Sometimes the speed at which time passes is hard to believe, especially when it’s already been six months since Pembroke’s new public transit system came into being. By all accounts, things are rolling along rather smoothly.
Angela Lochtie with the City of Pembroke has been a champion of the service alongside Deputy Mayor Brian Abdallah. Lochtie says ridership has been increasing steadily since the service started, with this past January setting a new record of more than 2,000 fares.
A significant number of riders are Algonquin College students who use the service to get to and from classes, primarily on weekdays. As a result, there will be a planned reduction in service over the summer months to account for the expected dip. Another way of tracking the service’s success has been devised by Lochtie and her team and is now available for public participation:
The survey can be found at www.engagepembroke.ca and is open until February 22.
Lochtie says that while Algonquin students do make up a fair portion of riders, many other residents are also using the service. Many rely on it to get to and from work, which means fewer cars on the road and fewer emissions.
Lochtie acknowledges that some residents have raised concerns about the lack of posted stops and the fact that the system does not operate on a fixed route. However, she says it’s a work in progress that will take some getting used to:
The survey results will be crucial in determining what needs to be adjusted in the future, and Lochtie is hopeful that as many people as possible will take the time to complete it. She notes that the questions are tailored for both users and non-users of the service:
Lochtie also notes that copies of the survey have been emailed to all businesses in the city and are available online. Business owners who have not received the survey can email the city at ortc@pembroke.ca, and a copy will be sent to them.
(Written By: Richard Evans)
