Alexandria-Ottawa bus line cut, users asked to board in Maxville

The commuter bus service between Alexandria and downtown Ottawa will be eliminated as of April 1, one of several cost-cutting measures the North Glengarry Prescott-Russell (NGPR) Transit Board says are necessary to continue its operations.

In announcing the cancellation of route 557 in a statement last week, the board also noted an alternate option would be available to its Alexandria-based commuters as of next month. Route 559 will begin in Maxville and service the Highland Road Park and Ride as well as the Brébeuf Park and Ride in Casselman

Harry Gow, president of the transit board's communications committee, said while the loss of direct Alexandria service was regrettable, it was the preferred alternative to losing all service in North Glengarry - and would allow the board to reduce its deficit.

"The board has been working with North Glengarry council to examine these issues and to cope with their consequences, with a view to reducing costs to ratepayers," he noted. "The solution of reducing the mileage in the municipality, by shortening the run and starting at a point closer to Ottawa, will permit pass holders to continue to access it, even if many will have to drive or carpool to the new terminus."
Gow said despite the inconvenience, the bus would "continue to be an economical alternative means of transport for those who can access it." A public survey is expected to be carried out in the hope of finding solutions, he added, and the transit board will look to the province for funding.

In another move to maintain the service, monthly fares will also be increasing by $25 as of next month. The increase means a pass from Maxville will cost $330, up from $305.

However, Transit Eastern Ontario (TEO) - the company that manages the service - said by taking into account the 15-per-cent federal tax credit for transit passes, the increase only represents a 54-cent increase per ride - less than the cost of a half-litre of gas.

"This increase in cost to the user was not adopted lightly," the statement said. "The alternative, however, would be to cancel TEO's services and throw its riders back on the treadmill of driving, paying for gas and for parking, and losing the quality time currently saved by riding the bus and not having to drive. At the same time, the existence of the public transit system is at stake, and the commission must make the above adjustments."

At the moment, the costs of providing the service have been shared by the four member municipalities (North Glengarry, The Nation, Casselman, and North Stormont), passenger fares, and the Ontario gas tax fund for transit.

As Gow told North Glengarry council members last month, contributions from the gas tax have been reduced in the past year.

"The reduction in the gas tax payments by the province has destabilized the financial welfare of the board's TEO bus services in general," he noted.

Furthermore, the TEO said it has suffered financially from "municipal limits to budgets, uneven distribution of ridership over its routes, lower ridership revenue during the summer months, non-member riders on the TEO system, increased service provider costs and increased fuel allocation costs."

The Alexandria route in particular saw its ridership decrease from 56 passengers to 36 within the last year, which also increased the net cost of operating the service.