Members of the Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee (MAAC) met with North Bay city staff to offer input as they look for a contractor to take over transportation services from PHARA (Physically Handicapped Adult's Rehabilitation Association Nipissng Parry Sound).
PHARA announced in early April it will no longer be providing transportation services to physically challenged people effective July 31st.
See related: UPDATE: PHARA pulls out of parabus program
City staff is in the process of putting together an RFP (Request for Proposal).
Meeting with staff in its advisory role, MAAC chair, Nora Long, said information gathered from the public and from board members, was presented to staff for review, with the hope they would find ways to implement the suggestions.
"I was able to get some really interesting feedback. They were very open to hearing the pros and cons," said Long.
One issue raised focused on the need for more flexibility in service hours.
"It's a matter of how many people use the facility and how many spots are available. If you're going to an activity in the evening, there's the matter of getting back home again. How Is that going to work? When does the PHARA bus stop and when does taxi take over,?" questioned Long.
"We talked about cost and how the turnover is going to happen. It's kind of vague right now because they're still gathering information. What type of service will be offered? What will they include? Will there be an extension to the service? And being cost efficient on their end, what can they afford to put into it? Of course, it all boils down to funding. So they've taken all the points that we've brought forward, and they're going to consider how they can implement them into the new program."
Mike Anthony, who is the council member on MAAC arranged for the meeting with four key staff members including the managing director of community services.
"We had some feedback from the community about just how our people assess who gets to use it in general. There was also feedback on whether this is a chance to provide training for the people who will be driving the buses and making sure they're as up to date as much as possible on everything that needs to be known on who needs assistance and who doesn't, getting on and off," said Anthony.
"Another thing that was brought up was the different levels of provincial or federal funding that has not been accessed. I brought forward one I just learned about recently, the Enabling Accessibility Fund. It's a federal grant, and they're taking applications until May 24. If we've already been applying for this great, if we're not, its one that we can act on."
Anthony says the discussion also touched on the possibility of laying out additional requests within the RFP.
"Is there a way in the RFP to include perhaps some options. So while the contractors might bid on the basic service, do any of them have any added value they can offer? Like could they, for example, be willing to try and expand the schedule or number of drivers, things like that. So any added value items."
The MAAC chair says she feels comfortable moving forward. Long says MAAC is going to have the opportunity once the plan is drawn, to review it with staff.
Anthony has been told by staff that they have received inquiries from people interested in the project.
"They told me they have had more than one, and I myself had one contractor locally express interest in being part of the process when the RFP is available," said Anthony.
"I believe staff wants to have that out by perhaps mid-May and be reviewing responses perhaps by the first or second week of June would be tentative targets."