City of Niagara Falls to look at the idea, along with Niagara Region
There's a chance seniors in Niagara could ride transit for free.
Niagara Falls councillor Ruth-Ann Nieuwesteeg is putting the idea in motion at next council meeting, saying seniors make up 23-percent of Niagara's population, but only 6-percent of ridership.
She added fares must be charged for the Ontario Transit Investment Fund projects, but, some fares can be reduced to help some people. "Whereas many seniors have diminishing cognitive abilities, and therefore are not able to maintain their drivers licence, and which then negatively impacts the mobility of their co-habitant or spouse."
The Niagara region will review this along with free transit for teenagers.
She added many seniors get to the point that driving is not an option, largely due to health. "Many of the same seniors have limited options for travel, as well as affordability issues, many even seeking the use of various, dubious mobility devices and travelling long distances in what can be considered unsafe conditions."
She says it intuitively makes sense to maximize capacity use in the transit system.
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