There may be a bumpy ride ahead for the Rocky View Regional Handibus Society.
The society had sought just over $143,000 from the Town of Cochrane for its 2016 funding commitment. Following Nov. 20 budget deliberations, the town stuck to its $120,000 commitment for next year.
“I think Cochrane should match the per-capita contributions of other communities,” said Coun. Ross Watson. “They are doing a remarkable job. This is the cost of delivering their service. It’s the only service like this in town.”
The handibus society delivers people in need of transportation to medical-services facilities in Calgary and around the region from communities across Rocky View County including Crossfield, Carstairs, Irricana, Beiseker and Chestermere. The society had set a 2016 per-capita funding target of $6.20 for all communities. Cochrane’s funding is coming in at $5.20 per-capita.
Handibus society general manager Paul Siller had said previously if Cochrane approves 17-per-cent less than requested for 2016, “. . . this is going to have medium-term impact on whether we can provide service to Cochrane.”
Cochrane Mayor Ivan Brooker weighed-in on the subject during Nov. 20 town budget deliberations.
“We have been trying to get to the level they’re asking for,” said Brooker. “I’ve been putting the numbers together. Doing that per-capita at the rate we’re growing doesn’t match.”
Coun. Jeff Toews and Coun. Morgan Nagel agreed.
“There have been large increases over the last five years,” Toews said. “What we’re offering is, to me, extremely generous. How many people from Cochrane are taking it? There needs to be a better cost breakdown.
“This is an important service. We may have to look at other options.”
According to information provided by the handibus society, Cochrane residents made up 30 per cent of total rides (2,300 trips out of 6,900) for the first nine months of 2015. Of 750 registered handibus riders, 345 are from Cochrane.
The town has contributed around $107,682 for this year – the second-highest of the communities covered by the society. The service saw a 22-per-cent increase overall in passenger registration from September of last year to this September, with a 17-per-cent jump in registered riders in Cochrane.
“I don’t have an answer. We don’t have a clear A, B or C response at the moment,” said Siller over the phone from Montreal, where he’s attending a national transit conference. “And we won’t really get a start on it until the whole budget has passed.”
Council votes on the budget Dec 14. For full budget details, visit cochrane.ca
