Chestermere residents who rely on specialized transportation, or need help travelling because they cannot use regular public transit, have until Dec. 15 to help shape the city’s transportation planning.
The city’s Specialized Transit Needs Survey is seeking information about how residents use these services, where gaps may exist and what people need from future transportation options.
The consultation comes as Chestermere seeks proposals from organizations interested in operating and managing specialized transit on its behalf. That process opened Oct. 8 and is scheduled to close Nov. 10.
Rocky View Regional Handibus currently provides the city’s specialized transit service. The proposed arrangement would cover travel within Chestermere and a limited number of medical trips to Calgary, with costs shared between the municipality and passengers.
For residents, the survey offers a way to describe transportation needs whether they use Handibus or have not yet accessed specialized service.
The city identifies the intended participants as Handibus passengers and people unable to use conventional transit because of physical, cognitive, sensory or medical conditions that affect their ability to travel independently.
The questionnaire takes approximately five to 10 minutes to complete. Its opening section asks for a postal code and whether the respondent currently uses transportation provided through Rocky View Regional Handibus Society.
Specialized transportation can connect people with medical appointments, shopping, recreation, employment and community activities. Those destinations are identified in the survey’s explanation of why the service is provided.
The survey and the search for an operator address different parts of transportation planning. Residents are being asked about their needs, while prospective providers must explain how they would deliver the service outlined by the city.
The work follows council’s Sept. 15 consideration of specialized transit options for 2027. Council directed administration to seek proposals after reviewing current service levels and possible ways of delivering the service.
An earlier update presented in July addressed existing Handibus operations, increasing demand and future service considerations. Further information and recommendations were to return to council in the fall.
The organization selected through the current competition would handle more than driving. Responsibilities outlined in the tender include booking trips, dispatching vehicles, customer service, collecting fares, reporting and administering the program.
The operator would also bring city-approved passengers into its reservation system and provide accessible vehicles. The service is intended for eligible residents whose disability, medical condition or mobility limitation prevents them from using conventional transit.
The tender lists an estimated three-year contract period, from Dec. 28, 2026, to Dec. 28, 2029. Those dates are identified as estimates and may change.
Current passengers use a regional service that also covers Rocky View County, Cochrane, Crossfield, Irricana and Beiseker. Rocky View Bus provides door-to-door transportation and serves destinations across the region, including Calgary. New passengers must register before they can use the service.
Its published service description says trips are arranged through reservations and allocated on a first-booked basis. Passengers are asked to reserve three days ahead, with a booking deadline of noon on the business day before travel.
The description identifies limits on current operations, including the absence of regular evening, weekend and holiday service. These are conditions of the existing regional operation, separate from the service now being sought by Chestermere.
The two upcoming deadlines serve different purposes. Nov. 10 is the closing date for organizations submitting service proposals. Dec. 15 is the deadline for residents completing the needs survey.
Residents can find the questionnaire through the Specialized Transit Needs Survey feature on the city’s homepage. Current users and residents who may need specialized transportation are the groups the city is asking to help inform its next steps.