August Ride-a-Bus Event in Waterloo

The second City of Waterloo Ride-a-Bus orientation session is being held on Tuesday, August 20, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. at the Wing 404 RCAFA Rotary Adult Centre at 510 Dutton Drive in Waterloo.

The Waterloo Age Friendly Multi-Agency Committee and the Cambridge Social Isolation Action Group have partnered with Grand River Transit (GRT) to offer Ride-a-Bus training/orientation to older adults in the community. Given that one of the items from the City of Waterloo’s new strategic plan includes implementing “strategies and tactics that strengthen the engagement of diverse and marginalized populations, and all ages, and support an enhanced sense of belonging within the community,” the Ride-a-Bus initiative helps to meet this important goal. 

The half-day event is designed for older adults wishing to become comfortable with bus service in Waterloo, and demonstrates how to use buses to connect with the new ION trains. The event includes a short training session with GRT community relations providers, an escorted outing on a GRT bus to sites within the city of Waterloo, and a free lunch back at the Wing 404 for all participants. The event does not include a ride on the ION trains. 

GRT staff offer instruction and advice on how to travel on its system. Information includes planning a trip, paying the fare, boarding the bus or ION with a wheelchair or scooter, and traveling to and from bus stops. Participants also receive the new EasyGO fare card. 

The first Ride-a-Bus event was held on May 27, 2019, in Waterloo with 29 participants, three volunteers from the Waterloo Age-Friendly Multi-Agency Committee and two city staff members. The number of participants was determined by the seating capacity of a GRT bus. The overwhelming success of the first event along with a substantial waiting list of participants prompted the decision to go ahead with the August 20^th Ride-a-Bus orientation and training session. 

The Waterloo Age Friendly Multi-Agency committee acknowledges the cooperation and leadership provided by the Cambridge Social Isolation Action Group, the Mayor’s Advisory Council for Kitchener Seniors, and funding for the GRT portion of the project from the Region of Waterloo. 

For further information about the Ride-a-Bus project, please contact Rick Chambers, Waterloo Age Friendly Multi-Agency Committee, and/or City of Waterloo staff members, Jim Bowman, or Jaye Kuntz.

Media contact
Shelly Reed
Communications consultant
519-747-8515
shelly.reed@waterloo.ca