Public Transit Review: Final Report

The Public Transit Review final report by Dillon Consulting has been presented to City Council and the report is available for the public to view at engagestjohns.ca.

“I am very pleased that we have a comprehensive review of our conventional and para-transit systems,” said Mayor Danny Breen. “It provides an in-depth look at the current system, including public feedback, strategic analysis and suggestions for continuous improvement that will guide our decision making in the coming years.”

Before changes are implemented, the report is being referred to the Transportation Commission for its consideration and guidance on what recommendations should be prioritized.

“This review gives us a good set of options to consider for improvements to help us increase the number of trips taken on Metrobus, and to ensure the sustainability of the GoBus service,” said Councillor Ian Froude, Chair of St. John’s Transportation Commission. “We want to see a more reliable and frequent service that will attract and retain ridership in the future.”

There were two phases of public engagement during the review. Improvements identified by respondents included shorter travel time, more reliable service, increased frequency, longer service hours, shorter walks to bus stops, lower fares, more accessible service, and greater use of technology.

“Our greatest challenge will be balancing changes and improvements outlined in the report, with our current budgetary constraints. However, we are pleased to see that ridership is up this year with ten percent growth over 2018, and this gives us a solid foundation to work from,” said Councillor Froude.

The report recommends a five-year strategic review to stay relevant to industry trends, operating environment and customer experience. Highlights of the review, including key recommendations are in the backgrounder.

The City of St. John’s is committed to building a balanced transportation network to get people and goods where they want to go safely. The Public Transit Review is identified in the Our City, Our Future 2019 Action Plan under the goal to create a sustainable and accessible public transportation system.