A recent prediction by CIBC economists, Jeff Rubin and Benjamin Tal (June 26) predict gas prices in the U.S. will go to $7 a gallon – our prices will follow with them. They predict gasoline spending will exceed groceries, declining car sale and 10 million vehicles off the road by 2012. Households under $25,000 will be hardest hit and the first to leave cars and take the bus.
These trends along with escalating social concern about climate change, air quality and energy consumption and policy changes promoting more compact development, energy conservation and alternative forms of transportation have pushed our staff to re-evaluate some of the assumptions that we have taken for granted about our transit system (e.g. the viability of Light Rail Transit and Bus Rapid Transit for Guelph) and to start to look more regionally at our transit needs.
Council will be considering a recommendation tonight to launch the development of a far-reaching Transit System Growth Strategy and Plan.
This recommendation is very timely given the recent results of our Customer Satisfaction survey. Here are the results. They show :
- only 54% of residents are satisfied with transit service (bus/train) between Guelph and the Greater Toronto area
- only 42% are satisfied with public transit service between the City of Guelph and the surrounding communities such as Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge
- 22% used transit in the last week or month
- but 57% used transit no more than once last year ago or never
What will get people to use transit more often?
- 55% said better on-time service
- 54% more frequent service
- 56% more efficient routes
- 62% public transit promotions to and from special events and
- 42% lower prices
Filed under: Healthy Environment
Where is transit between Guelph – Cambridge?
Why not have 1 Guelph Transit leave for Cambrdige Kitchener /Waterloo every hour and allow 3 buses of GRT from each of these cities into guelph as a reciprocal agreement.
Citites such close need very frequent transit connection to make best use of resources?
I live within walking distance of the train station downtown and work within walking distance of the rail depot at lancaster and victoria in Kitchener. While this route seems to be mostly industrial cargo and such, I can’t help but think of how nice it would be to be able to commute from my home to work without having to drive myself.
I should probably be living in KW, but I just love Guelph so much I can’t bring myself to leave.
Just my two cents.