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.

Parking and lane restrictions will be in effect in the downtown area on Sunday for the Santa Claus Parade, between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. There will be no access to roads along the parade route within Idylwyld Drive, 23rd Street, 5th Avenue and 19th Street.

Road users are encouraged to allow extra time to reach their downtown destination, and to watch for extra people at crosswalks.

People attending the parade can avoid the traffic and parking stress by choosing Transit to attend the parade. Plan your bus route on your mobile device with the real-time Google Maps or Transit App.

Saskatoon Transit will have minor route changes and posted temporary bus stops in place during the Santa Claus Parade from approximately 12:00 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. Downtown Terminal bus stops will operate as normal except for Route 6, 60 and 65 which will have temporary bus stops located on 3rd Avenue southbound, north of 23rd Street. Route 6 Broadway/City Centre and Route 1 Exhibition/City Centre will service downtown via the University Bridge.

Saskatoon Transit is currently upgrading the onboard Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) in its buses to enhance the delivery of real-time bus information. Riders using mobile and web apps may experience interruptions to real-time bus location information during this 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 expected to be complete in mid-December.  

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

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 can view accurate, real-time data, however users with specific service providers may not see the moving transit bus on the map. This is consistent with both iPhones and Android devises.

Testing confirms that, exclusive of the situation above, the app called Transit is returning real-time data within the industry accepted timeframe of +/- 120 – 180 seconds. This issue has been passed on to the service provider in question for their assistance to resolve.

The City of Saskatoon continues undertaking improvements to its Transit shelters, bus stops, sidewalks and other related infrastructure.

Funded by the City and the Government of Canada, which invested $5.3 million through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund toward these projects, this work will ultimately help better connect people to this important local transportation network. In Saskatchewan, the federal PTIF program is administered by the provincial government.  

“Getting people where they need to go safely, quickly, and comfortably is essential to creating liveable communities,” says the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. “Our government is proud to support these vital upgrades to Saskatoon’s transit infrastructure. A safer, more inclusive transit system will increase ridership, reduce congestion and improve air quality.”

“Saskatoon can contribute to improving its citizens’ quality of life with projects like these, thanks to the federal Public Transit Infrastructure Fund, which the Government of Saskatchewan administers in the province. Saskatchewan’s eligible municipal partners having access to this federally-funded program helps those communities address their local priorities,” says the Honourable Warren Kaeding Saskatchewan’s Minister of Government Relations.

“Undertaking improvements such as sidewalks, landing pads, ramps and shelters to Transit stops such as the one at Attridge Drive and Rever Road can mean the difference between choosing to use Transit or not,” says Mike Moellenbeck, Saskatoon’s Acting Director of Transit. “As we work towards a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, Transit connectivity becomes even more important. We are looking to the future in terms of the locations that make sense and responding to the needs of the people we serve today.”

Through its recent Bus Stop Blues campaign, Saskatoon Transit received more than 45 submissions on areas that would benefit from improvements. Submissions were categorized into one of three categories: 1) sidewalk/accessibility, 2) new shelter/ repair, or 3) general maintenance. Three quarters of the submissions received were asking for improvements to the Attridge Drive and Rever Road location. A full listing of the planned improvements can be found at SaskatoonTransit.ca/about-us/projects.

As part of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) plans, Attridge and Rever has also been selected for one of the BRT stations which will act as a major transfer point for the area. BRT stations are planned to be built at a height of approximately 10 inches, about 4 inches higher than existing curbs throughout the city. As a pilot, the bus stops at Attridge Drive and Rever Road were built to a height of 10 inches. The raised curbs will improve accessibility by offering near level boarding to accommodate wheelchair access without having to deploy the bus ramp allowing for faster passenger loading times. This is in addition to Saskatoon Transit’s objectives to attain a 100 per cent accessible fleet by the end of 2018.  

“When we’re upgrading stops, we look at the connecting sidewalks people use to get to those locations as well,” says David LeBoutillier, Saskatoon’s Acting Engineering Manager for Transportation. “Depending on the pre-existing conditions, we repaired, or replaced, and in some cases added new sidewalk at identified locations.”

On top of this, the City improved 20 per cent more sidewalk panels than originally projected for 2018. Sidewalk ramps – connecting sidewalks to roadways – were also installed at locations around the city. The locations for both panel and ramp repair/installation were identified based on connectivity to Transit. Additional considerations included public input, Neighbourhood Traffic Review recommendations, and prioritization for those locations where there are no sidewalks on either side of the road.

The total investment in these various improvements, including both the Government of Canada’s and City of Saskatoon’s contributions, is more than $10.6 million. 

Direct service from the Special Events Stop (outside the 2nd Avenue Lofts at 23rd Street and 2nd Avenue) for the 4 Nations Cup at SaskTel Centre is available on the following dates and times:

Date          Event Time     Bus Departure

Nov 9        3:00 p.m.         1:45, 2:15, 2:45
Nov 9        7:30 p.m.         6:15, 6:45, 7:15
Nov 10      3:00 p.m.         1:45, 2:15, 2:45
Nov 10      8:00 p.m.         6:45, 7:15, 7:45

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.