Bridgewater Transit reaches 20,000th passenger
It has not yet been a year since Bridgewater Transit first hit the road and the program has already reached a major milestone — it has recently served its 20,000th passenger.
In a community of about
8,700 people, and one in which residents are only just beginning to acquaint themselves with the benefits of public transit, the milestone speaks volumes about the importance of the program in the community.
From daycare and school groups, to teenagers and adults of all ages, Bridgewater’s residents have used the service to do errands, travel to and from work, enjoy recreation, make appointments, see family and friends or simply have a social outing. These passengers may be giving up a ride in a car, taking a break from walking or in some cases, travelling to a destination they simply were unable to reach before.
Many residents have benefited from the transit program, including those facing mobility challenges or difficulties in accessing transportation. Bridgewater Transit is now offering new fare options, which will open the service up to even more of the community’s residents and visitors.
An unlimited monthly pass will soon be available, which will allow passengers to travel as much as they want on Bridgewater Transit within a calendar month. The monthly pass will be introduced in favour of the
30-ride pass, which will be discontinued. But for those who don’t want a monthly pass,
10-ride passes will still be available at the same discounted rate.
Families should be able to go on an outing together, but paying for individual rides can add up quickly. With that in mind, Bridgewater Transit has started piloting a family rate which allows a group of up to five people, with a maximum of two adults, pay $4 total for a ride.
The hope is that more people will use the family rate to go out and enjoy the summer — whether you’re a parent taking their children to the park, babysitting for a friend or grandparents taking their grandkids out for the day. Group members don’t have to be related to get the family rate.
“We’re really in the next phase of the transit service now,” said Bridgewater’s mayor David Mitchell.
“People know about the service, but we still have a lot of folks in the community who haven’t yet given it a try or made it part of their routine,” he explained. “These new initiatives around fares are all designed to encourage more people to find out how public transit can serve them and to get them out exploring and enjoying the things we have to offer here in our town.”
For more information on Bridgewater Transit, you can visit www.bridgewater.ca/transit or phone 902-543-4651.