Vision
Everyone in the St. Margaret’s Bay area can be connected with their community.

Being connected to their community means that people are able to satisfy their social, economic, educational, recreational, and medical needs and wants. People’s quality of life is improved economically and socially because they are connected with their community.

Mission
BayRides is a community-based transportation service offering accessible, safe, personalized transportation for the people in the St. Margaret’s Bay area.

Accessible means being available to those with situational, physical, economic or social need for transportation.

Safe means meeting strict vehicular standards as well as prudence in customer care and operation into and out of the vehicle.

Personalized means recognizing the unique requirements of our riders.

Affordable means a system of fares that permit access to all.

The community is that area served by our license.

Core Values
Integrity: We will act with integrity by being honest, trustworthy, and above reproach.

Fairness: We will be fair and deal with all in an equitable fashion recognizing individual circumstances.

Respect: We will create a respectful environment that ensures dignity to riders, staff and volunteers.

Excellence: We will always strive to provide exemplary and reliable service.

Innovative: We are open to try new things in a creative environment.

Established in 2012, the St. Margaret’s Bay Community Transportation Society, operating as BayRides, is a community-based transportation service offering accessible, reliable, affordable door-to-door transportation in the St. Margaret’s Bay area within Halifax Regional Municipality.

A registered charity, BayRides is governed by a volunteer board of directors which is accountable to the members, community, funders and other stakeholders. They are accountable for BayRides’ performance in relation to its mission and strategic objectives, and for the effective stewardship of financial, capital and human resources.

Following the completion of a feasibility study and pre-pilot implementation phase in 2013/14, BayRides officially launched its service in September 2015 with one vehicle, an 8 passenger bus donated by the TD Bank. Our operation has expanded as demand for our service has grown.  We now have trained and friendly staff driving our four vans, one of which is an accessible vehicle, and our 12-passenger accessible bus, and Volunteer Drivers using their own personal vehicles.

In the early days, BayRides focused on seniors and other marginalized residents who needed a way to travel within their community. However, our service has grown dramatically and now the majority of our clientele are those still in the working age, especially daily commuters. The first year BayRides started measuring our trips made and kilometres travelled was fiscal year 2016/17. That year our organization made 3,003 trips and travelled 48,768 kilometres. In 2019/20, our organization made 11,256 trips and travelled 204,113 kilometres. That’s a 275% increase in trips and a 319% increase in distance travelled through organic growth.

BayRides provides a vital community service, especially for those who are transportationally disadvantaged, such as seniors, persons with disabilities, and other individuals who are marginalized for geographic, financial or health reasons. Fare subsidies and vouchers are provided when needed to ensure equitable access to affordable community transportation for all residents of the St. Margaret’s Bay area.

Board of Directors

Dustin O’Leary, President
Meghan Maher, Vice-President
Angela Snider, Treasurer
Benjamin Corkum, Secretary
Kevin Alexander, Director
Lydia Boutilier, Director
Alyson Brennan, Director
Neil Everton, Director
Conor Hubley, Director
Trevor Magarvey, Director
Mary Agnes Moar, Director
Ian Shawcross, Director
Cynthia Weatherston, Director

Our Staff

Operations Manager: Kalyn Breen
Lead Dispatcher: ​Jim Miller
Office Administrator/Dispatcher: Caroline O’Brien
Fleet Manager: Hans Stokkeskog​

Staff Drivers

Roy Bonia
Brian Dore
Wayne Duguay
Tim Edgerton
Dave Frisby
Tom Hann
Dan McCarville
Cameron Nickerson

Volunteer Drivers

Dave Chapman
Megan Harris
Gary Meads

BayRides is run by a dedicated board of volunteers who are passionate about helping their community.

In addition to the board, volunteers participate on standing committees for Governance, Human Resources, Finance, Revenue Generation, Communications, and Nominations. Volunteers also help with fundraising events such as our Annual Road Toll.

One of the ways we provide rides is through our Volunteer Driver Program in which Volunteer Drivers provide transportation to BayRides’ passengers using their own personal vehicles. Volunteer Drivers transport passengers to destinations around St. Margaret’s and on occasion they may do rides outside the area for medical appointments. Drivers using their own vehicles are a very important and valued part of the BayRides system and we truly appreciate their involvement.

Our Volunteer Drivers:

• use their own vehicles* (reimbursed for mileage)
• are screened, trained, insured and supported
• can choose to provide local rides or travel outside the area if required
• have safe, clean, well maintained vehicles

*Option to use a BayRides vehicle if one is available.