City set to accept proposals from transit service operators

In her report to the committee, Transportation Manager Keri Sapsford recommended that the length of the public transit service contract be extended from the originally proposed five and half years to 10 years.

“The reason I want to do that is because we’re asking a contractor to come in and bring in a whole new fleet of buses. That 10-year period allows for a lot more payback on their return of investment,” Sapsford said.

There are possibly five companies that will bid for the contract and according to Sapsford a 10-year contract will likely be more attractive to potential contractors.

“They are able to bring in a newer fleet of vehicles and not just the fleet that they’ve worn out in other contracts,” Sapsford said.

Another benefit of extending the contract to 10 years will be giving the city time to purchase its own vehicles. Currently the city owns one public transit bus and the Special Needs Bus fleet of six buses and one van.

“By owning our own buses, it allows us to have a little more flexibility in the way we contract out in the future … It allows us to run our own system if in 10 years’ time that’s what we decide to do.”

The report also included recommendations regarding the future location of the public transit service operator.

“Right now we lease some space in the old city yard to first bus, and in the next ten years there is a possibility that we are going to be disposing of that property,” Sapsford said. “What we’ve recommended is that we continue to have that option available for the new contractor.”

A new public transit service operator will not change the current transit system of six routes and 10 buses.

knguyen@jpbg.ca

Follow on Twitter: @khangvnguyen

by Khang Nguyen

City set to accept proposals from transit service operators

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