Our public transportation system in Revelstoke is in cardiac arrest and is in serious need of triage.
Let’s start with our taxi service. I watch in horror as we transport well healed visitors into town in private jet’s and Cadillac SUV’s and yet after they arrive their options for taxi service are run down Chevy’s. I was disgusted when a young female friend told me how a male cab driver advised her and her friend there were payment options other than cash for their cab ride and he wasn’t referring to credit cards. I would never ride in one of our taxis. We need change, time to bring in Uber. I don’t know anything about the taxi licensing or what is holding up change but if the City of Vancouver can tell the RCMP not to enforce Marijuana laws then our Council can pass a bylaw allowing Uber.
My next pet peeve is BC Transit. The Town of Revelstoke has some sort of cost sharing program with the Province. I’m not real clear on the details of the program or its’ performance because it appears to be a state secret. The last good source of public information was a 2014 report. Since then the trail of public information has gone cold. No updated transit reports and no mention of transit in the slick 2018 budget documents. I’m guessing it’s avoided because BC Transit is another huge sink hole of public funds at over $20/ride.
A recent CBC news article reported that Innisfil, Ont. saved a boat load of cash by dumping public transit and subsidizing Uber instead.
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/toronto/innisfil-uber-public-transit-1.4577331
Another clear indication that the public transportation system is broken in Revelstoke is the multiple overlapping systems we have. I could be wrong, but I am to the understanding that potentially seasonal ski buses, private hotel and restaurant shuttles and a staff bus in the summer are funded by ??? No? Perhaps it is a rumor.
It is time to shock this dying patient and cut off a few limbs before it bleeds to death. If we can’t find a way to save money, let’s at least make it more effective for those that use it.
In my opinion.
Your Arm Chair Mayor,
Peter Humphreys
