increased so that walking distances could be reduced. The driver has a mobile phone and alerts passengers when he is about to arrive for pick up. The DART meets the regular transit bus every hour, and DART guarantees to be at the stop when the bus arrives. Drivers plan their own routes according to the needs of passengers. Passengers can use the regular transit transfer.

DART services run at only at limited times of the day and week. Some are day time service (not morning peak), and others are only night service, running when regular transit finishes.

DART buses are used only around neighbourhoods and replace regular buses. The trials have been limited to a few neighbourhoods so far. Trials started in June 1996. In some neighbourhoods they have been successful, and in others not. The day-time services seem to have not been as successful. Some services have proved popular for travel around neighbourhoods.

4. PETERBOROUGH'S TRANSCAB

In Peterborough, Ontario, a service know as TRANSCAB operated using regular taxis, mainly in the off-peak. The transit company contracted taxi companies to provide a service in rural areas to feed the transit service. A major advantage was that it did not require any capital outlay. The service operated on a shared ride and flat fare, and was pre-booked. The service was reasonably successful but is no longer in operation.

5. RIMOUSKI'S TAXIBUS

The City uses the taxi industry to provide transit. Bus stops were increased so that most people live within a few minutes walk of a stop. Booking is by phone, at least an hour in advance. A taxibus meets the passenger at the pre-arranged bus stop. The flat fare is currently $2.30 a ride. Taxibus Rimouski is managed by the City and operated by the private taxi companies.

6. CITY OF RED DEER DIAL-A-BUS

The Dial-a-Bus in Red Deer operates after 6.45 pm to 10.15 pm. The bus runs every 30 minutes on a flexible route. Passengers phone a booking at least 30 minutes before hand to say what bus stop they want the bus to stop at. Passengers can flag a bus at a bus stop, but as the route is flexible only Downtown stops are guaranteed to have the bus pass by. Dial-a-Bus represents a reduction in the availability of service, 6 buses are running instead of 10, but it provides a much better service to passengers. As a result ridership has increased from15,000 passengers a year to 150,000 passengers a year. Operating losses are much lower and fares are now covering about 40% of the marginal operating costs. Ridership loads are high, with 25 to 30 passengers per bus per hour, compared with an all-day average of 41.

7. STRATHCONA COUNTY (EDMONTON) DIAL-A-BUS

Strathcona County includes the Sherwood Park area of Edmonton as well as more rural areas. The Dial-a-bus operates off-peak on weekdays and Saturdays and Sundays. Passengers book an hour ahead of time. The bus runs every hour and connects with the major transit route into the Downtown. On booking, passengers give a bus stop number they want to be picked up at and are given an approximate pick up time. Passengers can flag the bus without booking, but have no guarantee that the bus will pass a particular stop, except for the major anchor stops.

Taxis are used to supplement the service in some communities. Booked customers are picked up at numbered bus stops and transfer to the Dial-a-Bus along the route.

8. CALGARY COMMUNITY SHUTTLE SERVICE

The Calgary Community Shuttle service runs on fixed schedules and fixed routes. Mid-sized buses seat up to 22 passengers. They run in new subdivisions where loads are light, and in established parts of the City where the smaller buses can travel on local streets and provide a finer grain of route service. The Community Shuttle also runs off-peak services. Some late night services have been changed to the Community Shuttle, and this allows Calgary Transit to run fewer buses but offer a similar service. At night, drivers can vary their routes to accommodate passengers. There is a separate union hourly rate for driving the Shuttle which allows operating costs to be reduced from $44 per hour to $22 per hour (not including capital costs). The service started in 1985 and now has 38 buses. Last year the Shuttle provided 137,000 hours of service and will run 165,000 this year.

* * * * *

tt980707.htm

Comments or questions? You can send us email.

[City Homepage] [Get In Touch]

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver