PTC Steering Committee meeting - Minutes

Jan 6, 2006

Present: Judy Bayliss, Olive Bryanton, Bob Dunn, Leo Garland, Ron Kelly, Irene Larkin, Jane Ledwell, Len MacPherson, David McKay, Jim Munves, Matt Ward, Ann Wheatley

12:10 meeting began

-Introductions

-David McKay began by reading feedback from the survey conducted in December, with Bob Dunn responding to some key points.

-Some positive feedback: attractive comfortable buses, staying on schedule, City willing to continue monitoring and improving schedules and bus stop locations.

-Some people are still having trouble finding schedules. Bob Dunn explained that large signs with routes and schedules will be posted at 26 landmark locations pending partial funding from the “One Tonne Challenge” – the funding is currently on hold until after the election.

-Charlottetown Transit has plans for an 8 page insert “Transit Tabloid”
It was suggested that they could also just post the daily schedules directly in the newspaper. The Guardian has informed the PTC that they would print these for free. As well, because the Guardian reaches mostly a middle class readership, the “Transit Tabloid” should be included in the weekly flyers.

-UPEI will be voting soon to add transit to student fees. Holland College is still deliberating on the idea of including transit in the student fees.

-There have been comments on the buses being quite dirty on the outside. Although water conservation should be a consideration, keeping the buses attractive and clean encourages use. Bob Dunn assured that they are up early every morning cleaning the buses. The amount of dirt and salt from the roads that get on the buses is unavoidable to a degree during the winter months.

-Plans to expand: No Cornwall officials have been made formal contact with Charlottetown regarding transit. Stratford Council is evaluating three proposals offered to them by Charlottetown.

-It was highlighted that snow removal for pedestrians and the trolleys must be a priority for the system to work well and safely.

-Currently, only one bus is wheel chair accessible. They are having some trouble with the salt and cold resulting in the ramp getting stuck. The next buses will have new folding ramps to avoid this. In the event that they jam, they can be unfolded manually.

-In order to keep the new system in the public conscience, it was suggested that Charlottetown Transit does daily public notices on the radio – a 30 second transit update.
Bob Dunn said that they are low on staff right now, and thus could not commit to that. The PTC offered to organize the radio spots if Charlottetown Transit provided them with the info.

-The “Caboose” bus is currently running what was previously known mistakenly as the “Senior’s Bus” route. This route works in conjunction with the rest of the system.

-Bus shelters are not expected until late summer or early fall.

-The PTC has offered to help distribute schedules.

-Jim explained a letter that he researched and wrote regarding a province wide system. In the letter, he details the funding that is available to each province for infrastructure and solely for public transit – funding that the Province has yet to commit to public transit. It was also suggested that the letter be submitted as a guest opinion piece in the Guardian. The PTC endorsed the letter.

1:10 meeting adjourned