The extended bus service has made a return in Sarnia for New Year’s Eve.
The special service for New Year’s revelers will run from 6:30 pm on Dec. 31 to 1:30 am on Jan. 1, transit manager Michelle Carter said.
The service had run annually for years before it was paused in 2020 and 2021 amid COVID-19 restrictions, she said.
With more New Year’s events being planned around the city this year, “we thought it would be a good time to return it and just see what sort of ridership we’re able to assist,” Carter said.
Ridership for the service had been declining in the years leading up to the coronavirus pandemic’s onset in 2020, she said, noting fewer New Year’s Eve events in the city probably contributed.
The service provides people another way to avoid drinking and driving during their celebrations, she said.
“They can rely on transit to get them back without needing to take their vehicle or leave their vehicle behind somewhere.”
Routes that will be operating are similar to the usual Sunday transit service, Carter said.
“Each route does have coverage. It’s just obviously reduced after that 6:30 pm timeframe.”
Meanwhile, input has varied so far in a survey gauging how best to amend Sarnia’s transit routes to deal with delays caused by more stops, ridership, traffic and other factors over the years, Carter said.
Options for consideration include shortening routes and the number of stops, adding more buses and operators, or switching from a 30-minute to a 40-minute service schedule.
People can weigh in at speakupsarnia.ca/transittimes until Jan. 7, while paper copies are also available via city hall, Carter said. Participation has been slow to start since the survey opened about two weeks ago, she noted.
Other changes to city transit recently approved by council, including more regular bus service in Bright’s Grove, are slated to start Jan. 2, she said.