Two transit routes serving west Saint John neighbourhoods have been replaced by on-demand service.
Routes 13 (Milford) and 14 (Churchill) are the first to be served by Saint John Transit’s new FLEX service.
The change, which went into effect on Jan. 9, is part of the city’s larger effort to improve transit services.
“We think the on-demand is going to be a service improvement for existing riders and will hopefully attract new riders,” said Ian Fogan, director of fleet and transit for the city.
Rather than driving on a route where passengers are not waiting, buses will be sent to where and when a call for service is made.
Routes 13 and 14 had low ridership numbers and a limited schedule, said the city, only operating once per hour between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The new service will run from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.
FLEX will also allow transit service to expand into the Dominion Park area and more areas west of Manchester Avenue.
Users can arrange their ride up to one week in advance through the Saint John Transit Flex app or by calling transit dispatch at 506-652-3539.
Riders can travel from stop to stop (not door to door) within the west FLEX zone or transfer to fixed-route lines 1, 15 or 12.
Fogan said the goal is to provide service within 30 minutes of a rider’s request, but this will vary depending on passenger volumes.
“Based on the number of people riding the bus in this area, we think it’s going to be a very easy service level for us to meet,” he said.
The city has leased several 20-foot electric buses to serve the FLEX routes, rather than using the larger 40-foot vehicles.
New FLEX zones will be created in areas with low ridership later in 2023, said Fogan.
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