GreenSudbury

Tuesday Nov .1 2011
Councillors:Jacques Barbeau Claude Berthiaume Joe Cimino ave Kilgour

A number of community groups, transit users and the general public have advocated for 2 years through the public input sessions for public transit improvements beginning with simple route signage and shelters.

As transit users studies have shown improvements in bus route signage, shelters, benches, employee u-passes and improvements in Transit Terminal design increases growth, ridership and transit branding and meets Sustainable Mobility Plans goals and Healthy Community Charters.

We will be holding our first public Sudbury Citizens Public Transit Advocacy Group meeting on Tuesday Nov. 8 at 6:30 at the Mackenzie St. library. Our goal is to be an informed, public voice for continued improvements in Sudbury Transit. The information we are requesting is to bring the group up to speed on what is planned in the 2012 budget.

Could you provide us with more detailed information from the 2012 Capitol Budget on the following items. We see no budgeted line items for essential Bus Map and schedule display units at bus stops.

Response from Roger Sauve Transit Manager
This would not be found in capital improvements. We did have an initial amount of funding dedicated to the improvement of the travel guide as the old guide was simply not user friendly. We have and continue to make several improvements to our travel maps and information. Most of the efforts are concentrated in the automated world. Placing the 1400 stops and 32 routes in every customer’s phone/Ipad or Iphone is much more powerful than on print at stops. We are currently working with Google to
import our maps and bus routes as they are one of the most referred to maps on the internet.

· Has Sudbury Transit decided on not providing route maps and signage? ?

Response from Roger Sauve Transit Manager
Transit is working on signage for major locations with scheduled and real time information. Route maps are currently being provided in the travel guide and on line. Route information on stops is a very expensive venture which requires substantial operating funds to maintain. Our system is constantly changing and growing. Printed signs are “wrong” almost right after they are printed. It would be hard to continually replace printed signs. In the automated world things can change and be update immediately since we are drawing our information from the same source

· Has the the ad-hoc Transit Committee reviewed the public input regarding route signage as Transit improvements.?

Response from Roger Sauve Transit Manager
All public input is reviewed by council for consideration during the budget process

· What is the cost of new route & schedule display units?

Response from Roger Sauve Transit Manager
The last units purchased were the tall clear cylinders. We attempted to maintain them for a while but it simply became too expensive and difficult to maintain. They were purchased some time ago at a cost per unit of $300 US

· Under transit is listed $26,000 for bus shelters. Is the $26,000 for repairs/maintenance/replacements or new shelters?

Response from Roger Sauve Transit Manager
There are two accounts – one for maintenance and the other for new shelters

· If no new shelters are budgeted – was this discussed or reviewed by the Ad-Hoc Transit Committee?

Response from Roger Sauve Transit Manager
New shelters are installed every year. Customer counts are used to determine locations

· What is the cost of a single new bus shelter unit?.

Response from Roger Sauve Transit Manager
Approximately $4,500 per shelter plus the cost of the cement pad, labour, electrical connections (in some cases). Total cost is from $5,000 to $8,000