(Susan McNeil/paNOW)

By Susan McNeil

Transit changes

Free transit on New Year’s Eve followed by route expansion to The Yard Jan. 2

Dec 27, 2024 | 4:06 PM

The City of Prince Albert’s transit buses will be available for free on New Year’s Eve once again this year, starting at 7:15 pm.

Transit Manager Evan Hastings said that the free service is funded by SGI and will run until 3:15 am on the six main routes.

The Core Express will keep to its regular route and times.

At the same time, the city is expanding the All-Day Express bus to stops in The Yard near the Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre.

“We are excited to see the continuing growth in The Yard and want to ensure essential transportation options are available to connect residents to the new Lake Co-op Leisure Centre and other businesses as the area continues to grow,” said Anna Dinsdale, Community Safety and Well-Being Manager with the City of Prince Albert.

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“Having affordable public transit options to all areas of our community ensures residents have reliable access to services and recreation opportunities and helps reduce barriers to employment that can impact individuals and families.”

The route change to access The Yard will begin on January 2 and run Monday through Saturday, stopping every half hour.

This is an extra route that will run in addition to the Core Express, which runs now on weekdays.

The city said that All-Day Express route is heavily used and sees just over 1,600 riders per week.

Following a reduction during the pandemic, transit usage in Prince Albert has shot up and sits at record numbers.

This graphic by the City of Prince Albert’s transit department shows how bus ridership has increased.

A trial run of bus service to Little Red River Park was not as popular so that will be discontinued on December 28. Other ways of providing access to the park for those without transport are being explored with other organizations.

Information about transit times and locations is available by visiting the City of Prince Albert online. Residents can plan their trip in real-time to see when their bus will arrive by going to https://transitlivepa.com/.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

On BlueSky: @susanmcneil@bsky.social