Beginning January 2, the Town of Orangeville will launch a two-year program aimed at making transportation more affordable and effective for its residents.

Through this pilot, the Town is making transit more accessible and affordable for Orangeville residents by removing the financial barrier for those who need it and can benefit from it most.

“By removing the fares for Orangeville’s transit, we are able to provide increased service to those who rely on it the most – our seniors, students, and those who are struggling with access to affordable transportation,” said Mayor Lisa Post. “Running this pilot will give the Town the opportunity to see whether a fare-free model is feasible and beneficial to our residents. By encouraging more transit use we will also be able to see a reduction in our carbon footprint, which in turn reduces the environmental impact by lowering the amount of vehicle emissions.”

If successful, the project will help the Town in its steps towards creating a more environmentally sustainable future by providing more transit options to meet the needs of residents while simultaneously getting more vehicles off the roads.

“Over the next two years, Town staff will continue to review and monitor the progress of this pilot program,” explained John Lackey, Manager of Operations and Development. “Our hope is that we will see an increase in ridership, both from those who need it and those who might choose to take transit rather than driving around town.”

Following the two-year pilot, the success of the program will be assessed for Council to determine whether or not to move forward.

For more information on this pilot program, please visit orangeville.ca/farefreetransit.