Municipal AG report slams transit system

HRM’S auditor general has released a report on the municipality’s bus and ferry company that doesn’t show it in a favourable light.

In his report, Larry Munroe said Metro Transit is a business, but he questions if it’s being run like one.

The report goes on to says Regional Council has not deployed Metro Transit’s resources strategically or in a way that would move the most number of people.

Munroe said when they set, there were a number of things they could have looked at.

“We felt that the greatest value to the taxpayers in terms of our role, which is the value for money and the quality of stewardship, was to look at it from an overall perspective and do we truly understand what we have here,” he said.

He said it’s confusing as to whether a coverage-based system is being created.

“Do we want a coverage-based system which requires large amounts of public subsidy or do we want to start to run it on a more business-like – not a business – but more on a business-like approach?” he asked.

Munroe added that requires more information.

“Often now we say well let’s put another road in place, well what does it cost to put that road in place and what are the cost recoveries?” he questioned.

He said Metro Transit has to have the tools to provide additional data and calculations when they provide information to regional council.

Munroe said the current system has been built with more capacity than is being used, and he is trying to get this issue looked at.

He added it’s concerning that we continuing to subsidies metro transit, but ridership is decreasing.

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