By James Piercey
Many transit users in Halifax continue to face frustration with changes in transit.
For many transit users, it used to be easy to get to destinations, only one bus was required to get to a location. Following the transit changes back in November 2021, people in Halifax are now faced with having to take more than one bus to get to where they need to.
I used to be able to get @hfxtransit route 61 from my Cole Harbour street, two doors down, right to downtown Halifax at any time of the day. Now I have to take three different busses to get to my dance class downtown Halifax. You want to take cars off the streets? This ain’t it. pic.twitter.com/UTmrtbKZnb
— Kim (@KimiSaysWhat) April 27, 2022
Multiple transfers present an issue because the bus schedules are forced to be mapped out to where it takes an hour to get to another place.
Many Haligonians say this is an inconvenience as some of their planned routes with transit suggest they take cars to get to where they need to be, which some people cannot do as they may not have a driver’s license and have to rely on transit.
@simonpo659 says Google once suggested they drive first to the terminal in order to make the route complete.
It’s crazy. Google once suggested I drive first to a terminal then get on the bus. I live in spryfield and work in Burnside. There’s zero express buses going to Burnside from the suburbs on the Halifax side. It’s ridiculous.
— Simon (@simpo659) April 27, 2022
As people rely on transit to get to appointments and work, they are put in a situation where they have to take the bus earlier than required just to get to their destination on time.
@toboldyno says they can relate to the frustration of the original post as it takes an hour to get to their doctor’s office.
I feel this:
— 73 Social Anxieties In A Parka (@toboldlyno) April 27, 2022
I live in Woodside, my doctor’s office is on Forest Hills. It takes *an hour* each way and 2-3 buses to get there.
Agreed! But honestly I don’t have time to get the bus a half hour earlier just to ensure I can make a certain appointment without anxiety of missing a transfer.
— Kim (@KimiSaysWhat) April 27, 2022
@siulan2014 says they used to be able to get a direct bus to Bayer’s Lake Park, but with the route changes, they now have to go to Lacewood terminal instead.
I live in Clayron Park West and used to get a direct bus to Bayer’s Lake Park. Now the routes changed so you need to go to Lacewood terminal and wait for a connection. – same for the return trip. Not transit using worker friendly at all.
— Siulan (@siulan2014) April 27, 2022
@CaperGrrl also echoes how it used to be easier for her to commute to downtown for work by taking the bus 18, but with the changes in transit, it has been made to be not so easy anymore.
Yep, we used to live in Clayton Park and it was pretty easy to get downtown to work on the 18. That disappeared and we had to trudge to Lacewood Drive. We moved downtown after that and now in Spryfield near Herring Cove Rd. When Walmart Mumford goes away with that condo tower…
— Mandy Roy (@CaperGrrl) April 27, 2022
It’s been about five months since the latest round of service updates were implemented back in November 2021. How are they working for you? Let us know on our Facebook page.
