A new fleet of buses for the city

Despite the size, the new buses will support ridership in the city according to Gord Dykstra, Superintendent of Transit Operations for the City of Medicine Hat.

“I don’t have any reason to think we will be passing anybody. We won’t be passing anybody. There might be some standees in the short runs for the peak periods. For the rest of the time, it will just be an efficient way to haul the passengers that we have.”

Along with being smaller in size, the new fleet is environmentally friendly and more fuel-efficient. The Provincial Green TRIP program funded two-thirds of the cost of the buses.

Five of the buses are diesel and six are compressed natural gas which will reduce the city’s environmental footprint while saving money on maintenance and fuel.

So far, riders are feeling out the new buses in the first week on the road. Chat News spoke to some riders and they had mixed reviews, saying, “They’re small (the buses) and there’s not a lot of people who usually ride the bus so I think it’s good.”

Another rider said, “They’re good, not enough space on them. Not as much room as a normal bus. They look a little bit different they smell new.”

A fellow bus rider had this to say, “From what I know, no city ever makes money off their bus system so smaller is probably better because depending on the route.”

As for ridership, Dykstra says the transit system is used in the city and makes stops every half-hour.

“Interesting thing here, because we run one-way loops we get few people in the beginning and by the time you get to the end you usually have a good load. But people don’t see that, they don’t see the bus just before it drops everyone off, they see it at the beginning.”

Along with a quieter engine and smoother ride, the new fleet has been well received by the drivers according to Dykstra.

“They like them. There’s a lot of glass, they can see clearly, lets the light in. They handle nicely, they’re a little shorter so the turning radius is nice. Drivers have commented that they feel good, and they were a little nervous, but they’re pleased.”

And a local bus rider says, “Even the driver said they’re easier to drive, I can see especially in the winter, less sliding around. I think it’s a very good thing for the city and better on fuel, better for the environment, everything.”

Once the new buses are all on the roads and the aging vehicles are retired and sold, the city will have a fleet of 19 buses.

by Chantal Wagner

A new fleet of buses for the city

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