Handi-Bus receives new van thanks to funding

The Pembroke and Laurentian Valley Handi-Bus can now offer extended service hours and better door-to-door pickup thanks to funding that supported the purchase of a new passenger van.

Through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program: Public Transit Infrastructure Stream, the City of Pembroke was awarded funding from both the federal and provincial governments to support the purchase. The City will receive a maximum of $119,000 with the federal government investing $65,000 (40%) and the provincial government investing $54,000 (33.33%). The City is contributing $43,338.75, which will be funded through the Transit Gas Tax grant funding/reserve fund. The City will lease the new van to the Handi-Bus at a nominal fee.

“Public transit helps connect residents to work, school, essential services, and to each other. This new passenger van in Pembroke will help residents, including seniors and people with special needs, get around their community safely and comfortably,” says the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.

A new eight-passenger van now replaces the aging 2010 GMC 15-passenger Kneeling Bus which was taken out of service at the end of 2023 due to ongoing maintenance issues. This new van increases the Handi-Bus’s service capacity as it does not require a special driver’s licence to operate, and its smaller size will better facilitate door-to-door pickup. The Handi-Bus is now also expanding its service hours to include Sunday service from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Ric Bresee, Parliamentary Assistant to Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, adds, “Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is delivering essential transit services to communities across Ontario. The new Handi-Bus will make sure Pembroke residents of all abilities and needs can continue to access reliable door-to-door transportation.”

“The Handi-Bus provides a critical service to Pembroke and Laurentian Valley’s seniors and people with disabilities. Having a new van that allows for expanded service is so important as we will be able to better serve our residents,” says Mayor Ron Gervais.

The Pembroke and Laurentian Valley Handi-Bus is operated by the Friends of the Disabled, a registered not-for-profit organization. The service launched in 1989 and assists seniors and people with mobility issues to move around the city.