Providing shelter

T3 Transit adding bus shelters to greater Charlottetown area

Extra shelter is coming for those who take the bus in Charlottetown.

Extra shelter is coming for those who take the bus in the greater Charlottetown area. T3 Transit will be adding 27 bus shelters in the fall thanks to $660,000 in funding from the federal government and matching dollars from the province and municipalities of Charlottetown, Stratford and Cornwall.

Thanks to those matching dollars, that’s more than $1.3 million.

Part of the money was used to buy used, but refurbished, buses from Calgary. Cash was also set aside for Wifi technology in the buses and next-bus GPS technology, which allows the customer to track where their bus is.

Some of the money left over is also being used to bring in new bus shelters.

Mike Cassidy, who operates the transit service for the three municipalities, said Charlottetown will get 17 new shelters while Stratford and Cornwall will get five each.

One of the shelters in Charlottetown will also be relocated.

“There would be the one at the Co-op . . . on Queen Street. That one really isn’t on the bus route any longer. That will be the only existing one that will be moved,’’ Cassidy said. Charlottetown city council has already approved the extra shelters, allowing Cassidy to place the order.

“We expect delivery sometime in September and all shelters should be installed before the snow flies in December.’’

SUBMITTED PHOTO T3 Transit has ordered 27 new bus shelters for its customers. They will be installed across Charlottetown, Stratford and Cornwall by the end of the year.