#Committee #OKs #faculty #zone #work #discusses #Saskatoon #Transit #fares
Committee requires pair of college zones to be eliminated at similar time, hears assurances that working fare packing containers are in place on metropolis buses.
Saskatoon metropolis council’s transportation committee acquired collectively Tuesday at Metropolis Corridor, the place they heard extra on plans to take out faculty zones on twentieth Road and thirty third Road West that not align with nationwide requirements.
The committee additionally heard experiences on the set up of latest fare packing containers, and situations of fare-dodging on Saskatoon Transit buses.
SCHOOL ZONES
The committee endorsed suggestions to finish simply over $500,000 price of enhancements to stretches of twentieth Road West and thirty third Road West, prematurely of eradicating faculty zones close to St. Mary’s Wellness and Schooling Centre and École Henry Kelsey.
This comes out of modifications to high school and playground zones approved by council in November 2021, and introduced into impact at first of the 2022 faculty yr. The objective was to align metropolis insurance policies with Transportation Affiliation of Canada tips.
Metropolis director of transportation Jay Magus re-stated the TAC ideas to the committee on Tuesday, noting they name for college zones for use solely on streets that both run immediately in entrance of, or beside faculty buildings. The 2 faculty zones in query are on what TAC phrases “walk-to-school” routes; Magus mentioned TAC advises using activated pedestrian crossings and different visitors calming measures.
Magus and his crew beneficial simply over $400,000 in work on twentieth Road West between Avenue P and Avenue L South, together with including curb extensions and adjusting ramps.
Proposed work on thirty third Road West is predicted to value simply over $100,000, if accepted. Additions of pedestrian-accessible ramps and corrections to pavement markings are anticipated to go forward this yr as a part of a upkeep challenge already accepted for the realm.
The committee additionally unanimously accepted a suggestion for council to have each tasks accomplished collectively. This got here after dialogue together with Ward 2 Coun. Hilary Gough, who isn’t on the committee, however represents the realm of twentieth Road the place the varsity zone is up for removing. She mentioned she needed to verify there was consistency for residents.
Three residents despatched letters to the committee; all had been in favour of proposed new visitors calming measures and different security upgrades. Two letter-writers known as for brand spanking new measures to be introduced in whereas nonetheless maintaining the 30 km/h velocity restrict in place, whereas the remaining resident was in favour of eradicating the varsity zone of their space.
TRANSIT FARES
Metropolis staffers introduced a pair of experiences updating the committee on progress getting working fare assortment packing containers in all buses and situations of individuals dodging the fare to trip the bus. Saskatoon Transit has seen a spike in unpaid fares tied to ongoing points with fare packing containers put in in 2010, and has bought a alternative system which they started rolling out in 2022.
Terry Schmidt, basic supervisor of transportation and development, informed the committee that working fare packing containers are actually in place on all buses. The report on fare-dodging indicated that one of the best estimate, based mostly on information collected by drivers, is that Transit misplaced about $67,800 in 2022 on about 20,000 situations the place individuals merely refused to pay a fare, even when a working fare field was accessible.
Coun. David Kirton questioned that quantity, noting he’d heard from the union representing bus drivers that many had merely given up on recording situations of fare evasion, because the observe had turn out to be so widespread. He famous they’ve continued to name for higher coaching in de-escalation to take care of doubtlessly unruly passengers.
Kirton additionally acquired metropolis administration to decide to work on getting a brand new vendor for bus tickets at Confederation Mall. The report exhibits the mall is without doubt one of the most typical spots the place individuals don’t pay their bus fare. The Confederation Mall Safeway used to promote bus tickets, however stopped when it was purchased by Sobey’s and converted to a FreshCo. Kirton famous the one place within the neighborhood of the mall promoting bus tickets was a comfort retailer on Diefenbaker Drive, a number of blocks from the Confederation bus terminal.
Whereas 20,000 fare-dodgers is a tiny fraction of the roughly 4 million bus rides Saskatoon Transit offers in a yr, Kirton mentioned he views it as a driver security problem; whereas drivers are instructed to not implement fares, disputes nonetheless appear to be on the root of confrontations that may endanger drivers, and passengers, he mentioned.
Mayor Charlie Clark agreed {that a} protected setting on transit is extra vital than income.
“To try to chase income on 0.5 per cent of the tickets, I feel, will not be the way in which we’re going to create that setting,” he mentioned, whereas calling for continued collaboration between the transit staff’ union. administration and council .
The committee is predicted to obtain a report later this yr particularly addressing security incidents on buses.
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