Keep the buses on the roads

There shouldn’t be any question when Durham Region Transit’s executive committee meets Sept. 3 that a decision will be made to keep a current bus route in south Ajax intact.
    Removing the bus route on Hoile Drive, south of Audley Road and Ashbury Boulevard near Lake Ontario, would send the wrong message to all communities and riders served by DRT. After all, the route is deemed to be performing well in terms of ridership, and there would be no reason to cancel it but for the fact a petition has been circulating, signed by residents who presumably do not need to use public transit, and therefore don’t feel they need a smelly, noisy bus lumbering along the residential street.
    It is a complaint that could almost be considered frivolous, except it’s being made by taxpayers and the DRT is to be commended for considering it. But, in this case, the benefit to the community as a whole must outweigh the complaints of a few.
    The Hoile Drive bus, which runs only during morning and afternoon rush hours, is a problem for homeowner Sandra Cassidy, who believes noise, pollution and a lack of ridership warrants its cancellation. Ms. Cassidy and her husband have measured the noise level in their bedroom when the bus passes by, and she points out most people in the subdivision have cars.
    But, people are using the bus, their taxes are being collected to operate a public transit system, and there is no reason to make those passengers walk further in the coming winter months to board a bus. Indeed, taking a bus off a residential street because the noise displeases certain neighbours could set a dangerous precedent to other communities in Durham Region as well. If one street can vote the bus off just because it’s not wanted by everyone, then what’s to prevent other streets in other neighbourhoods from doing the same?
    Bus passengers on Hoile Drive do not deserve to be left outside the DRT’s 400-metre bus stop standard. The noise and exhaust of vehicles is a fact of life in urban Durham Region. Transit is an essential service; no one would complain about the noise and exhaust of an ambulance, fire truck or police car if they needed one.
    Which brings up another point: No one, car owner or not, can be certain the day won’t come when they will need to board a public bus, unforeseen circumstances being what they are. Durham Region is fortunate to have public transit and it must continue to run for all taxpayers.