We are in support of the MTO…

We are in support of the MTO's efforts to improve bus service between communities in Ontario. Staff agree with the modernization proposal for the intercommunity bus industry, including removing requirements to obtain a public vehicle license under the Public Vehicles Act (PVA), retaining all relevant safety and insurance requirements currently housed in the PVA, under a new or enhanced existing legislation, and seeking appropriate safety and insurance options for vehicles that carry less than 10 passengers.

It is of particular importance that the modernization proposal addresses licensing requirements under the PVA for municipal transit vehicles that operate across municipal boundaries. Allowing municipal transit services to operate across municipal boundaries without additional licensing requirements would remove one possible barrier to providing improved inter-municipal transit.

Further, we support the application of appropriate safety and insurance standards for vehicles that carry less than 10 passengers. However, it is import to be mindful of the impact that this will have on emerging transit trends such as demand-responsive transit and micro-transit, which will be increasingly relied upon to provide mobility options in the future.

[Original Comment ID: 194680]