The New Saskatoon Transit Webpage

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The City of Saskatoon has launched a new website for Saskatoon Transit.

Particularly new is the addition of a Real Time Map, which allows a rider to track a bus on its route.  If you want to wait inside while the bus runs a few minutes late, you now have that luxury!  In order to access it through your smart phone, you’ll need to use a different process.   Saskatoon Transit has provided these instructions, with special instructions for mobile users in regards to data usage:

 To view the information you simply head to the “Stop Schedules and Departures” menu item in the mobile trip planner and put in your 4 digit stop number.  There’s also a link to find your stop number on the same page if you’re not sure of it.

The Real Time Map is only intended for desktop use as the feature has very heavy data usage.  Be cautious in regards to viewing the ‘moving bus’ map on a mobile device, unless users are connected to wifi.

Users are able to see the status of buses on the mobile trip planner menu without having to open up the ‘moving bus’ map.  The 4 digit stop numbers can be favorited by users by clicking on the star icon for quick future usage.

You can watch a video to get more details and instructions on this new feature.

Let us know in the comment section below how it’s working for you.   Also, let Saskatoon Transit know in a couple of different ways.  Phone, email, or drop in to their Customer Service Centre.  Or, sign up to be an ongoing part of their Engagement activities.  As always, feel free to give the Bus Riders of Saskatoon your opinions on our Facebook page, send an email to our group, or join us at our monthly meeting!

Speak Out for Transit: Be Part of Growing Forward in March 2015

Stephan Simon

 

[AD] Feb-March 2015 Growth Plan Public Engagement

The City of Saskatoon has been working on a Growing Forward plan over the past year, gathering public input and crafting strategies for transit and development that will shape our city for years to come. One of the key items up for discussion is a plan for introducing Bus Rapid Transit, which we spoke about previously.

Do you have any thoughts on these issues? Do you want to learn more?

Now is your chance.

On March 3 at TCU Place, and on March 10 at the university, the city will be presenting what they’ve got so far, and asking for input from the public to make it better. If you can attend any of these events, you should. We’ll all benefit from having an informed and vocal body of citizens scrutinizing this plan. What does it do well? Where does it fall short? Where do we need a bolder vision? How can we implement it effectively?

Even if you can’t make it out to the public events, you can still make your voice heard. Starting on February 25, and running till March 18, you can give feedback through an online survey at the Growing Forward website.

 

 

City of Saskatoon Meeting #5

Stephan Simon

The University Bridge closure. A new Adopt-a-Stop program. Real-time transit info.

Read all about it, right here.

These are the minutes from our fifth meeting with the Saskatoon Transit administration, on February 11, 2015. The discussion was wide ranging, and also covered questions about Access Transit, problematic bus stops, and the formation of the new Transit Advisory Committee.

Every month, three members from Bus Riders of Saskatoon have the opportunity to meet with transit management at the City of Saskatoon. This allows us to have a forum for discussion and a channel for communication between our groups. If you would like to see an item added to the next meeting’s agenda, please email Busridersofsaskatoon@gmail.com with the subject “City of Saskatoon Meetings – Agenda”.

Past meeting minutes are all available on the Meeting Minutes page.

 

BRT FAQ – Shannon McAvoy’s Helpful Guide

Stephan Simon

As part of the Growing Forward Plan, the City of Saskatoon is developing a plan for implementing Bus Rapid Transit. This is a fantastic idea. You should be excited. You should share your views – the next public consultations will be happening in March.

However, if you’re asking questions like “what on earth is bus rapid transit?” and “why is it such a good idea?” you’re not alone. Shannon McAvoy over at Better Transit YXE has written a helpful post answering these very questions. You can read an excerpt below – then click through and read the original post.

Is BRT a new Sandwich at Tim Hortons?

No. Bus Rapid Transit is a bus-based mass transit system. A BRT system generally has specialized design, services and infrastructure to improve system quality and remove the typical causes of delay. Sometimes described as a “surface subway,” BRT aims to combine the capacity and speed of light rail or a metro with the flexibility, lower cost and simplicity of a bus system.

Why is BRT relevant to Saskatoon?

Saskatoon is growing and so is the demand for fast and efficient transportation. Cars and roadways are an expensive, space-wasting and inefficient solution. That is why the City of Saskatoon is looking to plan for a more efficient transit system that will alleviate congestion and promote accessibility. Their current citizen engagement project called Growing Forward! Shaping Saskatoon! Is exploring rapid transit options that would serve as the spine of Saskatoon Transit services. Instead of light rail, Saskatoon is following in the footsteps of many other Canadian cities like Winnipeg and Gatineau and looking into Bus Rapid Transit.

Read the Full post over at Better Transit YXE.

Robert Clipperton Encourages City Councillor Bus Use in Presentation to the Standing Committee on Transportation

Stephan Simon

On Monday, January 12th, the City of Saskatoon’s Standing Committee on Transportation held its meeting. Members of the Bus Riders of Saskatoon, including presenter Robert Clipperton, were there to express the views of our group.
We asked for members of the City’s Council to gain first hand experience on our buses, for the committee to research methods to gain new bus riders who have a choice in riding the bus, and for the Transit Advisory Committee to be established soon.  Read January 12, 2015 Presentation to the Standing Committee on Transportation for the full text.

Minutes from our Seventh Meeting, December 14, 2014

Stephan Simon

The Bus Riders of Saskatoon held its seventh meeting on Sunday, December 14th, 2014 at the Saskatoon Food Bank.  If you would like to know what happened at that meeting, please see: Minutes for Meeting Seven – Bus Riders of Saskatoon.  It includes updates on our Internal, External, and Online committees, as well as short term and long term goals.  There was also dicussion on how to categorize ongoing transit problems, ways to build upon motions from the motions made during the City of Saskatoon’s budget deliberations, and other initatives to further our group’s cause.

 

Mandy Chen Deconstructs Transit Fare Increase in Presentation to City Council

Stephan Simon

During the December 2 Budget Review Meeting, Mandy Chen gave a presentation to City Council on behalf of Bus Riders of Saskatoon.

The issue being discussed was a proposed transit fare increase. Mandy presented a compelling case against the increase, and in the end, a majority of councillors agreed, voting to keep fares level and investigate ways to improve the transit system. The full text of Mandy’s address follows. Portions omitted due to a time constraint at the council meeting are included here.

 

Council Address Full Text

Good Afternoon Your Worship and Councillors.  My name is Mandy Chen. I’m here today representing a Saskatoon citizen advocacy group aiming at improving transit service: the Bus Riders of Saskatoon. Our group formed in early September this year by the riders for the riders in reaction to the major service deterioration resulting from the June 2014 changes to the preceding routes/schedules.  Currently there are over 300 active Facebook group members and we have held 6 regular meetings in the past 2 months in addition to other collective actions and 2 meetings with the City representatives.

Recently we observed several problems in the 2015 City Budget; we do not think there is enough investment to sustain let alone improve service. At the rate you’ve invested, our research shows that you have only invested enough to replace the current fleet of buses every 81 years. Despite this lack of investment, there is a proposed fare increase of $226,300. This is simply unacceptable. Reasons being, first, Public Transit is for everyone, so the cost should be shared by everyone; second, what is in urgent need right now is ridership increase rather than fare increase; and lastly the current fare is already high considering its service delivery. Read More

December 14 general meeting. Join us!

Rob B

Our next meeting will be Sunday, December 14th at 11 am at the Food Bank (202 Ave. C South). Details in our events calendar.

Last week, Saskatoon City Council voted to remove the proposed Transit Fare increase from their budget. They also directed administration to prepare some long-range reports re: transit improvements and fares. This is due to the efforts of Yatong Chen who presented on behalf of Bus Riders of Saskatoon to City Council in their budget deliberations, and Better Transit YXE (@BtrTransitYXE on twitter) which has been blogging and spreading the word about transit options, and, yes, the city councillors that voted not to increase fares.

Organizing for change can and does make a difference. If you’d like to help us advocate for better transit service in Saskatoon, please come out to our meeting this Sunday! (and feel free to RSVP on Facebook).

Join us at our next meeting!

Stephan Simon

Which will be held Sunday, November 2, 2014, from 1:00-3:00pm. We will be meeting at the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre at 202 Ave C South. This location is wheelchair accessible, and everyone is welcome.

To view the draft agenda, please visit the facebook event page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/305703759631803/

We will have minutes from previous meetings to help catch you up if this is your first time joining us. Hope to see you there!