T3 Transit launching expanded bus route in East Royalty

The City of Charlottetown and T3 Transit are launching an expanded bus route, which will include previously unserviced areas of East Royalty.

Mike Cassidy, T3 Transit owner, says there used to be bus service in the area more than a dozen years ago but not enough residents were using it. He's hoping this time will be different.

6-month trial period

"This is a six-month program … we need to see ridership on our new route because it's very difficult to go back to council and ask for a permanent transit route, and the funding for a permanent transit route, if the pilot doesn't show there's a demand," Cassidy said.

The decision to expand the route comes as a result of public meetings held by the city earlier this month where residents were asked to offer feedback on the proposed route.

The expanded route will be treated as a pilot project and will take effect on June 3. The route will add 18 stops throughout East Royalty.

Connection to downtown Charlottetown 

The pilot route will include two morning and two afternoon runs each day to accommodate regular daytime working hours as well as three midday runs.  

East Royalty residents will be connected to the Charlottetown Mall and downtown at the Confederation Centre.

Following the six-month trial period the bus route will be evaluated as a long-term program.

"We need to see ridership on our new route. It would be nice to see that we're somewhere between 30 to 50 passenger fares on a daily basis," Cassidy said.

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