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(Bracebridge – ON) Through funding provided by the Government of Ontario, and in partnership with Hammond Transportation Ltd., the District Municipality of Muskoka (the District) is excited to announce a new transportation service for Muskoka.
The new service, called Rural and Community Connection, connects Muskoka communities east and west while providing timed connections to other transportation networks within and beyond Muskoka. The new service launches on Tuesday January 19th, and will operate on two different routes running east and west. Each route is operated one day per week - Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Tuesday’s Route runs return trips from MacTier to Port Carling, Milford Bay, Bracebridge, Baysville, and Huntsville. The Thursday Route runs return trips from Midland to Port Severn, Honey Harbour, Bala, Gravenhurst, and Bracebridge. For riders needing to travel north and south, connections will be made in Bracebridge and Gravenhurst to the District’s Corridor 11 Bus. The schedule also establishes connections to the Simcoe County LINX service in Midland for riders travelling to Barrie. In addition, the schedule has been coordinated with other local service providers to the extent possible including the Wave in Bracebridge and Huntsville Transit.
Can’t Get to One of the Route Stops? Request a Flex Stop!
In addition to providing designated stops, the new Rural and Community Connection service schedule has also been designed to accommodate what is known as a “flex stop.” A flex stop allows riders to request a pick-up and/or drop off spot that is located within a 5-minute return trip from the existing route. Flex stops aim to support those who may not be able to access one of the existing schedule stops and must be requested 24 hours in advance of your trip.
Do You Require an Accessible Vehicle?
An accessible vehicle is available should a rider require one. Requests for the accessible vehicle must also be made 24 hours ahead of time.
Fares
Due to difficulties related to the safe collection of fares during the ongoing pandemic, rides are complimentary until further notice. Riders are asked to limit their travel to essential trips only. When fare collection resumes, it is anticipated fares will range from $5-$15 and will be proportional to the distance travelled.
Feedback
We want to hear from you! The new Rural and Community Service is a pilot project to be delivered until 2023. We want to ensure that it is meeting the needs of residents and to do that, feedback is important. Let us know about your experiences with the new service and share any thoughts you have for improvement.
More information about the new Rural and Community Service, including schedules, flex stops, and accessible vehicle requests can found on the District’s website at www.muskoka.on.ca/ruralandcommunityconnection.
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The Rural and Community Service stems from recommendations made in the District’s Community Transportation Plan (CTP) to develop accessible, affordable, and sustainable transportation solutions for both urban and rural Muskoka residents. For more information about the CTP, or to subscribe to email updates on the CTP project, visit the CTP project page on the Engage Muskoka Platform at www.engagemuskoka.ca/community-transportation.
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