Guelph Transit’s new schedule

As a Guelph residents we wish to express our complete disappointment with the recent decision about scaling down the transit service during the rush hours.
With this unfortunate, and, lets face it , very stupid decision, Guelph has most likely earned the unique distinction as the only city in the world that has more frequent bus service during low-use times than during the high-use!


The logic, that everybody else is following, but apparently not in the Royal City is simple: if there are more people using the transit you put more buses on the road to service them, you do not scale down the service.
What happened to 2005 announcement that soon we will have 15 minute intervals during the rush-hour?
What did you do with all those promised millions from City’s share in gas tax?
Why there are no more busses and drivers on the streets, so we can finally have those 15 minute intervals, which would allow us to finally get rid of another Guelph Transit’s unfortunate distinction: that busses have to wait for each other, which results in one late bus creating havoc with the time schedules of the whole system.
The solution was always very clear and we are sure that Council and staff are both aware of it: have a maximum of 15 minute intervals, which is short enough so it is possible to get rid of that “waiting rule.”
This wil result in the Guelph Transit providing a much better service and maybe even starting to look like a viable alternative to usinga cars for short trips.The questions we have is why didn’t the City Council step up and enable the transit staff to make this dream a reality, and what do you plan to do now to fix this mess and quickly bring us to those long time ago promised 15 minute intervals.          AS

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I was recently pointed to a newspaper article describing a change to the bus scheduling that I have not yet seen on the transit website and I am baffled. I would just like some clarification: in order to meet an increased demand, the buses will be running less often during peak hours? Having been left behind on many occasions due to full buses, you can imagine my confusion. If there is one less bus load of people every 2 hours, and there are already people being left behind because there isn’t enough room during these peak hours, doesn’t that mean even more people will be unable to access public transit?I own a car and do not want to have to drive to work every day with the current status of our environment. If my odds of missing a bus and now being 40 minutes late for work have increased, however, I may be forced to relent. Is that the intended method by which the city plans to decrease the strain on the transit system?                KK

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Just a note to let you know that I feel the proposed changes to the bus schedules are a step backwards. We advocate the use of public transportation on one hand, and on the other make it difficult for riders to get to their required destinations in a timely manner.

More buses and more drivers are required.       BP

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Please add my name to the list of people who believe the proposed degradation of service is ludicrous. I cannot fathom how anyone can consider decreasing service as an improvement. Our daughter starts high school in September and was planning on taking the bus to get there. Now, between this proposed schedule change and the “Next Bus” exercise in futility, it seems that it will be more reliable to simply put another car on the road.
I look forward to learning what next service “improvement” will be implemented without any forethought.                VN

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I don’t quite understand why Guelph Transit is reducing the number of buses. Doesn’t it seem counterproductive to all the ways the government is trying to get people to take public transit? And do you realize how confusing it will be with the 40 minute schedule?               JH