The City invites residents to attend Come & Grow 2019.  Learn more about the City’s Plan for Growth and have the opportunity to give feedback on a number of initiatives.

Come & Grow 2019
Thursday, January 31, 2019
3 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Holiday Inn Express and Suites University, 1838 College Drive

Information and questions will be presented on:

• Corridor Planning - encouraging growth and development near major transportation corridors;
• Transit Villages - re-imagining large commercial sites along the future rapid transit system;
• Brownfield Renewal Strategy - redeveloping potentially contaminated sites (e.g., old gas station sites);
• University Sector Plan - long-term development of the University Endowment Lands; and
• Official Community Plan - the overriding policy framework to define, direct and evaluate development in Saskatoon.

Saskatoon's Plan for Growth charts a course for growth and revitalization that balances and promotes quality of life, sustainability, and economic development.  It touches many aspects of everyday life in Saskatoon from the creation of more compact and vibrant communities to the development of business districts, parks, and facilities, as well as the delivery of services like transit, roadways, and civic utilities.

Plan for Growth projects are funded in part under the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF) from the Government of Canada.  The Government of Saskatchewan administers federal PTIF funding in the province.

For more information on Saskatoon’s Plan for Growth and engagement opportunities, please visit saskatoon.ca/engage/lets-talk-growth.

The City of Saskatoon is hosting Winter Bike to Work Day YXE on Thursday, January 24, 2019: an initiative that encourages citizens to try winter cycling and to celebrate those who cycle year-round as part of their regular commute.

Anyone participating in Winter Bike to Work Day YXE should note the following tips and information:

• Between 7 and 9 a.m., participating businesses and organizations will have commuter stations set up. Anyone on a bicycle is invited to stop for coffee, giveaways, or a chance to win prizes! Snap a photo at your stop and upload it to social media using the hashtag #BiketoWorkYXE to show us how your commute is going!
   
• If you live too far from work to bike the entire way, consider taking Saskatoon Transit part of the way. Plan your trip using the app called Transit. All buses are equipped with front bike racks that are free and easy to use. The bike racks also accommodate fat tires (2" x 33").
   
• If you are wondering how to dress and ensure your cycling equipment is up to speed, check out our Winter Cycling Tips prior to your commute.

Learn more about Winter Bike to Work Day YXE at biketoworksaskatoon.com and find information on cycling in the city at saskatoon.ca/cycling.

Direct service from the Special Events Stop (outside the 2nd Avenue Lofts at 23rd Street and 2nd Avenue) to see the Saskatchewan Rush vs. the Rochester Knighthawks at SaskTel Centre on Saturday, January 19 is available at the following times:

• 5:45 p.m.
• 6:00 p.m.
• 6:25 p.m.
• 6:40 p.m.
• 7:05 p.m.
• 7:20 p.m.

Post-event drop-off is the downtown terminal.

Regular fares apply ($3.00 per trip). Transfers and passes are also accepted.

Transit service times for special events at SaskTel Centre in January can be found at SaskatoonTransit.ca/plan-my-trip/popular-destinations. Experience the convenience of using Saskatoon Transit to attend all your favourite events.

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For regular schedules and other trip planning tools, visit saskatoontransit.ca or download Transit App to plan your trip using real-time bus tracking. ​SaskatoonTransit.ca  @StoonTransit 

Saskatoon Transit has upgraded the onboard Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) in 100 of its buses. This TransitMaster upgrade, among many other things, enhances the delivery of real-time bus information, displaying real-time bus locations via smart phone apps including Transit, Google and Moovit.

Twenty-nine additional buses require a hardware upgrade to accommodate the new system which is scheduled to be complete by the end of March. This group of buses will only display scheduled (as opposed to real-time) information via apps, but will continue to provide full trip planning functionality.

All buses will continue to communicate scheduled information and real-time service alerts, however only the 100 buses will be displaying real-time bus locations.

Several months ago the app called Transit began an upgrade to their app which resulted in varying degrees of real-time communication quality. All users could view accurate, real-time data, however users with specific service providers might not have seen the moving transit buses on the map. This was consistent with both iPhones and Android devices.

This issue has now been resolved and the app has been restored to full functionality.

Saskatoon Transit thanks you for your patience while this important upgrade is being completed.  

Annual ridership has increased and is expected to top 1 million rides per month in 2019.  

“Any increase in ridership is encouraging to see, but 8% is incredible,” says Jim McDonald, Director of Saskatoon Transit. “It shows people are recognizing transit as a viable alternative. However, in order to keep increasing our ridership numbers, we must continue to focus on the customer first.”

In 2017, Saskatoon Transit implemented the first high frequency transit corridors (8^th Street and 22^nd Street) decreasing the amount of time riders have to wait for the next bus. In 2018, Saskatoon Transit continued to add high frequency routes and saw more riders adopting real-time transit apps to plan their trips. As we get closer to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) implementation we will continue to make improvements – 2019 will focus on a bus stop audit to ensure bus stops are located appropriately around the city.

“The key to our success is overall improved service, a better customer experience and technology that supports both.”

After a slight ridership decline in 2016, Saskatoon Transit experienced an increase around two per cent in 2017 and in the first 11 months of 2018 ridership increased 8.4 per cent over the same period a year before. McDonald says this increase is even more remarkable as ridership has fallen in many of the top 50 transit markets in the United States and Canadian markets witnessed only incremental increases.

"Changes already made will support a successful BRT system in Saskatoon,” he says. “The new system, which features a plan for crisscrossing, high-frequency routes, will connect different parts of the city.”

“We’re working hard to deliver the kind of service residents expect from an urban, forward-thinking city,” says McDonald. “We look forward to seeing you on the bus!”

As passenger demand grows, Saskatoon Transit will continue to provide safe, efficient and economical transportation to citizens and visitors to Saskatoon.

Direct service from the Special Events Stop (outside the 2nd Avenue Lofts at 23rd Street and 2nd Avenue) to see the Saskatchewan Rush vs. the San Diego Seals at SaskTel Centre on Saturday, January 5 is available at the following times:

• 5:45 p.m.
• 6:00 p.m.
• 6:25 p.m.
• 6:40 p.m.
• 7:05 p.m.
• 7:20 p.m.

Post-event drop-off is the downtown terminal.

Regular fares apply ($3.00 per trip). Transfers and passes are also accepted.

Transit service times for special events at SaskTel centre in January can be found at SaskatoonTransit.ca/plan-my-trip/popular-destinations. Experience the convenience of using Saskatoon Transit to attend all your favourite events.

Fourteen years ago a Transit operator wanted to do something to support those in need. Eroca Pellerin approached her managers with an idea to fill a city bus full of groceries to donate to the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre.

Eroca will be behind the wheel this year as “Rock 102’s Stuff-the-Bus” takes place at the Saskatoon Co-op Food Store at the Centre Mall.*

Saskatoon Transit serves 40,000 people every day from all parts of the city and in all walks of life, including some of our most vulnerable citizens.

Rawlco Radio has supported the Stuff the Bus initiative since the beginning, calling on the community to bring different goods to “stuff the bus” for this great cause.

Saskatoon Transit is so proud to have been a part of supplying over 124,714 kilograms (137 tons) of food to the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre over the last fourteen years.  It’s one of the many ways in which Saskatoon Transit supports the community.

*Centre Mall Co-op is not involved in the current labour dispute. 

As a reminder, Saskatoon Transit is upgrading the onboard Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) in its buses. This upgrade will enhance the delivery of real-time bus information. Riders using mobile and web apps may experience interruptions to real-time bus location information during the upgrade. This will not affect the ability to plan trips as the apps will continue to provide bus schedules and service alerts.

This implementation is on track to be complete in mid-December.  

Saskatoon Transit thanks you for your patience while this important upgrade is completed.

• 5:45 p.m.
• 6:00 p.m.
• 6:20 p.m.
• 6:35 p.m.
• 6:55 p.m.
• 7:10 p.m.

Post event drop-off is the downtown terminal.

Regular fares apply ($3.00 per trip). Transfers and passes are also accepted.

Transit service times for special events at SaskTel Centre in December can be found at SaskatoonTransit.ca/plan-my-trip/popular-destinations. Experience the convenience of using Saskatoon Transit to attend all your favourite events.

Direct service from the Special Events Stop (outside the 2nd Avenue Lofts at 23rd Street and 2nd Avenue) for the PBR at SaskTel Centre on Friday, November 23, 2018, and Saturday, November 24, 2018, will be available at the following times:

Friday, November 23, 2018:

• 6:15 p.m.
• 6:45 p.m.
• 7:15 p.m.

Saturday, November 24, 2018:

• 6:15 p.m.
• 6:45 p.m.
• 7:15 p.m.

Post-event drop-off is the downtown terminal.

Regular fares apply ($3.00 per trip). Transfers and passes are also accepted.

Transit service times for special events at SaskTel Centre in November can be found at SaskatoonTransit.ca/plan-my-trip/popular-destinations. Experience the convenience of using Saskatoon Transit to attend all your favourite events.