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By Chris Brown

Free rides on Monday to help get voters to polling stations

Oct 15, 2021 | 4:16 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The City of Medicine Hat is taking steps to make voting easier for residents on Election Day.

The city is waiving ridership fees on Medicine Hat Transit and special transit for Monday, Oct. 18.

Manager of transit services Mike Spicer says removing a potential barrier could get more people to the polls.

“By offering the public that opportunity to be able to use transit to get to and from a polling station and the city covers the cost of that, I think is a great initiative,” he said.

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“Where they put the polling stations happen to coincide exactly with about 96 per cent of our routes. So it worked out really, really well,” he added.

Riders won’t have to prove they’re going to or coming from a polling station and so can take the bus to go grocery shopping, to a friend’s house or wherever else they may want to go.

Spicer is fine with that, saying those people could become future transit users.

Many users of special transit have already pre-booked their trip. Spicer encourages others to call the dispatch office and they will do their best to accommodate riders.

Even though there is no cost to ride, face coverings will still be required on buses as per public health measures.

Find more information about the election the City of Medicine Hat’s election webpage.