Saskatoon Transit’s digital first strategy for service alert leaves some riders in the dust, according to Bus Riders of Saskatoon.
Previously, paper notices for bus cancellations provided details for riders; now, the papers direct riders to find details on the transit Service Alert app.
Group representative Robert Clipperton said not everyone has a cell phone or data.
Director of transit Jim McDonald said the city has been “going to a digital first strategy” trying to get as much information on the web as possible.
Transit is often not told by construction crews exactly where they’ll be and when, he said.
“Sometimes the first indication we have that there’s going to be a detour or there’s going to be a stop closure is when our bus drivers find out that the stop has been closed.”
The app is the best way to quickly distribute information about cancellations and changes, he said.
Paper notices are going to stay in place for now, but they can be damaged or lost due to a variety of reasons such as bad weather, he said.
