The Sustainability in Transport Tourism through collaboration: Case Study on Parkbus : an non-profit organization that helps in making transport accessible to all.
SUMMARY
Parkbus has emerged as a sustainable solution for the transportation sector in Ontario serving residents while releasing very low carbon emissions and traffic control.
1. What the Case is About
The term sustainable in transportation means less usage of transport eventually. This meaning has been utilized differently by a non-profit organization in Canada in the name of Parkbus. The case brilliantly tells the inside workings of a sustainable innovation.
Founded in 2010 in Ontario, Canada, Parkbus is a social innovation company that simultaneously lowered carbon emissions and congestion while improving access to nature for those with limited mobility. This case highlights sustainable transportation and tourism innovation through partnerships with important Canadian organizations like the Toronto Dominion Bank, Mountain Equipment Co-op, and Parks Canada. It also highlights positive externalities and opportunities that can be created by small but strategically placed and timed initiatives.
Parkbus has made it easier for thousands of Canadians to enjoy the great outdoors since 2010. Parkbus will get you there whether you’re going on a day excursion, a weekend camping trip with your family, or an outdoor adventure!
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2. Transportation System in Canada
Given Canada’s large land area and widely distributed population, it is especially crucial to have an effective and convenient transportation infrastructure to link people and promote economic activity. The multi-modal transportation network in Canada is made up of several strategically important networks and assets that connect every part of the nation.
The Road is the most used method in Canada for transporting people and goods. Approximately 25 million automobiles are registered in Canada. Over 1.1 million kilometres of public roads with two lanes comparable. The transportation system in Canada is well efficient.
3. Transportation Problems
The Canada road service is one of the safest places in the world. However, it comes up with three major problems:
1. With an increase in traffic, increment in private ownership vehicles and pollution, the road service in Canada is facing a real problem in maintaining its road networks. These seems to be an urgent need for any sustainable solution to the problem while catering to the public demand.
2. The access to the National parks, trails or any hiking trips seems to be time-consuming and often took time to park private vehicles or simply select any camping or picnic area.
3. Many immigrants or refugees who have been settled seem to be disconnected from Mother Nature. Many of the national parks, trips, and trails have been inaccessible to them or maybe they have not experienced any such activity while staying in Canada.
These above-mentioned problems were the root motivation of starting up a non-profit organization that is determined to find sustainable solutions to the major 3 problems.
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4. Parkbus- A Sustainable Solution
An organization named Parkbus launched an initiative to connect city dwellers to Mother Nature.
The initiative provides services from offering transport access to everyone to establishing the link established with people and nature.
Under its main programs, Parkbus offers:
1. NatureLink: Parkbus gives non-profits and other groups that assist recent immigrants and low-income locals free transportation to natural parks.
2. ActiveDays: The program offers several hiking and walking trips from picking up people to guiding them during their hike trails to finally settling them in a bus and safely making them reach their respective homes.
3. TD Park Express: From 2017 to the present, Parkbus has provided free shuttle service on a seasonal basis between Toronto and Rouge National Urban Park, Edmonton and Elk Island National Park, and Vancouver and Cypress Provincial Park.
4. Ottawa – Gatineau Park Shuttle: The National Capital Commission and Parkbus announced in July 2019 a trial bus service that would link Gatineau Park in Quebec with downtown Ottawa.
Parkbus organizes various guided tours, hikes, and camping trails that usually follow itineraries like:
- Pickup from a common area
- Take the people to the specified parks where entry fees are already taken care of.
- The people will have a full day getting involved in various activities like hiking, going on trails, cycling, admiring nature, trees and many more.
- In the evening, the bus will take them to their respective stops.
5. Success stories of Parkbus
The organization keeps on achieving new pioneers. It not only gives its services as road transportation or guided tours. But, it also collaborates with different organisations like TD Park Express, Mountain Equipment Company, Parks Canada, Parcs Canada, Georgian Bay Spirits, and Merrell Canada to make transportation to the national parks more economical and in some cases provide free shuttling.
There are multiple success stories of Parkbus:
- Organizing day trips and overnight trips for less-income families mostly comprised of refugees to national parks or to witness snow first time in their lives.
- Organizing complimentary lunches, and dinners with the help of local communities and church.
- Organized trips to National parks like Rouge Park and witnessed wildlife and nature at a very close distance. Activities have been carried out in teaching How to build a tent/ camp, nature walks and many more.
- Being able to avail free shuttles to people with low incomes in order that they could also have access to the national parks away from city life and enjoy mother nature.
- The reviews from the customers are if taken on average amazingly praise-worthy. Some even thank the organization for providing multiple services under one roof and thanks it for existing in their life.\
- It certainly helps in reducing traffic and pollution to the road to the national parks with emitting very little carbon footprints.
- Apart from that, the organization also provides online guided blogs and videos to help people understand as well as preparing themselves before actually witnessing the outdoor nature.
- There has been excitement among its consumers about getting a chance at a very economical and highly sustainable option to enjoy hiking in the national parks.
6. Which destination will benefit from using the same method
The tourism destinations are different from each other. The crowd and customer segments are also different. But what is similar among them is the constant need for economical rates, accessible attractions, fewer crowds, sustainable travel, and friendly people.
The methods deployed by the Parkbus can easily be utilized with other destinations where access to nearby national parks and wild sanctuaries makes it easier to provide a network of healthy and sustainable transportation solutions to the destination and its stakeholders.
7. Summarization
The case concludes with an understanding of running a tourism business with sustainability. The implication of the case to several other destinations is inevitable and it would only bring positivity by understanding in giving chance to everyone in helping them connect with nature and its surroundings.
8. References
- Parkbus. https://www.parkbus.ca/naturelink#storiesfromnaturelink
- ParkCanada. https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/elkisland/visit/parkbus
- Dodds,Rachel and Issaev,Boris, tourismetc.2021.0014, Tourism Cases, doi:10.1079/tourismetc.2021.0014, CABI International, Exploring the Case: Parkbus – A Sustainable Transport Solution for Both Residents and Visitors, (2021)
