Sweeping changes roll through Lethbridge Transit
Anyone who had to hop on a bus in Lethbridge Wednesday would have noticed a massive overhaul when it comes to routes and times.
It's all part of the city's plan to transform the transit system to improve efficiency and improve the flow to popular areas like the ATB Centre, the Chinook Regional Hospital, and the Mayor Magrath Drive commercial area.
The transition also includes a rapid service between the University of Lethbridge and the city centre that will have buses running every 10 minutes, and making the trip across the river in 10 minutes.
The new cityLINK service means a number of low-use bus routes have been discontinued and also meets city council's directive to cut transit spending by $350,000.
"Our hope is that we've created a system that is a net positive impact for most of the people," said Lethbridge Transit general manager Tim Sanderson.
"For people that are adversely affected, we just really want to hear from them and see what we can do in order to accommodate them going forward."
Lethbridge Transit marketing campaign, August, 2021
MIXED EMOTIONS
The first day of the new service was met with mixed emotions from transit users.
Not only was day one hectic for those who rely on transit who were faced with brand new routes and schedules, there are also concerns that it could leave some people without access to service.
"With this new bus route, it's all up in the air. Nobody knows where to go and a lot of the buses have been taken out which I'm guessing a lot of people will be really upset with," said lifelong transit user Donald Ewing.
"My only concerns are people that have disabilities and wondering if they're going to have equal access to the bus routes," said another transit user.
CALL 311
According to Lethbridge Transit, riders in low use areas that have seen their regular routes discontinued don't need to worry.
Anyone who needs to access services can request a ride to a destination within their travel zone by calling 311, or by using the Lethbridge Transit mobile app
"We've gone through a very robust engagement process starting way back in the spring where we introduced the concept to the community," said Sanderson.
"We ended up making a lot of adjustments to our initial plan because of that."
Others in the community who rely on public transit say they're impressed with the productivity and reduced wait times.
"I think the new routes are great! It will take some getting used to, but for my needs, they're much better than they were before," said one transit user.
"It's pretty straight forward to get around now. Instead of driving loops and such, it's point A to point B."
A full list of changes and updates can be found on the City of Lethbridge website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Britney Spears settles long-running legal dispute with estranged father, finally bringing ultimate end to conservatorship
Britney Spears has reached a settlement with her estranged father more than two years after the court-ordered termination of a conservatorship that had given him control of her life, their attorneys said.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.
Yemen's Houthi rebels claim downing U.S. Reaper drone, release footage showing wreckage of aircraft
Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saturday claimed shooting down another of the U.S. military's MQ-9 Reaper drones, airing footage of parts that corresponded to known pieces of the unmanned aircraft.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Haida elder suing Catholic Church and priest, hopes for 'healing and reconciliation'
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.