Jan 19, 2022: UPDATE RE TRANSPORTATION – MEETING TOMORROW!
Is this the bus for us?
On Thursday Jan 20 at 6pm all residents are invited to get on a special zoom call with Craig Jangula of Green Power Motor Company will show us around the potential new bus we are hoping to buy. Attached is the brochure for the bus.
Join the call at https://eastshore.life/conversations/
If you like you can stay on the call for a 7pm meeting for the East Shore Transportation Society where we will talk about board membership and hopefully gain some interested new board members. We need you!
Laverne Booth250-551-6020
A Community Gift and a Challenge
submitted by Laverne Booth for East Shore Transportation Society
Columbia Basin Trust is helping organizations electrify their vehicles- Area A has been offered a brand new 24 seat electric wheelchair bus. Imagine that!
You may remember that ever since East Shore residents invested in the older bus from the TAPS program in Creston, the East Shore Transportation Society (ESTS) has managed the bus and promised to employ the bus until we can get an electric bus. Be careful what you ask for!
The dream has come true- Columbia Basin Trust has approved a substantial grant towards a 24 seat electric bus, and ESTS is applying to Regional District for gas tax funds and to the SUVI (Special Use Vehicle Incentive) program for a tourism related rebate. If all goes well, by March of 2022, the East Shore Transportation Society will be the owner of an electric bus meant to serve multiple community needs for transportation of Area A residents. We aren’t there yet, but things are looking good and falling into place.
What is the Challenge?
Board members are needed! As a community, we need to commit to at least 5 years to own and operate the bus. Current ESTS board members have learned a lot about running a bus, although the COVID years greatly reduced what we were able to do. We know that operating costs are going to be needed to get the electric bus on the road, and we need some good minds to come together and build this community business. Hopefully we can get a board member from each of the Area A communities. Please call Catherine White (403-304-2622) to discuss this opportunity.
In order to apply for gas tax funds, we need a signed agreement with a landowner to park the bus. A long time Riondel resident has offered her property to temporarily house the bus. In the near future, we will have to figure out where and how to build a bus shed with an electric charger. We hope to house the electric bus, as well as a men’s shed and possibly also house the new AWD Toyota Van that Community Connections hopes to receive from the Columbia Basin Trust.
We need your ideas! How do we encourage residents to support the new bus? What routes or activities would you support? One great idea coming from a senior leader in Riondel is to encourage residents to Pay it Forward- and purchase let’s say one $10 bus ticket per 52 weeks up front which would cost $520/year. This would be an annual subscription and subscribers could use their tickets as needed, gift them to others, and buy more tickets as needed. This is one way to get operating expenses up front. We also accept donations. Please send all and any ideas to estsbus@gmail.com or call Laverne at 250-551-6020.
We are forming the ENHANCED board for the East Shore Transportation Society. If you are interested and would like to represent your community on this board, please email estsbus@gmail.com or speak to Laverne at 250-551-6020. There is an important meeting this week regarding the bus, and we need interested people to express interest by Thursday, Jan 20 by noon. Please consider joining this board. We need you!
CONGRATULATIONS Area A! Thank you to Garry Jackman, Fran O’Rourke, Juanita Meekis, the East Shore Kootenay Lake Community Health Society, Better at Home and others for their tireless work to get transportation options for us. A very special thank you to those who invested in the TAPS bus, it is these efforts by community members that have led us to this breakthrough. Let’s work together to build what we need from the ground up!
The East Shore Transportation Society Board.