Give bus service a fair chance

I was very happy to be able to try out the new bus service that was run as a pilot project in Iqaluit for a one-month period. I would support a decision to continue this service in Iqaluit for both environmental and social-economic reasons.

I understand that the city of Iqaluit will now have consultants look at the feasibility of running the bus permanently. The earliest that a service would take place, if at all, would be in January. I would encourage the city of Iqaluit to talk to the people who took the bus during the pilot period.

Perhaps the city could organize focus groups made up of riders of the bus and the bus driver to assist in planning a permanent route selection and timetables. I feel that a one-month pilot period is inadequate to properly assess the feasibility of the service in terms of numbers of riders and route selection.

Many people were not aware of the stops or the schedule, did not receive copies of the schedules in their post office boxes, and did not have a fair chance to really try it out.

The colder weather is just about upon us — it would be good to continue the service that has been proven to be popular even with very little time to set it up or publicize it. Let’s give it a fair chance and let’s just have a public transit system in this town. It’s time.

Elise Maltin
Iqaluit