City looking to expand on-demand transit after pilot sees success

The report noted that 87 percent of pickups were on time along with 83 percent of drop-offs.

The average wait time, according to the report is under six minutes. Average travel time is under 10 minutes.

“ This is what our customers really enjoy, before it could be up to 30 minutes depending on where they were going, now we are under 10 minutes. When we first started planning for this, we thought 15 minutes was reasonable so we are pretty pleased with the 10 minutes,” transit manager Mike Spicer said.

On-demand transit was launched in the city’s north-east and north west. It was expanded to the central zone in November, and the hospital route was added in January.

A wifi hotspot was added at the downtown terminal to help those who don’t have data access the app.

It is estimated on-demand transit will save the city $121,000 in 2021.

“I view this tonight as a wonderful step forward, it is a win-win. It is a saving to the taxpayer, it is providing a better service to the people in the community, and I think things like this are going to continue to improve and cause people to want to begin getting on the bus, rather than avoid getting on the bus,” Coun. McIntosh said.

Four years ago in 2017 the city attempted to change the transit system, but the issue became a heated battle. Clugston said it resulted in the resignation of former CAO Merette Heggelund.

“ We had unexpected massive pushback, so much so that a few months even a month before the election council voted to scrap it and go back to the original system, and it was a very heated debate, it was very accusatory towards our staff at the time, a lot of hurt feelings, but now four years later something new has come along.”

The City is now looking to expand the on-demand transit system to the city’s south end, on Sundays, and with special transit.

by Tiffany Goodwein

City looking to expand on-demand transit after pilot sees success

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