'Toonie transit' expands to 2 routes in western P.E.I.

P.E.I.'s rural public transit system will expand in a few weeks, with two new routes travelling to and from the western part of the province with rides "cheaper than a cup of coffee," says Minister of Transportation James Aylward.

Rural routes with fares set at $2 per trip were launched in eastern P.E.I. in October 2021 as a first step toward creating an Island-wide public transit system. Souris and Georgetown to the east and Charlottetown in central P.E.I. act as the routes' end points.

"Having reliable public transit for all Islanders has widespread benefits, including reducing our carbon footprint and reducing transportation barriers for people in rural Prince Edward Island," Aylward said in the legislature Friday as he announced the new western routes.

"We will continue to look at ways we can connect more communities to public transportation options by adding additional roads and partnering with local municipalities and organizations to decrease the need for personal vehicle use."

One new route will take Islanders twice daily between Tignish and Charlottetown, with stops along the way in Summerside, Borden-Carleton and south shore communities. The other route will operate in the western region, circulating among communities and heading to Summerside at noon. 

The province has hired new drivers and is now training them. Detailed routes and schedules will be available online in the coming weeks.

Alyward said the pilot project in eastern P.E.I. last fall has been a success.

Based on surveys of riders, the province has made some adjustments to arrival times, and Aylward said there has been good growth in ridership. For instance, in the first week of operation, the route running between Charlottetown and the Montague-Georgetown area had only 29 riders; that has risen to more than 60 in the last few weeks.

However, that still averages out to just 2.2 people per bus per trip.

"Ultimately we want to get away from the car culture here on P.E.I.," Alyward said, noting that encouraging use of transit is part of his government's plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Tignish Mayor Allan McInnis says the transit system in western P.E.I. is sorely needed. He thinks it will be especially useful for seniors in winter when driving can be dangerous.

"I think it'd be a great asset to our area," he said. 

McInnis said he hopes the transit system and its associated costs don't end up raising provincial property or income taxes, though. 

He would like to see two buses making a trip to and from Charlottetown twice a day, so people in western P.E.I. can use the system to get to medical appointments in the capital first thing in the morning and return later in the day.