CHAD Transit celebrates successes.

CHAD Transit has had its challenges over the last two years, with rising fuel costs, increased demand for transportation to dialysis appointments outside of the county and COVID in general, but it also had plenty to celebrate at its annual general meeting last week.

The organization celebrated the addition of an inclusion bus to their vehicles, finishing the year with a small surplus and the launch of Pictou County Transit, a partnership that provides a regular bus route for Stellarton and New Glasgow. To top it all off, it also eliminated all its longterm debt.

“We’re in a healthy financial position,” said CHAD executive director Danny MacGillivray.

Jamie Smith, director of social innovation at St. Francis Xavier University, spoke at the event about the importance of transportation in rural Nova Scotia. She said CHAD Transit is a role model for that with their mission of community transportation for all.

That work hasn’t gone unnoticed.

In recent months, four awards have been given to CHAD Transit and its employees.

The organization received the Hometown Heroes by Vogue Optical for Nova Scotia as a non-profit that dealt well with the pandemic.

The Pictou County Chamber of Commerce gave them the Community Builders Award for launching the Pictou County Transit service.

Marg MacIntosh, CHAD’s office co-ordinator, also won a provincial Invisible Champions Award from the United Way.

MacGillivray was also presented with the Mell Hebb Hourglass Action Award from the Nova Scotia League of Equal Opportunities in recognition of his efforts to make accessible transportation available to all.

“We have been working really hard for a number of years to make these projects a reality. To see them become reality and have recognition within the community and even the broader provincial community is really rewarding for us as a staff team,” MacGillivray said.

Looking ahead to the coming year, MacGillivray said they hope to purchase a smaller non-accessible vehicle to help reduce the cost of making trips for out-of-county dialysis appointments. In the last year, they had to subsidize these runs for about $95,000. While long-term, he would like to see more dialysis seats placed in Pictou County. MacGillivray said they remain committed to making sure everyone can get to their appointments, and having a smaller vehicle will help reduce costs.

“It’ll serve us well going back and forth to Antigonish and it’ll save us a lot on gas and be a more comfortable ride for the clients.”