 
Miketoronto
Member
Username: Miketoronto
Post Number: 877
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, May 31, 2008 - 9:19 pm: |    |
Here is an interesting little news article from Deseronto, Ontario a small town in Eastern Ontario. I think I posted an article about this small town before. Anyway the article below, has an interesting little stat about how much money the county has saved in social service costs since public transit was started, and residents were able to gain access to jobs in Belleville a larger town located near Deseronto.
Anyway just think of the millions that could be saved in Metro Detroit.
Enjoy the article.
And here is the important quote
"Even more impressive, Fry pointed out, is that the new jobs are saving the county $375,000 in social assistance cheques, as 30 people are totally off assistance and another 40 are on partial assistance."
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Bus service helps get people working
Posted By Stephen Petrick
The new Deseronto Transit Service is driving, not just passengers, but new hope for the tiny waterfront town.
And those who helped start the service, which takes residents into Belleville each day for work in a blue-painted school bus, would be thrilled to keep its wheels turning for another year.
On Wednesday, Hastings/Quinte Joint Social Services Committee members voted to endorse the town's request for $25,000 toward the $100,000 yearly budget for the bus service.
County council will review the recommendation in budget deliberations next month.
The vote took place after passionate pleas by Deseronto Deputy Mayor Clarence Zieman and Hastings social services director Eric Fry who praised the bus as an example of how the county's employment connection program is helping people find jobs.
"It has done something for our community," Zieman said, explaining that people at the town's food bank are starting to say, "I'm not coming back, because I know I have a job."
The service was launched in August with a $225,000 provincial government grant.
Previously, Deseronto residents who were out of work and had no means of transportation, had no way to access Belleville's booming job market. But since the bus started making trips every morning, 70 people in the town have found work in Belleville - well over the 40-job goal organizers had set.
Even more impressive, Fry pointed out, is that the new jobs are saving the county $375,000 in social assistance cheques, as 30 people are totally off assistance and another 40 are on partial assistance.
The bus is a good news story for a town that's had its share of hard luck over the years.
At Wednesday's meeting, Fry told committee members that Deseronto was his first beat when he started as a social worker, back in the recession of the early '80s.
"I can't tell you how bad the situation was," he said.
But he said with new companies moving into Belleville every year, willing workers throughout the region are now in high demand.
By working with companies such as Procter and Gamble and Kellogg, the town was able to put together a bus route which drops people off at major employment centres.
Officials are now working closely with Belleville Transit to integrate a route into its system and trying to encourage its partnering employers to help fund the service.
And politicians are now pondering if a similar bus service could work in other parts of county.
"There's no public or private system in the central area of the county," said Marmora and Lake Reeve Terry Clemons. "Maybe we've planted the seed for someone to come in."
Since starting the service, Deseronto has purchased a seven-passenger van for midnight runs for shift workers.
The blue school bus is also helping people in Deseronto, Napanee and Prince Edward County get to Loyalist College each day for courses that can upgrade their skills.
Evelin Wannamaker, a Napanee resident enrolled in prep courses she'll need to begin an automotive program, said without the service her only way to get to the college would be to hitchhike.
"It's awesome. I love it," she said of the new bus service as she chatted with friends and fellow riders at a transfer point Wednesday.
Justin Green, a Deseronto resident studying early childhood education at Loyalist, said he's grateful for the money the bus saves him.
He used to spend $70 on gas a week, but now pays $130 for a monthly pass. A round trip from Deseronto to Belleville is $12.
"It's a lot cheaper," Green said. |
Trainman
Member
Username: Trainman
Post Number: 710
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, June 22, 2008 - 11:47 am: | |
Why don't you team up with me to fight the $2 Billion dollar Detroit freeway expansion plans?
I need solid supporters from industry and government leaders to stop these expansions that are still on the drawing boards known as RTP 935 and 2514.
It is in the best interests of the vast majority of taxpayers to restore essential funding that was taken from existing community transit used to match federal grants for these projects. These projects are discrimination against the low income and the transit dependent in their present conditions. Thus, should be eliminated or changed.
Thanks for the nice post. |
Crystal
Member
Username: Crystal
Post Number: 210
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, June 22, 2008 - 1:00 pm: | |
I couldn't agree more. My brother and his wife, both handicapped, live in Ann Arbor.
Their employers pay for their AATA bus passes (I think $35/month/person). With transportation they are able to get to work, shop for groceries, go to doctor and dentist appointments, visit libraries and parks, etc. |
Danindc
Member
Username: Danindc
Post Number: 4538
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, June 22, 2008 - 1:54 pm: | |
^35 bucks a month is certainly a lot cheaper than using cabs or dial-a-ride services! |
Trainman
Member
Username: Trainman
Post Number: 711
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, June 22, 2008 - 2:11 pm: | |
AA pays 2.3 mils of property taxes versus 0.59 for Detroit and inner suburbs and Macomb county.
If cities such as Livonia did not vote in costly recreation centers but instead supported SMART and elected leadership in Lansing to get federal transit grants,then maybe we would have a better mass transit system?
I want to publicly debate the persone who start ed this thread.
(Message edited by Trainman on June 22, 2008) |
Danny
Member
Username: Danny
Post Number: 7419
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, June 22, 2008 - 6:24 pm: | |
Trainman,
The RTP 935 and 2514 proposal will not happen due to bureaucratic reasons. You have to agree to Miketoronto's argumentative resources. Public Transit is saving social services lots of money. The rising fuel costs and higher ridership of D-DOT and SMART made it possible. The 90% of the voters will pass the 2010 SMART Bus Millage for the need the SMART busses running in their cities. So get used to it. Most people in this forum will not support your campaign to vote no on the SMART Bus Millage. Their minds are made up. |
Lefty2
Member
Username: Lefty2
Post Number: 1433
Registered: 07-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, June 22, 2008 - 6:46 pm: | |
So who is paying to subsidize the non affluent bus riders?
There is not one mass transit system in the world that isn't heavily subsidized. |
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