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PAGE 8, MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1984, WHITBY FREE PRESS Handi-Transit celebratmg9 its i Oth year of s ervice }Iandi-Transit 15 when a local handicap- operate the service'" .. .*-* :. celebrating its loth an- ped club was formed. Manuel added. And s0, nlversary and its fourth "And we had no form Handi-Transit was born. ........................... year of service to han- of transportation to get although it was not until dicapped persorîs living members out to the 1979 that it was ~ k . ~ in Whitby. club," lie says adding recognized by the Accordîng to general that shortly afterwards Ministry of Transpor- manager Doug Manuel, the Central Lions Club tation and Com- the idea of providing of Oshawa offered to munications as a public public transit for han- give the club a van." transit service. dicapped persons star- "They told us 'we'll Handi-Transit is nowai ted about 12 years ago give you the van, if you a completely incor- ts a pleasure, to greet our many patrons'and wish them the very best! WHITBY FENCEINO. WHITBY 666-1400 tfT~IiiL ~ v ~ May the Infant Jesus bless you and your loved ones -at this holiest of seasons. We wish you holiday joy! a a orl bci wh fr mu fun Toi pa3 Doug Manuel (in wheelchair), general manager of Handi-Transit, is seen hère getting into one of the two vans serving Whitby. This year, those two vans will make over 6,000 passenger trips. Helping Manuel into the van is driver Harry Nighswander. Fe rs tf ht )rated non-profit Manuel says that working in Oshawa - it over 6,000 of which will 'ganization with a Handi-Transit total now has eight vans on be made in Whitby. ard of directors budget will be about the road everyday, two Manuel says that 85 hose members corne $360,000 in 1985, but lie of which service Whit- per cent of the service's )m aIl three com- predicts that the Whitby by. passengers are unities and which is taxpayer will only have In 1974, the service wheelchair bound but rided through the to contribute between provided 3,500 adds you don't have to *wn of Whitby, the $15,000 to $20,000. passenger trips. This be confined to one to en- TC and by passengers The service first star- year that figure will joy their service. ying $1 a trip. ted with one. van jurnp to over 4,000, "àIf o-en cnt.e May this message convey to you our best wishes for a Christmas that wiIl long be remembered by you and yours. From the Management & Staff of M.B.M. PUBLISHING WHITBY FREE PRESS 131 Brook St. N.., Whitby 668-6111 7:DCI on the city bus then they are eligible to use our service, " he says., In Whitby, the service, operates from 7:30 a.m. to il p.m. on weekdays and frorn 8 >a.m. to il p.m. Saturday. The fare is $1 for a destination .within Whitby and bet- ween- $1.50 and $2, for somee going into Oshawa. One Whitby van islon >the road eight hours a day while the othëeis on six hours and because their are in- creased demands for service, Manuel says he'd "like to see the second van's hours ex- panded when needed during the day."' He points out that in 1983, Whitby had 4,200 passenger trips. This year, the service will provide over 6,000 passenger trips. "That's a big, big in- crease for a town the size of Whitby,"1 Manuel said' adding, "And if we get the, additionaî programs we could easily add a couple of thousands to that next year." Both of Whitby's vans were purchased by the Rotary Club of Whitby and Manuel says one is going to have to be replaced shortly because it is getting old and "Just too expensive to maintain. " He is also grateful to service clubs sucli as the Rotary and says without their support, Handi-Transit wouldn't exist. "If it hadn't been for the service clubs and churches and other organizations we wouldn't be here today, " Manuel says. Handicapped persons wishing to use the ser- vice have to caîl in ýand bcok their trip but unlike the City of Toron- to, Whitby residentt get. ,samne day service. - wMM--OMý- ela biuý Ti gs y - gwqmc--Ip