Sherbrooke bus company to eliminate ‘useless’ schedule
Some bus riders in Sherbrooke have recently remarked at the arrival of a new sticker on the “infobus” schedules of several bus stops, indicating that the information panel will soon be removed permenantly. Although the sticker encourages transit users to continue to consult schedules online or by phone, the decision has raised questions about the accessibility of a bus system with no posted schedules.
The Record took those questions to Marc Denault, President of the société de transport de sherbrooke (STS), who explained that the bus company will be keeping schedules at its 865 busiest stops.
“They represent 92 per cent of the pick-ups that are made,” the president said, explaining that a survey was recently conducted of the bus system’s 1490 stops to determine where the traffic was the heaviest. Anywhere where there were fewer than 10 pick-ups per day any currently posted schedule got a sticker.
“As someone once said, there is no point in keeping useless things,” Denault said, explaining that there are upkeep and production costs associated with schedules that, in the case of these stops, are very rarely used. “It is important to remember that the information is still available,” he added, pointing to pamphlets in the busses themselves as well as schedules in bus shelters, at the major stations, online, and by calling the STS customer service line, 819 5642687.
Noting that people might be concerned about the change, the president invited anyone who feels that a schedule has been incorrectly targeted to contact customer service, who will look into the traffic at that stop.
“The customer service desk is open from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.” he said.
Travellers in the city may also have noticed that a number of local bus shelters have gone missing. This, according to Denault, is not a permanent removal but more of a renovation.
“Mass transit is in the process of being renewed in Sherbrooke,” he said, explaining that a number of new concrete slabs have been poured as the base for new bus shelters, and adding that a new agreement with Quebecor means that the company will soon be installing shelters with electronic displays of transit information.