Public transit systems are incredibly important to a thriving and equitable community, and we have come to rely on, and trust in the transit system in our lovely city. There are countless positive memories that we have individually [and even collectively] had while using Guelph Transit, and we hope that this continues.Having made this clear, it is with great disappointment but hopeless hopefulness that we write to you about the recent changes to the bus stop signs. Until quite recently, on each bus stop the times were posted clearly (example: 10/40) making it clear to everyone that the bus stops on 10 after and 20 to the hour. Now, instead of the times listed, you are told to call a number and the time will be read to you by a rather robotic computer voice.It is unknown to us who decided that removing this perfectly logical method would be a positive step for Guelph Transit communicating to it’s patrons, but we are here to sadly report that it is not.
To anyone who doesn’t know the Guelph Transit system any better, the change might even be regarded as ageist. How, you ask? Well, for any children or senior citizens (for whom the cell phone culture has not as typically affected their age bracket) relying on public transit to get to and fro, will be quite difficult without knowing the bus times.
One might even go a step further and say it is rather classist, as anyone who doesn’t have a cell phone is forced to either stand and wait or walk, attempt to find a pay phone, produce two quarters, wait for the voice and run back to the stop in the hopes that they have not missed the bus. Though a rebuttal might be that all information is available online, this again is under the presumption that all people have access to the internet.
An entire case could be made that Guelph Transit is being ableist by ignoring that citizens who are deaf have no way of verifying bus times. Anyone who has a physical constraint would be forced to venture and find a pay-phone, which could potentially cause major inconvenience and discomfort.
Is it not a serious safety concern? Should someone taking the bus alone at night be forced to stand in the dark and wait if they do not have a phone, or if their phone has died?
What about visitors to the city? What about people who are bussing all around the city and don’t have time or access to the transit website to preemptively research bus stop times? People take busses to get to all points in the city, including places they have never been.No one should be made uncomfortable or caused any inconvenience for not owning a cell phone. People should be rewarded for taking public transit when so many choose the comforts of driving. Though we are disappointed in this choice, we are looking forward to hearing any positive changes that Guelph Transit has in mind. SK
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Thank you for your email. Please allow me this opportunity to explain why times were removed from bus stop signs.
For many years, Guelph Transit has operated on 30 minute service intervals. Increased population growth throughout the City of Guelph has made it compulsory to extend routing to facilitate client requirements. With the addition of more stop signs, stop lights and other traffic calming measures, the ability to sustain 30 minute service has been increasingly difficult. The continuation of operating on a 30 minute service interval during peak service periods has challenged the bus system to ensure connection at transfer points in St. George’s Square.
The two most frequent concerns that customers expressed while using the system were:
1) Missing connections in St. George’s Square
2) The bus would not operate according to schedule
To address these two issues, in September 2007, Guelph Transit moved to a split service frequency from Monday to Friday. Between the hours of 7:15 am to 9:15 am and 1:15 pm to 7:15 pm, bus service is offered every 40 minutes. At all other times, it operates on a 30 minute service frequency. Since the implementation of this new timing, customers are no longer missing their connections and on-time performance has increased to 85%. Unfortunately, it also meant that buses would arrive at stops at different times throughout the day, therefore making it impossible to post times on the bus stop signs.
A further improvement that we are investigating is the possibility of a 20 minute service frequency during peak travel times with a 30 minute frequency during the off peak. This would help with overcrowding issues on board buses, is an easier schedule for customers to follow and timing points can be posted more conveniently at stops. For example, the arrival times during 20 minute frequency could be posted as 10-30-50 and the arrival times during 30 minute frequency could be posted as 10-40. Guelph Transit staff is preparing this conventional service expansion for Council consideration during 2008 budget deliberations.
Guelph Transit recognizes that not everyone using the public transit system has a cell phone. For this reason, we have created alternatives to using Next Bus. Paper schedules have been created for every route within the city and are available at a number of different locations, including on board buses. These schedules are free of charge. Passengers may also call the transit office to speak with staff for bus times and connections, or they may speak with a driver directly. Finally, plans are in place to install information posts, at strategic bus stops throughout the city, which would list arrival and departure times. Transit Staff