Lakehead University students who use city transit to go to home in west Orillia have a long sit as the route takes riders to the downtown terminal before heading back toward the west end.
If a permanent all-day Orillia Transit stop is added at Lakehead on the West Ridge (via Old Barrie Road) route, it would provide direct service to west Orillia and save riders a lot of time, said Brandon Rhéal Amyot, who is the facilitator of the City of Orillia's transportation and parking working group and vice-president of the Lakehead University Student Union.
Amyot came to council Monday to request a staff report to see if an all-day stop is feasible. Currently, the on-campus stop is available only after 5:45 p.m., he said. Otherwise, students have to walk to University Drive close to Costco.
A survey on the topic was done last winter and 200 students, or about10 per cent of the student body, responded, many of them transit riders, so the topic went to the transportation and parking working group.
"I'm hopeful that with a report, we will have better data to make a decision," Amyot said.
As many students have the cOnnect Pass transit card, ridership data — numbers of riders and times of rides — is being collected.
"The working group and staff are aligned that this seems like a decent idea. We need more information and that this is exactly what the request is before council ... (to) direct staff to look at this further and we'll bring back answers," said Amanpreet Singh Sidhu, the city's deputy chief administrative officer and solicitor.
Coun. Jay Fallis said west Orillia is a growing area and it's time to update the transit routes that were set five years ago. He also noted there are "many new students coming to Lakehead and more to follow."
Both Mayor Don McIsaac and Coun. Janet-Lynne Durnford questioned the need for a review of other transit routes.
Amyot said the time for an overall transit review is fast approaching, "but I think we should deal with what's on the table so this doesn't get delayed."
The motion to have staff provide a report on the West Ridge transit route was approved.
