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The Canadien Champion, Fniday, Docember 10 1 WA - 21 Bus use could swell to 75.,000 annual rides: report from TOWN on page 2 Then buscs would run hourly, but (lite routes wuuld depend on peuple calling in. And the vehicles themselves would bave lu be revamped tu two amaîl, 21-passenger buses, coating about $70,000 each. But councillors are fighting a losing battie if they hope lu make transit pay for itseli, wamed Mr. Prentice. "For every dollar you spend on transit, yu won't gel une dollar back," hie said. "You migbt get 35 cents back. That's the reality. Transit dues cuat money." And the Town won't save cash by running buses only in the murning and late afternuun, when usage is heavicat, he said. -These capis intertere ssvith people's trasel." lie said. "In actual tact, you discourage use of the ser- vice." Instead, fare integration with GO Transit and encouraging links tu Mississauga could help bol- ster usage. But boosting the systemr won't be of much use before the population gruws, said Councillor Wally Hunter. "I'm certainly flot satistied witlVwhat's being presented in ibis report. I think there's too many holes in it that don't sulive our prublems without critical mass," be said. But today's service is nut viable, even for the current population, countered Mr. Prentice. -The service todav realsy doc',n't performn well at ail:" hc said. "Lt you continue with it, you're guing to con- tinue-to see a decline in usage. Status quo is real- Iy a downward spiral, and that's really the bot- tom line." But the repurt's claim that use could swell from 51,000 annual rides in 1999 10 almost 75,O0p by the end of 2000 was greeted with skepticism by Councillor Rick Maîbueuf. And increasing usage wilI corne at a cost tu the Town anyway, he added. "Wbat scares me is if we increase the number of rides, we could tind ourselves in a big hole," said Mr. Maîbueuf. "The more people we can convince to use transit, the more its going 10 cost the general That's why now is thc perfect time to make transit decisions, he added. "The problem with most municipalities is they're in too deep," he said. "We have the opportunity to, get oui of the business with litile collateral damage." But loss is jus( part ot the transit reality, said Councillor Art Melanson. "It's the age old problem of supply and demand. We supply the system, but the demand isn't tîtere," he said. "1 doubt any municipal tran- sit system is cost effective, but we have Io keep on trying." 1444 Profcasiona1 airti.«t for 27 'ycartý Learn tg druw Trom one ofI the boait. Christmas Gift Vouchers 4Call flQW and boolk your Pre- Chri'stmas S ale We are moving in the New Year. Help us reduce Ie our inventory Ail in stock framing at cost. 348 Bronte St .. Unit # 14, Milton 4 I M stop an dwin!. Find ballot to enter for a $500 shopping spree or men's 18 speed mountain bike SUNDAVI DEC 12 2-4PM 234 Commercial St $239,900 Angela Silcock in attendance Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., 878-8101 SUNDAY, DEC 12 2 -4 PM 25 3rd Line $369,000 Jack McCrudden in attendance Re/Max Blue Springs Realty (Halton) Corp. 878-7777 Mondays: 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Jan. 17 - Apr. 24 Taught in Milton *Small classes * Intense conversational practice *Kids' program on Saturdays CwlR. Dvison ait 876-3057