City Adds New Busses.
Nick Murray
On Thursday May 24th, the mayor was on hand, at the city complex to unveil four new additions to the city's bus fleet.
The new buses cost $1,643,404. The Government of Canada's Public Infrastructure Fund contributed $792,544 of the total price, while the city funded the rest.
The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness recommended investing in transit infrastructure because it helps "create inclusive communities and reduce commute times, all while fostering economic growth and job creation."
Some perks of the new buses are as follows:
- They can accommodate 24 passengers
- Low-floor accessibility - which eliminates stairs and makes it easier to accommodate wheelchairs, walkers, strollers and people with mobility issues.
- Priority seating folds up, to allow for wheelchair storage.
- Bike racks on the front of the bus.
- Cummins diesel engine - fuel efficiency goes up and greenhouse gas emissions go down.
- Six security cameras on board, for the safety of both the drivers and the riders.
"I'm not gonna say it's luxury but it is a nice way to get around" said Mayor Tolmie.
Recently the transit service made some fare changes. The price of a ticket to ride the bus now only costs $1.25; with this fare change, they have seen an 8% increase in riders, officially putting the city on par with Regina.
"We continue to encourage citizens to use the busses as a way to get to and from work and be environmentally friendly.
Bill Anderson, the Fleet Service Manager, reiterated that the cameras were there "for driver security and passenger security." If an incident occurs they can then "pull the video and take that to the proper authorities.
He recited a story about a red light incident involving one of the busses. A city bus was involved in a collision and a the driver of the other vehicle involved complained the bus had run a red light. Upon going over the video, it was clear the driver of the bus had been following the rules of the road, and it was the other driver, in fact, who had run the red light.
The busses being replaced are now set to be sold.