In this past week, the Region of Waterloo and Grand River Transit have proposed a Universal Bus Pass to the students of Conestoga College, if the U-Pass was passed, the price would be $245/year, which would be approximately $81.00 for 4 months verses the $227.00 (going up to $238.00) for 4 months. With this this would also bring a massive service frequency increase to the college:
Routes 10, 16, 61, 110, 116 would operate every 15 minutes during the AM and PM rush hours.
Route 111 would operate every 20 minutes
Routes 16, 61 would have extended service until approximately 10:30pm.
Route 61 would have 60 minute Saturday service from 10am to 6pm.
Route 10 would have 30 minute weekend service
The results of that referendum were the college was not in favour of the U-Pass. That means, three (3) years from now, the U-Pass would be proposed again and another referendum would be looked at. With the college rejecting the U-Pass, the proposed expansion and changes to routes 10, 16, 61, 110, 111, and 116 will not happen, I believe it is time to focus bus service expansion along Ottawa Street (205 Ottawa Street iXpress), the Waterloo Regional Airport (Routes 20 Victoria-Frederick, 23 Idlewood, 34 Bingemans), or even start some of the South West Kitchener changes for 2017. Next week council will decide what to do with the money they have to play with. I do hope council looks at the Ottawa Street express and bus service to the Airport. As Ottawa Street and the Airport are heavily under serviced, bus service wise, and I believe it is a good idea to start looking at it now to begin preparation for expansion service in those areas.
