Bus service to continue for Chelmsford long-term care home

Sudbury's community service committee voted on Monday to continue bus service to St. Gabriel's Villa in spite of low ridership.

"I know some of these people who use the bus," councillor Evelyn Dutrisac said.  

"That's their only way of getting to see their dying family member living at St. Gabriel's." 

Transit to the long-term care home in Chelmsford was scheduled to end this fall as part of a one-year trial.

The cost of offering the service was $18,837.00.

Eighty-eight people rode the bus throughout the year. 

88 trips not enough to sustain service 

That is not enough to sustain the service, according to councillor Al Sizer. 

He voted against saving the bus route. 

"We're inconveniencing four people in September. We're inconveniencing four people in June," Sizer said about ending the bus route. 

"We're not inconveniencing anybody."

Despite the low numbers, the community services committee has recommended to keep buses running to the villa until the end of the year.

A business plan on how to sustain the service will then be presented to council during 2017 budget deliberations. 

City council still has to make a final decision about the bus route.

No matter what happens, there is TransCab Service available to the villa.