December 3, 2008

NH Connections ridership hits new record high

Northern Health Connections is marking its second anniversary by celebrating its first single-month ridership total of more than 1,000 passengers in November 2008, bringing to more than 16,000 the number of passengers who have taken advantage of the medical travel service.

 “Northern Health Connections is proving its value through the large number of people who use the service to travel to a medical appointment,” said Health Minister George Abbott. “The program supports our commitment to improving access to health services, especially in rural parts of our province.”

NH Connections is open to anyone who needs to travel to an out-of-town medical appointment, regardless of their age or income. NH Connections offers 15 routes connecting communities across Northern British Columbia, along with service to Vancouver. The province’s Northeast benefits from NH Connections service to Grande Prairie Alberta, while the Robson Valley enjoys a weekly route to Kamloops.

“We are very pleased to be partnering with Northern Health,” said Dennis Olson, General Manager, DTL Motorcoach Division. “The success of this program is a prime example of how two organizations can work together for a common goal.”

Northern Health is also the major funding partner for other medical travel programs around the region, including the Skeena Regional Transit Service connecting Kitimat and Terrace, Kitsumkalum, Gitaus, and Kitamaat Village; the TR CARES vanpool service connecting Tumbler Ridge to Dawson Creek, and the Eagle Transit ferry connector service on Haida Gwaii.

As the Northern Health Connections service moves into its third full year of operations, Northern Health is renewing marketing efforts to encourage Northern BC residents to choose NH Connections when they need to travel for specialized health services that they can’t receive locally. NH is also working on a number of enhancements to the program that will be announced in the coming months.

"Reaching the milestone of 1000 passengers in a month is a significant accomplishment for the NH Connections program," said Sean Hardiman, Northern Health's Chief Liaison Officer and manager for the NH Connections program.  "We worked very hard to develop a service that would make a meaningful difference to northerners and this is a good indicator we've accomplished that goal."

NH Connections uses custom-fitted wheelchair accessible buses and coaches, providing same-day short-distance trips as well as long-distance travel. The buses include amenities such as on-board DVDs and satellite radio. The service has received better than 90 per cent satisfaction ratings from its passengers. Fares range from $20 to $80 return, depending on the length of travel. $4 million a year in Government of British Columbia funding supports the NH Connections services. 

More information is available through the NH Connections booking line at 1-888-647-4997 or on-line at www.northernhealth.ca/nhconnections. Northern Health has also reached agreements for medical rates at several hotels and inns across BC and Alberta, which are listed on the NH Connections website. 

Media contact: Sean Hardiman, NH Connections program manager: (250) 649-7257