transit

R5 rapid bus at sfu bus stop with people entering and leaving bus doors

Burnaby City Council to consider “bus bulbs” as compromise on bus route expansion

November 22, 2024 by Danny Nesvaderani

On Monday, November 18th, 2024, the Burnaby Mayor and City Council heard from Translink representatives that proposed improvements for the speed and reliability of the R5 rapid bus over a section Hastings Street in the Burnaby Heights area. This proposal suggested that the curbside lane in this area be a dedicated Bus lane from Monday to Sunday, 12 hours a day.

Burnaby City Councillors took issue with the street parking that this expansion would remove, the reason given being that the local businesses along Hastings Street in the Burnaby Heights neighborhood rely on those parking spaces to accommodate their customers.

After an extensive round of questions from Burnaby City Council, Councillor Daniel Tetrault successfully passed an amendment for Translink’s proposal, shortening the length of the expansion, and asking that they look into the feasibility of bus bulbs along Hastings Street, which would give buses the ability to pick passengers up without having to change lanes while retaining the areas street parking. Both those for and opposed to Translink’s proposal stated their approval for the final decision.

Fredericton city treasurer Alicia Keating poses for a photo.

Fredericton budget to see decreased inside tax rates, more frequent transit services

November 7, 2024 by Johnny James

Fredericton City Council has agreed, in principle, to a 180-million dollar proposed budget during their last council-in-committee meeting. The budget will go for an official vote on November 25th.

The city saw a 6.98% assessment base increase in property values over the last fiscal year. Just under a third of that was due to new construction, with the remainder due to an increase in market assessment. The increase prompted councillors to propose a two cent decrease in the property tax rate for those residents with full access to city services, from 1.3286 to 1.3086 dollars per $100 in assessed value.

The budget also includes an increase in buses, with high traffic routes during weekday service being increased to every half hour, as well as increases in rates for four-hour parking meters and both hourly and monthly parking rates in the city’s garages and car parks.

Listen to hear more details on the budget as a whole and the impending changes.

A white Cobourg Transit bus outside. It is parked on the street and it is a sunny day. There are tall green trees behind it.

Cobourg Transit fixed route pilot project set to begin in September

August 2, 2024 by Jeff Gard

Cobourg’s new fixed transit route, a one-year pilot project, is expected to begin Sept. 2.

A presentation was made Thursday by Transit Supervisor Renee Champagne to Cobourg’s accessibility advisory committee.

The fixed transit route will operate Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and run in conjunction with the current on-demand service, will continue to be available seven days a week. The on-demand system has been in place since 2021: riders call or use an app to book a ride-based on availability.

The estimated cost of the fixed route pilot project is $72,550.40.

The new fixed route was initially planned to be a 30-minute loop with approximately 16 stops, but will be a one-hour route with 35 stops covering a broader area including the east and west ends, both high schools, the Cobourg Community Centre, library, hospital, Walmart, Northumberland Mall, Legion Village and more.

Blue Moon Marquee performing on a stage at Bluesfest with blue lighting.

Final night of Bluesfest interrupted by power outage

July 15, 2024 by Vanessa Landriault

Bluesfest’s final night took place yesterday, Sunday the 14th, and the festival went out with a bang.

A power outage in the west Centretown area affected parts of LeBreton Flats where the festival was taking place. From about 5:45pm to 9:00pm, Bluesfest lost power but quickly set up generators to handle performances from “Blues in Schools” and “Be in the Band” programs.

Power was restored in under four hours, allowing main headliner, Nas, to perform the final show without any hiccups.

To hear more information about Bluesfest’s final night and other stories in the Ottawa region, listen to the 95.7 ELMNT FM news brief.

A poster hanging on the back of a motorized scooter reads "the CAQ says no!"

Quebecers with disabilities demand accessibility, visibility

June 5, 2024 by Jules Bugiel

Over fifty people gathered outside Premier Francois Legault’s Montreal office June 5 to call for better services for those with disabilities.

Some protestors had concrete asks – like provincial funding to make public transit more accessible. Others wanted more of a seat at the table in shaping how those with disabilities access services.

CKUT was on the scene speaking to protestors.

The Ministry for Transport did not respond to CKUT’s request for comment ahead of publication.

Two older men in black suits stand beside a Honda CRV hybrid vehicle outside on a sunny day.

Queens County Transit beefs up fleet with federal, provincial funding boost

May 28, 2024 by Rick Conrad

A community transit service in Nova Scotia that provides a vital link for seniors and those on low incomes has added to its fleet, thanks to funding from the federal and provincial governments.

Queens County Transit, based in Liverpool, has bought two new hybrid SUVs, with the $116,293 in funding.

The federal government provided 80 per cent of the funding with $93,034, and the Nova Scotia government gave the remaining 20 per cent, or $23,259.

The non-profit service now has eight vehicles, five of which are wheelchair-accessible vans. It gave more than 8,000 rides last year. In April alone, their fleet was out 700 times.

Queens County Transit has been operating since 2018, when it started with three vehicles.

Waterloo mayor McCabe delivers “State of the City” address

May 10, 2024 by Dan Kellar

Waterloo’s annual State of the City address was delivered on May 2nd by mayor Dorothy McCabe at Wilfrid Laurier University, and was full of celebration of the current work the city is doing, and enthusiasm for the future.

The mayor focused significantly on the work the city is doing on housing, climate action, community building, infrastructure, service delivery, and affordability and she noted the interconnectedness of these topics throughout her speech.

McCabe also celebrated the youth of the city and the students of the region’s high schools, post-secondary institutions throughout the speech, saying of the “council for the day” students “Waterloo’s future looks very very bright”.

The State of the City was organized by the Rotary Club of Waterloo and raised over $15,000 for Supportive Housing of Waterloo, an organization which helps people who have experienced long periods homelessness with housing and other support services.

Warm light illuminating a platform at a train stop on a rainy dark night. The digital display notes how long until the next 2 trains arrive.

Waterloo Regional Council restores late-night bus service

April 26, 2024 by M.P. Holmes

Waterloo Region Council agreed to restore a late night bus three nights a week, which will help deal with the “transit desert” that has impacted late-night GO bus riders.

The last transit bus of the night leaves the University of Waterloo Station by 12:20 am but still four more GO buses arrive after that time each night without connecting GRT services.

The motion, which passed at the meeting on Wednesday, April 25th, will restore Route 91, the late night bus service between the University of Waterloo, Laurier and Uptown Waterloo.

Grand River Transit will reintroduce Route 91 in early September and the bus will run from 12. 30am until 2am Thursday to Saturday.

In this program, two delegates who were present at the meeting describe their relief and concerns about future late night transit.

Showing one of Port Hope's transit vehicles. Transit will be free for six months starting on May 7.

Port Hope council approves free transit during downtown reconstruction project

April 24, 2024 by Jeff Gard

Port Hope Transit, including the ROLLS accessible bus, will be free for six months starting May 7th within the urban area of the municipality.

Council approved the recommendation from a staff report at its committee-of-the-whole meeting Tuesday night. The report cited the loss of a number of parking spaces during the Walton Street reconstruction project and select municipal public parking lots while the downtown is being dug up.

The estimated loss in revenue is $21,000, but fares will still be collected for the route that travels from Port Hope’s town hall to Cobourg with stops at Northumberland Mall, Northumberland Hills Hospital and Walmart.

A blue and green and white Cobourg transit graphic. There is writing on the left hand side and an illustration of a bus on the right hand side.

Fixed bus route trial proposed for Cobourg transit in draft 2024 budget

January 3, 2024 by Jeff Gard

A fixed bus route has been proposed by Town of Cobourg staff for a one-year trial in the draft 2024 budget.

The bus route would operate from Monday to Friday, with approximately 16 stops per hour in high pedestrian generating locations.

Cobourg’s transit currently runs on an on-demand system with users required to book in advance for a specific time and pick-up and drop-off locations.

Coun. Adam Bureau, who twice this year unsuccessfully brought forward motions for a fixed route in conjunction with the on-demand service, says he will once again advocate for it during budget negotiations. Cobourg residents can provide input and feedback on the proposed 2024 budget until Jan. 5 at noon. Visit engagecobourg.ca for the budget survey.

CFWN’s attempts to reach town staff were unsuccessful.

A group of workers holding red and white picket signs that read "Unifor on strike" stand together some with fists raised.

Transit workers in Comox and Campbell River on strike

December 18, 2023 by Mick Sweetman

Transit workers in Comox and Campbell River went on strike Friday morning citing wages as the key reason for the job action.

While this shuts down public transportation for tens of thousands of people, the union and employer agreed to keep operating the HandyDART buses for people with disabilities.

Unifor national representative Gavin Davies says the three major stumbling blocks are the rate of pay for current employees, a proposal by the employer to pay new hires less, which he says will make it harder to recruit and retain drivers and lead to drivers working more overtime, and funding issues.

A statement by Pacific Western Transit says that the company offered wage increases that were higher percentages than those in recent BC Public Sector Union agreements, with an 18 per cent increase in overall compensation and a 15 and a half per cent increase to wages over three years.