The City of Orillia is set to roll out a reduced senior transit fare in the coming months, but one local transit rider says the discount “doesn’t make any sense” for seniors who use the service frequently.
A single fare for seniors will be reduced to $2, instead of the $3 standard fare, following recommendations from the city’s transit advisory committee that were approved by city council during 2024 budget deliberations.
To access the discount, seniors will need to pre-load their cOnnect Pass transit cards with funds, while cash fares will remain at the standard $3.
For transit user Rosemary Emms, however, the discount would cost more than purchasing a monthly pass, given her frequent use of the transit system.
Though not a senior herself, her husband is, and the two take numerous trips on city transit each month.
“I sort of keep track of how we use the bus,” she said. “In the last year, the least number of times we’ve used it is 68 times in a month, the most is 101.”
With monthly transit passes coming in at a cost of $66.80, Emms said it “doesn’t make any sense for us to use the senior fare.”
“It won’t be any cheaper,” she said. “The seniors are not going to realize how (much) it’s going to cost them, especially anybody that uses it regularly.”
She said a friend of hers uses the transit system with similar frequency, relying on city buses to pick up her grandchildren twice per day through the week, attend social gatherings, and tend to errands.
Rather than a reduced fare solely for single trips, she would like to see reduced senior prices for monthly passes, as well.
“If you’re going to have a monthly pass for seniors, I’d like to see it reduced,” she said.
After spending some time in Barrie, Emms noted that city offers free senior fares on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“That was a nice option,” she said.
Lisa Kean, the city’s manager of parking and transit, said the discounted fare is meant for seniors who use the system a few times per week.
“The monthly pass is an affordable option available for all transit users and provides unlimited transit rides for the month. If a senior takes transit rides approximately 33 times a month or more, then the monthly pass would be a better value than single rides,” she said.
“However, if a senior only takes transit a few times per week, purchasing rides to obtain the $2 seniors’ rate through the reloadable cOnnect pass would be more appropriate. The Orillia transit advisory committee and staff continue to review opportunities for an effective and accessible transit system.”
Kean said transit passes will be available for purchase online and in person, and seniors will be required to show identification to access the discounted fare price.
“... Seniors will be required to provide proof of age at the time of purchase rather than each time they board the bus,” she said. “The senior cOnnect pass card provides a convenient option for riders as no cash is required, and also assists the transit driver so there is no requirement to request proof of age or keep track of different cash fare values, enabling quicker boarding.”
