Saskatoon Transit Study

This long-range planning exercise will determine how Saskatoon Transit should respond to a 20-year downward trend inridership and how the environmental and economic benefits of transit use can be maximized by the community. It is anew and innovative approach with potential for replication in other Canadian communities. It will identify and assess toolsto align service and demand to optimize efficiency, increase attractiveness to new riders and set a course forimplementation over the next ten years. Ways will be sought to integrate transit planning into City infrastructuredevelopment to increase energy efficiency. Innovative service delivery options will be developed based on marketresearch, including the identification of opportunities for the use of intelligent transportation technology. Riders and nonriderswill be consulted to identify issues and opportunities for improvement. This public consultation will includeneighbourhood associations, surveys of local businesses and focus groups with post-secondary students. Socialmarketing strategies will be employed to increase awareness of transit system improvements and to implement ridershipincentives to increase the attractiveness of transit. The final report will summarize results from the user-surveys, marketanalysis and the evaluation of new technologies (e.g. smart cards, passenger information systems). Recommendationswill be made for a staged implementation plan for capital purchases, expansion of the bio-bus program, route andscheduling changes, options for a light rail network and implementation of a public outreach and education strategy overthe next ten years. An analysis of the City’s Transportation Policy Framework, as it relates to effective transit service, willbe provided. In addition, the net environmental impact from system improvements will be calculated.