Local Ontario Northland travellers now have an easier time making their way around Orillia.
Under a new pilot program that began Feb. 12, Ontario Northland passengers with tickets listing Orillia as their arrival or departure location will be able to ride a city bus to or from the downtown transit terminal at no additional cost.
To pay for the pilot, passengers with Orillia listed as their arrival or departure location will be billed an additional $2.63 for their tickets, which the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) will reimburse the city for on a monthly basis.
The pilot is set to run until August, with the option to extend, and city staff say the arrangement arose out of a desire from both parties to provide "seamless" local transportation.
“The city was approached by Ontario Northland as they wanted to change the stop location from the Knights Inn to an area closer to the city’s terminal location,” said Lisa Kean, the city's manager of parking and transit.
For the pilot, Ontario Northland is using the existing bus layby near municipal parking lot 4 and the Orillia Public Library, with its 10 daily stops staggered to the city transit schedule to ensure no conflicts at the terminal.
“After discussions with ONTC, it was clear that permitting them to use a location near Orillia’s terminal would enable both parties to better serve the community by giving them seamless and efficient transportation options for their first and last mile of travel, enhancing their overall transit experience,” Kean said.
City staff estimate the program will generate $1,315 in monthly revenue from the program, which will be deposited into the transit reserve fund.
