Transit adjusts for COVID, planning for post-pandemic recovery: Annual Report
Amidst a 2020 full of exceptional challenges, Saskatoon Transit provided the public with reliable and convenient service, while planning for how to emerge from the global pandemic. Saskatoon Transit’s Annual Report will be presented to the Standing Policy Committee on Transportation on Monday, May 3, 2021.
Saskatoon Transit’s Annual Report aims to provide riders, the public, and employees with a comprehensive overview of the year. It describes both the activities and financial performance of Saskatoon Transit. The report also highlights the major projects and initiatives from the past year, with a focus on providing the public with reliable, comfortable, and convenient service.
In 2020, Saskatoon Transit provided more than seven million rides and operated over 359,000 hours of service.
“Providing over half a million trips every month during a pandemic is no small feat and it is with a great sense of pride in our staff and thankfulness for our riders that we celebrate that achievement,” says Jim McDonald, Director Saskatoon Transit.
Saskatoon Transit continues to make service adjustments and improvements that have real benefits to riders, such as:
- Technology to show riders bus capacity prior to boarding
- High-frequency corridors
- Route 1225 - Jingle Bell Express, a dedicated holiday shopping route
- Experience Transit - transit travel training program
- On-demand transit pilot
- Electric bus pilot
Even with the enormous, and still present challenges that defined 2020, there is cause to recognize and celebrate what Saskatoon Transit employees, and the City accomplished. Work from this past year demonstrated public transit is a necessary function in our community — to support public health, address inequalities, and help boost economic recovery.
“As we reflect on 2020, when changes needed to be made to support community health, Transit quickly reacted and acted to keep our employees and riders safe,” McDonald says.