County Transit is seeking public input as it updates its schedule, including a plan to add a midday departure to its fixed route service.
Prince Edward County recently received provincial funding to add a fifth midday departure to its Picton-Bloomfield-Belleville fixed route.
Transit Coordinator Vincent de Tourdonnet says users have been asking for a midday departure for several years because the gap between morning and afternoon departures was too big.
To better reflect travel times and allow time for new stops along the route, staff have come up with three options.
Transit Coordinator Vincent de Tourdonnet says a new schedule with the three options is now available for review and the public is invited to offer opinions by responding to the Fixed Route Schedule Poll by Tuesday, May 14.
“Well, we wanted to give our users some choice around the departure point, particularly at the beginning of the day and the end of the day and to really hear from people, just what they think of the route as well.”
The new schedule with the added departure is tentatively scheduled to begin in early June.
de Tourdonnet says an awareness campaign will accompany the route addition because there are still many people who don’t know that there is a system they can use to travel around the county and even into Belleville.
“And our new schedule as well, we’ve taken great pains to make sure that it aligns really closely with the wonderful new Belleville Transit schedule so people will be able to pretty seamlessly transfer at the Belleville bus terminal to whatever destination they want to go to in Belleville.”
County Transit’s on-demand service will also continue.
This first phase of refreshing Prince Edward County’s public transit is focused on improving the current system.
Later this year, phase two will begin developing a five- to ten-year plan to meet the community’s needs.
de Tourdonnet says offering transit solutions gives people an affordable alternative to getting around and helps reduce congestion as the County grows.
“We’re going to be engaging a professional transit consultant to help us really elaborate a county-specific plan. A plan that is gonna really envision a robust offering that’s really going to serve the county moving into the future.”
More public consultation on transportation needs, barriers to use, schedules, and routes will occur during phase two from July 2024 – February 2025.
County Transit currently consists of:
A fixed route that runs four times a day between Belleville, Bloomfield and Picton, Monday to Friday. This route loops around Picton to collect riders in town before heading to Belleville via Bloomfield. Then, it runs back from Belleville, depositing riders in Bloomfield and looping around Picton before ending its route at Metro. Rural residents who live within 2 km of this route can arrange for the bus to pick them up and connect to the route to/from Belleville.
There is door-to-bus stop service for people who are more than 2 km from the route, but who wish to connect to the fixed route. When booked in advance, County Transit will pick you up at your home or nearby, and bring you to a bus stop in Picton or Bloomfield to continue on the route to/from Belleville.
In addition to these services, available to everyone in The County, the municipality offers a Specialized Service for people with disabilities and seniors aged 55+. The specialized service offers door-to-door service, booked on demand in advance.
de Tourdonnet says they are also very excited to be offering a new weekend evening service for the first time this summer in Picton.
The Picton Summer Loop is a partnership with Base31 which offers several concerts and shows during the summer.
“People will have a recreational opportunity or work opportunity to get around Picton on the weekend as well. It runs Friday night from 5:30 to midnight, Saturday from 11 to midnight and Sunday from 3 to 9 p.m.,his loop that will be happening around Picton.”
Visit Have Your Say to learn more about the County Transit refresh project.
