Dennis Adam trying to get signatures for the petition at Gateway Mall in Prince Albert. (Nolan Kowal/paNOW Staff)

By Nolan Kowal

Transit Trouble

‘It’s very heartbreaking for me’: Access Transit uncertainty impacting multiple P.A. residents

Feb 14, 2024 | 8:00 AM

Dennis Adam takes a para-transit bus to every Prince Albert Raiders game.

With certain Access Transit services in the city currently in limbo due to a lack of funding, he’s hoping to garner support from the community as he fights to keep his main source of transportation going.

“If we ever lose this bus service, people are going to be shocked and upset,” said Adam, who has lived in P.A. for roughly 30 years. “I use the bus service just about every day of the week, nights when I go for Raiders game and for concert events. People need this transportation for appointments and social gatherings.”

The Prince Albert Community Service Centre, which operates the para-transit fleet, has said they require an additional $103,000 from the City to account for rising costs. Otherwise, they will be forced to cut weekend and evening services.

Adam, who is in a wheelchair, said other modes of transportation such as taxi cabs aren’t really an option for him because they’re not as accommodating to people with disabilities.

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“They don’t do door-to-door service like Access Transit. It’s very heartbreaking for me,” he said.

For the last several days, Adam has been helping to organize petitions at Gateway Mall in hopes of getting as many signatures as he can up until Thursday, Feb. 15.

“It’s been going good, I’ve been doing it since last Thursday,” he said. “The boss from Access Transit will bring it to the city and then we’ll go from there with it.”

A display is set up at Gateway Mall where people have been signing a petition in support of Access Transit in Prince Albert. (Nolan Kowal/paNOW Staff)

Meanwhile, the president of CUPE Local 2182 Mark Krayetski said the lack of funding is concerning.

“Obviously we can’t run on a deficit this year, because there’s just no more reserve funds to allow for that,” he said. “With us being a non-profit, you can only pull from that so many times, and there’s just nothing left.”

Krayetski added that the para-transit busses usually make anywhere from 100 to 125 trips per day in P.A., with roughly 75 people using the service every day. It’s used by people with both physical and intellectual disabilities.

“The daytime service would get folks to their appointment, get folks to their program, maybe get folks to their jobs,” Krayetski continued. But Raider games, a lot of entertainment, a lot of family visiting, church services, things like that, that’s all evening and weekend type stuff, which a lot of folks rely on our services for that. And if the buses aren’t running on those hours, how are they going to get there?”

The City has stated that negotiations with the CSC failed to solidify a new contract. Mayor Greg Dionne previously said discussions to hammer out a new deal are ongoing, but the CSC said a new contract would not come into effect until 2025.

“I hope people come out and sign the petition because I rely on this bus,” said Adam.

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nolan.kowal@pattisonmedia.com