In January, Innisfail town council voted to take local transit into the future. It unanimously approved a year-long contract with Pacific Western Transportation to provide a state-of-the-art On-Demand transit system launching on April 3rd, 2023.
In 2018, the town partnered with the local Royal Canadian Legion branch to offer a community shuttle program. However, when the Legion determined they could no longer provide that service, the Town of Innisfail felt this was an excellent opportunity to upgrade an underutilized transit service that was primarily being used by seniors and those with mobility issues.
Meghan Jenkins, the town’s Director of Community Services, is hoping for a jump in ridership.
“We’ll be able to increase our efficiency and the number of users that we’re able to service by going to an on-demand program – with the power of the app and a call centre, as opposed to the traditional dispatch system that was being utilized previously.”
Red Deer-Based Prairie Bus Lines to Operate New Service
While the town owns the two PACE buses that will pick up passengers in Innisfail and the surrounding area, Red Deer-based Prairie Bus Lines (PBL) will operate and staff the new service. Users can book a trip on the new On Demand system seven days a week by app, a website or by phoning the dispatch centre.
Jonathan Weal, Director of Business Development for PBL, says the data collected by the high-tech transit brand is a game changer.
“The app has the ability to learn the more data it gathers, and the time it takes to get between different points,” said Weal. “It can anticipate delays on rides. It gathers a lot of data from the movement within the town to allow the service to be more efficient.”
Town of Innisfail Hoping for Increased Ridership
Under the previous community shuttle run by the Legion, the vehicles averaged 117 trips a month in 2022. Jenkins agrees that the data collected from the On-Demand service will offer valuable information when the town decides to expand and improve the local transit operation.
That is just one of the many benefits we hope the intelligent software will bring. Accurate reporting and statistics will help us understand the needs and demands of the community. The trips, as well as the failed searches, are valuable data that we definitely don’t get from our current driver logs.”
The On-Demand System Will Service Nearly 12,000 People
The on-demand service will serve the 8,000 local Innisfail residents and the surrounding communities of Penhold and Bowden. The residents with access to this state-of-the-art offering will be almost 12,000 people. One-way rides within Innisfail will cost $5. There will be a $15 charge for rides to Bowden and Penhold and $50 for trips to Red Deer, Olds and Sylvan Lake. Citizens needing transportation to Calgary or Edmonton will also be able to use the service.
Jenkins says Innisfail will have two buses available – one will be used for local trips, and the second can be reserved for out-of-town trips.
“The town recognizes how important transportation is for the quality of life of our citizens. We want to ensure that service is accessible and is efficient as possible for everyone.”
