The service will use a 14-passenger bus that is a low-floor accessible vehicle that includes a quick-release wheelchair ramp and also a bike rack.
There are 16 scheduled stops in 45-minute route loop that will run from Mondays to Fridays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., excluding holidays.
See the route brochure here.
Stops along the route include the Yarmouth Regional Hospital, NSCC Burridge Campus, the Yarmouth Mall, Walmart, Superstore, Canadian Tire and the Mariners Centre. There are also stops on Argyle Street, Grantham Street, and several stops on Main Street. Because the service is described as an “evolutionary process,” stops may be added or adjusted in the future.
An important thing for transit users to know is this is a cashless system, meaning cash fares won’t be accepted on the bus. The town is becoming one of the first transit providers in the Atlantic provinces to offer Smart Card Fare Technology.
Smart cards will be available for purchase at the town hall and can also be reloaded from people’s homes online or by calling the town hall. The cost of the Smart Cards (this includes HST) is $3 daily, $15 weekly, $50 monthly and $500 annually.
As of Feb. 1, people will also be able to purchase pre-printed passes. A daily pass is $3 and a weekly pass is $15.
The passes and the Smart Cards both grant people unlimited ridership on the transit system for the time designated.
The pre-printed passes will be sold at the town hall and other locations, including Sandy’s Gifts, Mariners Centre, Pharmasave, Superstore, NSCC Burridge Campus, Yarmouth South Red and White and Canadian Tire. This list of locations is expected to grow.
The transit system will also use a flag-stop system, meaning passengers can choose to board and depart the bus at designated stops or create their own flag stops, providing it is safe for the bus to make these stops. There are some areas where flag stops won’t be allowed. These include Main Street between Forest and Parade Streets, Starrs Road between the Superstore/Walmart and Canadian Tire entrances and between the Milton horse fountain and the Yarmouth hospital.
Otherwise people just need to find a safe location on the side of the route and wave the bus down. When people want to depart the bus, they just need to ask the driver to find a safe place close to their destination to make the stop.
The bus, purchased from Crestline, cost around $158,000. The Smart Fare system purchased from BEA Transit, after tax, cost around $34,500. A lot of time and effort has gone into setting up this transit service.
“This doesn't happen unless a team gets together and puts their heart and soul into making it happen,” said Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood. “It was a lot of work. It was a long time coming. We said from the beginning if we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it right.”
Other things to know:
• In advance of the launch of the system, the public is invited to try out the new system by participating in a scavenger hunt on Tuesday, Jan. 26. To participate, arrive at the town hall at 9 a.m. to receive a free day pass and your scavenger hunt list. Use the transit system to find all of the items on the list as you ride the bus unlimited that day. The first person back to town hall before 4:30 p.m. who found everything on the list will win a Month’s Transit Pass valued at $50.
• A transit committee worked to get this system off the ground. The committee included councillors Ken Langille, Dan MacIsaac and Phil Mooney. Also part of the process was town planner Caroline Robertson, CAO Jeff Gushue and Natalie Smith, who is the town’s economic development officer.
The service will use a 14-passenger bus that is a low-floor accessible vehicle that includes a quick-release wheelchair ramp and also a bike rack.
There are 16 scheduled stops in 45-minute route loop that will run from Mondays to Fridays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., excluding holidays.
See the route brochure here.
Stops along the route include the Yarmouth Regional Hospital, NSCC Burridge Campus, the Yarmouth Mall, Walmart, Superstore, Canadian Tire and the Mariners Centre. There are also stops on Argyle Street, Grantham Street, and several stops on Main Street. Because the service is described as an “evolutionary process,” stops may be added or adjusted in the future.
An important thing for transit users to know is this is a cashless system, meaning cash fares won’t be accepted on the bus. The town is becoming one of the first transit providers in the Atlantic provinces to offer Smart Card Fare Technology.
Smart cards will be available for purchase at the town hall and can also be reloaded from people’s homes online or by calling the town hall. The cost of the Smart Cards (this includes HST) is $3 daily, $15 weekly, $50 monthly and $500 annually.
As of Feb. 1, people will also be able to purchase pre-printed passes. A daily pass is $3 and a weekly pass is $15.
The passes and the Smart Cards both grant people unlimited ridership on the transit system for the time designated.
The pre-printed passes will be sold at the town hall and other locations, including Sandy’s Gifts, Mariners Centre, Pharmasave, Superstore, NSCC Burridge Campus, Yarmouth South Red and White and Canadian Tire. This list of locations is expected to grow.
The transit system will also use a flag-stop system, meaning passengers can choose to board and depart the bus at designated stops or create their own flag stops, providing it is safe for the bus to make these stops. There are some areas where flag stops won’t be allowed. These include Main Street between Forest and Parade Streets, Starrs Road between the Superstore/Walmart and Canadian Tire entrances and between the Milton horse fountain and the Yarmouth hospital.
Otherwise people just need to find a safe location on the side of the route and wave the bus down. When people want to depart the bus, they just need to ask the driver to find a safe place close to their destination to make the stop.
The bus, purchased from Crestline, cost around $158,000. The Smart Fare system purchased from BEA Transit, after tax, cost around $34,500. A lot of time and effort has gone into setting up this transit service.
“This doesn't happen unless a team gets together and puts their heart and soul into making it happen,” said Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood. “It was a lot of work. It was a long time coming. We said from the beginning if we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it right.”
Other things to know:
• In advance of the launch of the system, the public is invited to try out the new system by participating in a scavenger hunt on Tuesday, Jan. 26. To participate, arrive at the town hall at 9 a.m. to receive a free day pass and your scavenger hunt list. Use the transit system to find all of the items on the list as you ride the bus unlimited that day. The first person back to town hall before 4:30 p.m. who found everything on the list will win a Month’s Transit Pass valued at $50.
• A transit committee worked to get this system off the ground. The committee included councillors Ken Langille, Dan MacIsaac and Phil Mooney. Also part of the process was town planner Caroline Robertson, CAO Jeff Gushue and Natalie Smith, who is the town’s economic development officer.