Cornwall Transit, 863 Second Street West, Cornwall, Ontario, K6J 1H5, 613-930-2636
Fall 2012
...... Keeping you in the loop! .......
From the Manager’s Desk . . .
The season of winter storms, cold temperatures and icy conditions is upon us.
For your safety and the safety of our drivers, please remember to keep all sidewalks and steps clear
of snow and ice, including other debris or obstacles.
Winter weather can cause delays and customers may need to be transferred to another vehicle. You are urged
to dress appropriately for the weather!
Customer Survey “Help us help you!”
Cornwall Transit undertook a customer survey to gain feedback from the public on its service. The survey
was available for the month of October on the Transit buses as well as the City website. www.cornwall.ca
The survey was designed to assist Cornwall Transit in assessing how it is performing and examining
potential transportation needs in Cornwall. Whether you used the service or not, 617 participated in
completed the questionnaire, in the month of October, 2012. The survey information was confidential;
however, passengers that provided their name had a chance to win a monthly bus pass. Three winners were
picked and awarded a monthly bus pass.
Survey results:
Customers said the service was convenient, reliable, eco friendly with friendly operators and staff. Most
customers find the fares affordable and their ride is timely and comfortable.
Service hour extension, especially Sunday service, was an area that customers wish to see improved.
Cornwall Transit will review all suggestions, but must keep in mind budget constraints and the ability of the
community to pay for Transit Service.
Remembrance Day and the War Veteran Transit Bus Pass
War veterans are now eligible to receive a lifetime War Veteran Cornwall Transit bus pass
with photo for unlimited use on all City of Cornwall buses. This program is a gesture of respect and
acknowledgement of the personal sacrifice and commitment made by veterans to our community and
country.
Who is eligible?
The free lifetime bus pass is open to Canadians and Allied Veterans who participated in active service during
World War II, the Korean, Afghanistan and Vietnam Wars or Peacekeepers in areas of conflict that reside in
the City of Cornwall.
Replacement low floor accessible buses
Cornwall Transit has taken possession of three 40’ refurbished, low-floor
replacement buses which arrived in mid- October. These buses accommodate
wheelchairs in a rear-facing position and allow persons using mobility aids to
position themselves independently on the transit bus. It adapts to most wheelchair
and scooter sizes and types, generally requiring minimum assistance of the operator.
Cornwall Transit operators can provide information on how best to board and secure
your mobility aid. The other wheelchair position on these buses is front facing and is
a regular 4 point tie down Q-straint system.
Courtesy Counts!
Priority and Courtesy Seating decals have been installed inside all Cornwall Transit buses, in
compliance with Section 49 of the Integrated Accessibility Standards (IAS, Ontario Regulation 191-11) and
the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).
To help make the transit experience pleasant and comfortable, please be courteous and respectful of your
driver and fellow passengers.
We encourage you to follow these simple suggestions while travelling with Cornwall Transit.
Although Cornwall Transit serves everyone on a first-to-board basis, we extend a special thank you to our
customers who give up their seats for people with disabilities or mobility challenges. Priority/Courtesy
seating, located at the front of the conventional bus, meets the needs of all transit customers, and is especially
vital to:
 Customers who use scooters, wheelchairs or other mobility aids
 Customers with a disability or mobility issue
 Customers with baby strollers
Baxtrom YIG Shuttle
A group of seniors expressed interest in having a shuttle bus from their residents go to a grocery store. May
2012, a meeting was set up to have a grocery shuttle go to Baxtrom YIG once a month. There was enough
interest in the shuttle this summer to initiate a pilot project. Two different seniors’ residences had an
opportunity to try the shuttle; unfortunately the program was discontinued in October 2012 due to dwindling
participation.
One Step Policy
For the safety of everyone, drivers will not take mobility devices up or down more than one vertical step. A
ramp must be provided when there is more than one step present or the driver will take the client as far as is
safely possible.
The Handi-Transit service provides service from accessible door to accessible door within the
City limits of Cornwall. Drivers provide assistance to wheelchair passengers via wheelchair
accessible ramps from a street level door to a street level door (walking assistance will also be
provided to ambulatory passengers). It is your responsibility to ensure that someone is
available to assist you if there is more than one step at your pick-up location or destination as drivers may
not enter a building past the first set of doors. If you are going to a new location, find out if it is accessible
before you book your rides. Please be aware that we are a shared ride bus service that we may pick up others
enroute and that your trip may be a little longer in length.
Cancellation policy
No shows, late cancellations and excessive cancellations by individual passengers have a direct impact on the
effectiveness of the system. Each passenger is responsible for maintaining a low level of no-shows and late
cancellations.
Cancellation Follow up
1st Offence - Handi Transit staff will contact you to determine the circumstances surrounding the no-shows
to see what can be done to make the Handi Service work better for you.
Repeat Occurrences - Written documentation outlining concerns & expectations will be sent to the client.
Letter will include reference to Cancellation Policy. If No Shows or Cancellations continue, trip requests
may be denied or restricted. In order to ensure excellent service for all passengers, Handi-Transit reserves the
right to suspend service for any customer who consistently does not meet service guidelines or for
inappropriate behavior.
10 minute pick up window & a 3 minute waiting time
Because of the shared-ride nature of our service, exact pick up times cannot be determined, therefore, we
allow for a 20 minute pick up window. Our bus could show up anywhere from 10 minutes before to 10
minutes after your scheduled pick up time and can only wait 3 minutes once it arrives. We ask that all
customers be ready and waiting 10 minutes before their pick up time.
Accurate Information
In order for us to provide you with the best service possible, it is important for our records to be accurate.
Changes to your address, phone number, mobility device or lift requirements may affect how your trip is
booked and how much time is allotted. We also appreciate having an emergency contact name and number
on your file in case of an emergency or important issues that we can’t reach you about.
Transit Committee 2010 - 2014
The Transit Committee, chaired by Jason Setnyk, is an advisory committee to the City council and can make
recommendations. The Transit Committee aims at promoting and providing accessible, reliable and
affordable services to its citizens while minimizing the cost to the taxpayer.
Choice Taxi
The taxi service enables Handi-Transit to book trips in taxis when the regular
vehicle(s) is unavailable, either because of capacity issues or because the trip cannot be accommodated in a
timely manner. In essence, the Handi-Transit becomes on large regular client to the taxi company, while in
turn the vehicles of the taxi company act like extra vehicles to Handi-Transit. All taxi rides are at the
discretion of Cornwall Transit; please do not contact the taxi company directly.
Municipal Accessible Advisory Committee (M.A.A.C.)
Aim
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


To identify and study issues of concern to persons with disabilities and, on the basis of the knowledge
and experience of Committee Members, to recommend action where appropriate;
Promote opportunities for self-help in the context of family and community for persons with
disabilities;
Review government programs and policies affecting persons with disabilities in the community; and
Liaise with City departments and local organizations in addressing issues that are related to persons
with disabilities in the community.
For information contact the Accessibility Advisor, Manon Poirier: 613-932-6252 ext. 2316,
mpoirier@cornwall.ca
Please note: There is no service on Sunday or Statutory Holidays
Day
Mon.
Tues.
Wed.
Thurs
Fri.
Mon.
Tues.
Wed.
Date
Dec. 24th
Dec. 25th
Dec. 26th
Dec. 27th
Dec. 28th
Dec. 31st
Jan. 1st
Jan 2nd
Office Hours
Closed
Closed
Closed
Open
Open
Closed
Closed
Open
Service hours
Service 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
No bus Service
No bus Service
Full bus Service Resumes
Full bus Service
Service 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
No bus Service
Full bus Service Resumes
For more information please contact Cornwall Transit at 613-930-2636, 863 Second St. West, Cornwall, ON,
K6J-1H5, visit our web site: www.cornwalltransit.ca. Would you like to receive a copy of the “Yours to
Ride” Newsletter by email? Just send an e-mail to: the Accessibility Transit Technician: Linda Varga
lvarga@cornwall.ca - please put “Newsletter” in the subject line or call 613-930-2787 ext. 2507.
The Management and staff at Cornwall Transit wish all of our customers a joyous holiday season and we
look forward to serving you in 2013!