Bus tech gets final approval
City council voted a final time on Monday to buy technology that will allow riders to know in real time, via cellphone app, exactly when their bus is coming.
“The real-time app will be such a convenience,” said Coun. Don Vassiliadis, the city’s transportation chairman, in an interview following the meeting.
In all, the city will buy $1.9 million in hardware and software to enhance the transit service.
Vassiliadis pointed out the city is buying more than an app.
He said the city will get a package of technological advances, all of which will make the city transit more “convenient, efficient and safe”.
The new services will include: Computerized scheduling systems for buses, rather than schedules printed on paper.
Updated GPS software on buses, as well as an Automated Vehicle Location system to allow for real-time tracking of buses on the road — meaning riders will be able to download an app for their phones to see when the bus is coming.
Software for transit signal priority at intersections, meaning a bus will be able to send an automatic signal to a traffic signal as it approaches to hold the green light, if it is running late.
Automatic passenger counters that notify dispatchers when a bus is filling up and a second bus must be sent (which happens on the Trent University and Fleming College express routes, according to a report from city staff).
Interior and exterior cameras for buses, which capture images on the bus when there's an altercation or collect footage in case of collision.
Councillors had given preliminary approval to the purchase at a meeting on June 4. On Monday, council voted a final time in favour.
Mayor Daryl Bennett did not vote or participate in the discussion on June 4 or on Monday – he declared a pecuniary interest since he owns a taxi company.
Installation of the new technology on buses is expected to begin on June 18 and be fully operational by March 31.
The city will hire Strategic Mapping Inc. of Toronto for installation and maintenance of the technology, following a competitive bid process.
Vassiliadis said the security cameras will be installed first, and the app won’t be far behind.
The traffic signal priority at intersections will likely take longer to implement, he said.
Vassiliadis worked for some time to get the project off the ground.
When asked on Monday whether Uber could be the next transportation-related service to introduce to Peterborough, he said yes.
“Uber’s welcome to come to Peterborough anytime they want,” he said.
Meanwhile the County of Peterborough faces transportation challenges for its residents.
While there’s a bus taking people from Curve Lake to Peterborough, as well as a Care-Mobile that gives rides to rural people with disabilities into the city, Vassiliadis said there’s always the possibility of city-county partnerships down the road.
“We do have a few extra buses,” he said, referring to the city’s fleet of vehicles, but he said there would need to be discussions about how the city and county might work together.
Budget guideline approved
Council voted a final time to allow city staff to develop a final version of the 2019 tax increase guideline. The guideline – which will recommend a tax hike of 2.5 per cent, in 2019 – will be presented to councillors at a meeting on June 25.
For an average taxpayer with a house assessed at $251,700, a tax increase of 2.5 per cent would add $98 to the tax bill (bringing that bill up to a total of $4,035.91).
It’s all part of the run-up to budget talks in January. Typically, councillors direct city staff to start coming up with preliminary budget documents months in advance.
On June 6, councillors invited citizens to come speak to them about what they want to see in the budget in 2019. Six citizens came to speak: five of them spoke about how affordable housing and homelessness prevention should be top priority for the city next year.