A group of concerned Saskatoon citizens say they don't like the direction Saskatoon Transit is going and is calling for changes.
A meeting was held Sunday to form an advocacy group for bus riders. Members of this group -- who either choose or have to ride the public bus system -- say their disappointment with the transit system has reached the point where they'll no longer be silent about it.
"People are getting pretty frustrated with that and want to get together and talk to other bus riders to see if we can do anything about that,” said Sarah Binnie.
Some at the meeting don't like recent route changes and service disruptions, and are concerned about the ongoing labour dispute between the city and the transit union.
Saskatoon Transit has dealt with a pair of high-profile issues in recent weeks.
First, maintenance problems meant the city did not have enough busses to provide high school special and direct routes when school resumed at the beginning of September. Then, on Sept. 5, a bus caught on fire, and the next day a nine-year-old boy stole a bus that was left unlocked and idling.
Those at Sunday’s meeting believe those issues are symptoms of a larger problem.
"I think there are a number of indications that the city has not been prioritizing the transit for a long time,” said Tracey Mitchell, one of the meeting’s organizers.
Participants in the initial meeting talked about what is wrong with the bus service and how things can be improved. They plan to not only bring their ideas and issues to the city, and also engage the public in other ways.
"We are not beholden to anyone to take any particular actions,” Binnie said. “We are not part of the transit union, we are not city officials, or city councillors, so we are sort of free to say things the way we see them.”
