Transit expanding on-demand service to northwest part of city

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This article was published 13/08/2024 (422 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg Transit is expanding its On-Request service, which allows passengers in low-density neighbourhoods to book trips to another area of the city.

A fourth zone, in the Maples area, will be added Sept. 1 to existing zones St. Amant-Plaza Drive, St. Boniface and Southdale-Island Lakes.

People travelling in the new zone will be able to access On-Request from 9:20 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays and from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

A bus will drive on a fixed route during peak hours and then start responding to requests from the smartphone app during hours where there is less demand.

Mayor Scott Gillingham said the expansion aligns with his campaign commitments from 2022 and could lead to more permanent routes in the new service areas. The on-demand service is intended to create demand over time and, by tracking the number of users, it can be determined whether a fixed route is needed.

“For someone who’s never had a bus go by their house, suddenly sees a bus go by their house once in a while, a bus becomes an option,” Gillingham told a Tuesday-morning news conference.

“It’s almost like dipping your toe in the water and then, over time, that community can end up with a permanent route.”

With rapid growth in the northwest parts of the city, Gillingham hopes the service will be a way to introduce people living in the area to the transit system.

Winnipeg Transit On-Request launched as a pilot project in 2021 and is now permanent.

Starting Aug. 27, service will be available via the Winnipeg Transit+ On-Request app, which launched for Transit Plus users in July. The current On-Request app will be discontinued.

The service is also accessible via web browsers and by calling 311.

“This is a significant addition that will provide our residences in Waterford Green and Castlebury Meadows and the surrounding areas with the transit services that they deserve,” Point Douglas Coun. Vivian Santos said Tuesday.

“This new zone is not just an expansion of our transit map, it’s about connecting our communities and making sure that every resident has access to reliable and convenient transportation.”

Waverly West Coun. Janice Lukes said she hopes the service will break down barriers in the current transit system and encourage more people to ride the bus instead of driving a vehicle.

Winnipeg Transit director Greg Ewankiw could not provide numbers on how many On-Request rides have been provided since the pilot began.

jura.mcilraith@freepress.mb.ca