People taking the bus in Sault Ste. Marie will notice some big changes in the transit service.
Some that people will appreciate and some that they are apparently not thrilled about.
For the first time since 1993, the Sault Ste. Marie transit system is undergoing a huge overhaul when it comes to the schedules and routes
Sam Piraino is the transit manager for the City of Sault Ste. Marie.
The summer schedule is:
6 – 9 am half-hour service
9 am – 2 pm one-hour service
2 – 7:15 pm half-hour service
7:15 – 11 pm one-hour service
It's an overall cutback in hours, but it's a direct result of the public demanding the return of Sunday evening service, which has been reinstated.
"The biggest change is the creation of a new east-west route, which connects people to the northern part of the city. Passengers will no longer have to transfer downtown. If you were coming from the west part of the city, right now you would have to come downtown and then head north, and that's roughly about almost an hour trip. Whereas now, you can leave the hospital or get to the hospital from the west within thirty minutes." said Piraino.
He knows it will take time for people to get used to changes, but the passengers CTV News talked to are not happy:
"Honestly, I just wish they would make some better choices and maybe spend their money more wisely on transit services and help the people out."
"I think it's going to be really, really hectic and it's going to cause nothing but problems."
"They don't have pamphlets explaining the bus routes for people who don't have a computer."
Piraino says bus service pamphlets are currently being printed and he hopes to have them ready to be handed out by next week.
The new schedules and routes start June 3rd.
