The Route #9 fixed route operating in Ward 2 has reached its halfway point in the first year of service. Staff wanted to provide some information on the route and let residents and riders know how the newest transit service in Belleville is doing.
Route #9 began operation on September 7, 2021, operating on a 45-minute trip which starts at the Quinte Mall, makes its way through the residential areas of Ward 2 and back to the mall again.
The process to get the route in operation was a significant project that took many factors into consideration. The service had to meet the needs of residents and provide a regular, reliable service, but would also act as a foundation that would allow for future improvements as ridership patterns are determined and the community continues to grow.
The Transit Operations Advisory Committee initiated a Ward 2 resident survey to determine the areas that transit would be most utilized, and how. The survey also looked at funding options and resident input on the different options being considered. This survey was made available online and mailed to all Ward 2 residents. Staff received 2,173 survey responses with resident feedback and ideas.
The Committee worked closely with Transit staff to develop service delivery options for routes, schedules and stop locations. The options were reviewed in accordance with the Provincial Transit Supportive Guidelines. A schedule and route were then decided and presented to City Council for approval and service initiation.
Ridership on the route has been increasing, and is showing the same trends as other routes, with some months being lower than others due to holidays, poor weather and COVID-19 impacts.
In total, Route #9 has carried 11,876 passengers (an average of 1,979 per month) from its launch to March 4, 2022.
“Ridership has been steady and we anticipate increases as COVID restrictions are lifted,” said Chair of the Transit Operations Advisory Committee Councillor Bill Sandison. “The Ward 2 route will continue to be funded until March 2023. This will facilitate a more complete analysis at the end of the one-year mark and with public input, help shape the future direction of public transit across the city, including Ward 2, as we develop an overall Transit Master Plan.”
Some interesting facts:
There are 33 bus stops on Route #9 including the Quinte Mall and Walmart, with the highest passenger boarding/alighting being the stop at Chestnut Drive (Canniff Mills). This stop has had the highest passenger activity each month since the service began.
In medal standing ratings for boarding counts, the Gold, Silver and Bronze go to these busy stop locations:
- Gold – Chestnut Drive (Canniff Mills) has held the gold medal for passenger boarding each month since service started!
- Silver – The silver medal has moved around from month to month. Laurel Street and Redwood Drive (Heritage Park) shared it in September, October and November. Kipling Drive (Canniff Mills) held the silver from December to February, but shared it with Ro’s Store (Cannifton) in January.
- Bronze – The bronze medal has also been shared. Redwood Drive held it in September. It then went to Laurel Street in October, Kipling Drive in November, back to Redwood Drive in December, and held fast by Laurel Street in January and February.
The heaviest ridership (39.15% of total riders on Route #9) uses the service during the mid-day period of 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. This is followed by 33% of total riders who use the service during the afternoon period of 2:30 to 6 p.m.
The Ward 2 service area is also active during late night on-demand service, covering the area seven nights a week until midnight.
Ward 2 has not been overlooked by specialized transit riders either. Staff has seen increased ridership on specialized service to businesses north of Highway 401 and have welcomed 43 new registered Ward 2 specialized transit users to the service.
“As we begin to move out of the pandemic and our city and region have begun opening back up, people want to get out and do things again,” said Transit Manager Paul Buck. “As a result of high fuel costs, the country is seeing a rebirth of public transit. The public is finding that with reliable accessibility to public transit in their neighbourhood, the quality service at a good price suits their transportation needs, and we are happy to be able to be there for them.”
THE ABOVE IS A RELEASE FROM THE CITY OF BELLEVILLE
