For two consecutive weeks, Orillia’s Lorraine Jelly waited patiently through lengthy and, at times, tedious council meetings for a chance to have her say in the public forum session to lobby for better transit service for those in need of assistance.
A long-time and appreciative patron of the Orillia Wheelchair Limousine Service (OWLS), Jelly made an impassioned plea – on back-to-back Monday nights – for “urgent” improvements in the service.
Using the OWLS bus has “made an enormous change in my life,” Jelly told city councillors. She noted the bus service is vital to seniors and helps ensure independence and improves self-worth.
“I appreciate the service and one of the main reasons I moved to Orillia was to be able to become an active member of the community,” said the soft-spoken Orillia woman. “I know there are a lot of seniors in Orillia who might very well benefit from this service if they knew more about it and would make them feel less isolated.”
But the service – and the vehicle – is far from perfect, she said. “I have recognized there are a number of concerns” about the service, she said.
She said the city’s regular OWLS bus is aging and often unavailable because it’s stuck in a garage being repaired. While there is a replacement bus used to fill in, she likens it to a tank.
“It’s a bus for those who are disabled, but I call it the ‘Tank’ because it’s very large and very uncomfortable to sit in,” she said. “It also limits the ability of someone in a large wheelchair to be properly strapped in without opening emergency exits. For my mother, that’s disturbing.”
In fact, Jelly said she has stopped booking the service for her mom when the regular bus is out of service.
Jeff Hunter, the city’s manager of construction and transit, conceded the OWLS bus is “nearing the end of its life.”
He said council, during its 2018 capital budget deliberations, approved the cash to replace the bus; a new replacement bus has been ordered. However, no one is quite sure when it might roll into Orillia.
“We ordered it through Metrolinx, which is the large provincial transportation agency,” Hunter told OrilliaMatters of the “transit procurement process” the city is part of.
“We purchased our conventional buses through Metrolinx as well,” he said. “The advantage is they do leg work as real experts and they’re grouping our couple buses with (orders from other municipalities) which gives us better buying power.”
While the price is better, there is less certainty around delivery dates, said Hunter. He said Metrolinx will purchase a bunch of small buses to satisfy requests like Orillia’s. Then, they have to be converted by a separate company.
“I can’t give you a date,” said Hunter. “The conversion company, which ordered a number of these vehicles, hasn’t got a date yet from the supplier … but as soon as it’s available, it will be put into service.”
Jelly understands the process but feels vulnerable citizens are being marginalized.
“Without the OWLS bus available in good working order, those in Orillia with disabilities lose a much-needed service,” she said. “It’s not small issue. I believe it’s urgent and I hope the length of time (it’s taking) is not an indication of how it’s been minimized because it’s hurting us and our ability to use it and to be confident we can get to our appointments.”
Hunter said he is “constantly pushing” for the new bus. He also stressed there is a backup, as Jelly noted. In addition, the entire Orillia Transit fleet is 100% accessible, he said.
OWLS is specifically designed for those who are unable to board public transit or ride in a taxi and require the assistance of a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. The fee for an OWLS ride is the same as a regular bus and the service operates the same hours as the regular service. However, OWLS customers must book their trips at least 24 hours in advance.
The city contracts the operation of its transit services – including OWLS – to TOK Transit.
