They say you can’t experience something fully until you’ve experienced it first-hand. The fresh, new bus system with shorter routes is part of the City of Yorkton’s pilot program.
So, Yorkton This Week decided to hop on one of the buses and experience the route ourselves.
“I think having the two new buses is always nice,” said Mayor Bob Maloney.
“The ride quality’s going to be a lot better. The biggest concern that came to my attention was that the routes take too long. I can understand that because apparently doing the route was like an hour. That’s too long when somebody’s trying to get to work or school.”
“My understanding is that there are two loops and they take about 30 minutes, so if you can get where you’re going within half an hour, I think that’s a lot more reasonable, and hopefully it will encourage ridership.”
Donald Cannon, our driver, is a familiar face to the riders. He has an easygoing manner and knows many of the passengers by name.
“We have a north route and a south route. We have two routes, now. We run one bus at a time, and have a shift from roughly 6:45 to 12:30, the other’s from 12:30 to 7.
“We couldn’t run simultaneously because the traffic was too much to allow us to do [it]. And, Yorkton city traffic one has to stay on their toes,” laughs Cannon.
“I started driving in 2002. So, I’ve been here a large number of years. A lot longer I ever planned on,” jokes Cannon.
Some of the passengers weigh in, too.
Doug, a long time passenger, chimes in.
“I like the system,” he says. “Gets me where I want to go. Beats walking in the cold.”
Asked if the route change is an improvement, he shrugs.
“Doesn’t make a huge difference for me because of where I’m going, but it really depends.”
Another passenger gets on at Parkland Mall. She is chipper and amiable, but visibly irritated. Not at Cannon; she seems to know him, but has a few complaints.
“I wish there was a shelter here,” she said. While chatting with Cannon, she asks himwho she can talk to to give feedback about the transit system. He gives a name and the chatting continues back and forth.
“I missed my bus the last time. Other driver just blew right past me. I guess he didn’t see me.”
Cannon is incredulous.
“You mean he didn’t stop?”
“Nope. Just blew right past me. Guess he didn’t see me.”
“He should have seen you,” Cannon offers helpfully. “I mean, we can see the stop. You’d be visible even with a snowbank in this vehicle.”
The conversation trails off a little bit and turns into a spirited discussion on various food stores and the quality of it, especially Save On Foods. All the riders agree the food quality is exceptional.
“Except the fish area stinks,” she says. “It’s just rank.”
Granted, fish are not the most aromatically popular of scents.
Other feedback comes floating back, too. Need to clear the snowbanks. Indeed, Stop 15, in front of Dairy Queen on Broadway was covered in snow. Areas with lesser traffic, one could certainly understand snow removal being a little late, but on Broadway?
Indeed, for a reporter in their early 30s who is also a runner, one can navigate a snowbank categorized at worst as mildly irritating.
However, for passengers that have mobility issues due to health or age concerns, having to navigate snow on Broadway could be the difference between severe injury. We can’t all run a 10 minute mile, nor should we.
Overall, though, the shortened routes are generally welcome. The bus has comfortable, cozy seats and has a feel somewhere between an airline limousine and a small bus. It’s bigger than a van, a tad smaller than a bus.
The city is allowing riders to take the system for free in the month of February to see what needs to be done and to get feedback.
The main loop is centrally located, near the Co-Op. It is easily located off Broadway. The stop I got on, in front of the Dairy Queen, was well located - on Broadway proper. Still, though, being on a main thoroughfare, there is really no reason why there should be a giant snowbank right in front of the bus stop.
Minus the aformentioned rogue snowbanks, though, the system is continually being measured, analyzed and changed in the hopes to improve.
But that’s just our initial assessment. What do you think? That’s what we want to know.
The Yorkton Transit system is free up to the end of February; as of press time you still have a few days to ride for the princely sum of $0.
I want to know what you think about the Yorkton Transit system. Seriously. Have your say! Email me at ccarlick@yorktonthisweek.com
