Antik Dey 

Guelph Transit will be shifting from 20-minute service to 30-minute frequency for the months of June, July, and August. In addition, both conventional and mobility services will not operate on Sundays in August. Transit service will return to 20-minute frequency starting in September, along with Sunday service. While University of Guelph students staying in the city for the summer have expressed reservations about these changes, the impact of these changes remains to be seen.

According to Guelph Transit officials, the recent economic recession is the leading cause for these modifications. 

“As the result of the economic recession, the city saw a significant decline in revenues which put pressure on the provision of programs and services in 2010. The City identified potential cost savings that affected many city services, including transit,” said Michael Anders, Guelph’s general manager of community connectivity and transit. “It was determined that the savings that Guelph Transit needed to realize could be achieved by shifting from a 20-minute service frequency to a 30-minute frequency in June, July, and August, making the weekday service schedules the same as Saturdays.” 

Anders explained that the reason these changes are happening in the summer months is specifically to avoid inconveniencing a larger number of Guelph Transit’s rider-ship.

“These months were selected, as this is the time of year when rider-ship is typically at its lowest point,” said Anders.

Anders explained that these changes will impact summer students, as there will be changes in transit routes and schedules. 

“Students should be aware that the city is undertaking a very large number of road projects this summer and Guelph Transit routes have been detoured to accommodate the projects,” explained Anders. “This impacts all riders and we have put together a comprehensive print and electronic communications plan to provide riders information on detours and bus stop changes.”

However, many of Guelph Transit’s summer rider-ship maintain that life does not stop on the Sundays, especially for part-time, and over-time workers. 

“I work every weekend and it’s easy to take the bus,” said Robert Spencer, a part-time worker at a local grocery store. “By implementing these rules I would have to take the taxi which would cost me twice as much.”

Anders believed that reducing transit service to every 30-minute, and the City’s commitment towards novel road projects over the summer are critical strategies for Guelph Transit to expand and prosper as it enters into the future. 

“The service reductions are viewed by the City as a transitional measure to [make it] through the economic recession until revenues recover,” said Anders. “Guelph Transit continues to work on its Transit Growth Strategy which demonstrates the City’s commitment to expand transit services over the long term.”

Your anonymous comment may be printed in The Ontarion's print publication.