CANMORE – After signs were posted at Roam transit stops in Canmore last week indicating a route change, there was some confusion among the community as to whether or not they’d still be able to access the bus.
Officials with the transit operator said while the route is being changed and that means the removal of some stops, in most cases riders would just have to cross the street to still catch their bus.
Quicker travel times and improved transit opportunities are among some of the changes coming into effect on July 6 and the Bow Valley Regional Transit Commission said the new route would have a lower impact on residential neighbourhoods.
Martin Bean, the chief administrative officer for the transit commission, said the change in the route is meant to open up transit to more people, as well as improve it for those who already use it.
“I think it’ll be very positive and open up transit to more people who use it,” said Bean.
The biggest change to the route, according to Bean, is that the bus will travel one way through Cougar Creek, as opposed to doubling back on itself.
“The major change to our route will be that the bus will travel one way through the Cougar Creek – Elk Run area rather than doubling back on itself,” he said. “That just allows us to improve our times for the majority of users.
“So now instead of going out to Glacier Drive and turning around, it will follow the same route we do on weekends, which goes around Bow Valley Trail and through Kananaskis Way and into downtown that way.”
READ MORE: Roam transit changes for Canmore
The weekday route and weekend route will be amalgamated into a single seven-day-a-week route that aims to give riders an easier schedule to follow. According to the Roam Transit website, 13 stops will no longer be serviced including the Canmore Nordic Centre stop and Benchlands Bike Park stop. However, 10 new stops will be added.
Confusion surrounding the routes surfaced after the signs were posted at transit stops in the town, with some residents posting to some community based groups on Facebook. The confusion specifically surrounded the Palliser Trail stop at the Benchlands Bike Park, which will no longer be in service come July 6.
“A heads up to anyone who lives in the Palliser area: the nearest bus stop in the area (at the Benchlands Bike Park) will no longer be in service come July 6,” the Facebook post said.
Though that is true, Corrie DiManno, the marketing and communications coordinator for Roam Transit, said riders could still catch the bus from the Palliser Trail South stop.
“[Riders] can cross the street from where the Benchlands Bike Park stop used to be to use the Palliser Trail South to access Roam and to take into town,” DiManno wrote in an email.
“From the Palliser Trail South stop to Ninth Street downtown would take about 20 minutes on the bus. Or, those users can walk 500 metres from where the Benchlands Bike Park stop used to be to The Shops of Canmore stop to take the bus to Ninth Street downtown – that would be a seven minute bus ride.”
As to why the stop is being removed, Bean said it’s due to low ridership. He said starting in January up until June 8, the total ridership was at 51,717 rides on the local service, with only 230 of those riders coming from the Benchlands Bike Park stop.
“That Benchland Bike Park stop is by far one of our lowest used stops, we’ve had a total of 230 rides there this year so far,” he said.
“Whereas for the majority of people using the bus the times either stay the same or will be quicker.”
Visit www.roamtransit.com for more information on the new routes.
