Why is Niagara so hard to reach by public transit?
Getting there is not the easy way by GO Bus, when it’s all about starting, finishing times
Transit riders of Niagara and Hamilton: have you noticed all the ads for Brock University and Niagara College on bus stops throughout our city? Have you ever wondered how long it actually takes to get to either by transit? If you attend a school in the Niagara region, and have to take public transit, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Currently, I’m gearing up for my second semester of travelling from East Hamilton to Niagara College’s Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus. The total ride takes two HSR buses, the GO Bus (which drops me off at Fairview Mall in St. Catharines), a bus to downtown St. Catharines, and then finally the shuttle that takes me to my school. That is five buses, and totals usually two hours and 18 minutes, if all the connections line up properly.
Going home, well, that takes even longer,
We have a right to accessible education. Why is it so difficult to get to Niagara College and Brock from our region?
as my classes end on the half-hour. And the GO Bus leaves Fairview Mall at quarter to, so I’m always waiting one hour and 15 minutes before I can even get on the GO bus, for 45 minutes. Please note, the first hour of my trip home is travelling between two highway exits, and yes, the GO Bus drives right past Niagara College before stopping at Fairview Mall.
Brock Riders, and Niagara College students from the Welland Campus have the same issues, when travelling from Hamilton, or within the Niagara region. We all have to travel to downtown St. Catharines before we can get to our schools. The evenings and winter are particularly horrifying when you are in a town you do not know, by yourself, stuck at the bus terminal, waiting for your next bus.
Although the first GO Bus of the day gets into St. Catharines at 8:20 a.m. the earliest students can get to Niagara College NOTL is 8:48 a.m., if all the connections line up. If those connections do not line up, you aren’t just 18 minutes late for your 8:30 a.m. class, you are now 48 minutes late. So, what I’m saying is it is impossible to make it to either Niagara Campus, or Brock for the earliest classes, by taking transit from Burlington, Hamilton, or Grimsby. Impossible.
With winter weather making its grand entrance this month, the pressure is on to really try and make a difference quickly, con- cerning this issue. Commuters who typically drive to the Niagara region, from Hamilton and beyond, could benefit with a decent public transit option when the roads are bad, and they do not want to deal with the stress of driving.
Unfortunately, when I discuss this issue with peers, f amily and friends, the overwhelming response is: “Why don’t you get a car?” I cannot begin to express how frustrating a statement like that is when you are a student, with limited access to funds. Also, if you could believe it — commuting for five hours a day cuts into your ability to find a job beyond going to school, much less energy for volunteering.
In Canada, we have a right to accessible education. Why on earth is it so difficult to get to Niagara College and Brock, from our region? The students who travel to Niagara from Hamilton and the GTA choose to go there because some programs are simply not offered closer. Brock and Niagara are great schools, so why can’t we get there in decent time?
Please, if you are in a similar situation, travelling to school or work in Niagara, sign this petition at: https://www.change.org/p/ niagara-regional-and-municipal-government-get-niagara-moving