The Jasper Senior’s Society is taking a break for the summer, but the issue of the seniors’ bus isn’t quite ready to take a vacation.

David Prowse, of the Seniors’ Society, said there has still been no movement on funding from the municipality, however some generous groups in town have contributed money to keep the bus on the road. 

“It’s an expensive operation,” Prowse said. 

The bus cost about $27,000 last year to keep it on the road. Purchased in 2002, the vehicle is becoming more and more expensive to keep running as it ages. 

“It cost us considerably to keep it on the road this past year,” Prowse said.

To compensate for the expense, the Seniors’ Society has been forced to raise the price a few dollars for users and cut back on how much it is used. The users now have to book their appointments and run errands on just Fridays instead of two days a week. The bus used to make a trip to Hinton a few times a month, but now makes the trip only once a month. 

“We’ve cut back on what we are doing,” Prowse said. 

A few donations have trickled in from community groups such as the Lions Club and the Masonic Lodge, but Prowse said they are still struggling to keep the valuable service going. The bus is the only wheelchair-friendly ride in the Park that is available to shuttle people to important appointments and other locations. 

“It’s a wonderful thing in the community for the seniors and the handicapped,” he said.  “We have the capacity to take several people in a wheelchair.”

As for drivers, volunteers take shifts behind the wheel, but one driver, Paul Krywicki, does the most driving and takes care of getting the vehicle to maintenance appointments. 

When the bus isn’t running, seniors have to take a taxi or rely on friends and family; otherwise, they are limited to Friday appointments when the bus is running. The bus will take users around town, to the doctors office, post office, grocery shopping and other errands. 

Prowse said the society is not breaking even on the bus, and it is costing them more money than they are making from it to keep it going. The society has sent out letters requesting donations from the community. 

The Seniors’ Society will break for the summer season, but usually holds social activities for area seniors throughout the year including dinner outings and events. Donations to the society to help keep the bus going can be addressed to the Seniors’ Society Bus Fund and mailed to Box 94.