STEPHEN RICCIO
PONTIAC Dec. 16, 2020
Transcollines will be introducing a more affordable public transport service on Hwy. 148 in 2021 as it begins an eventual transition to multiple daily trips for Pontiac commuters.
Starting on Jan. 4, an adult monthly bus pass will cost $240 for access to the service within the Pontiac as well as integration to Gatineau’s STO service, which is down from the old price that ranged between . . .
$300-600.
“We [were] able to lower the price because it was very, very expensive,” said Transcollines communications manager Benoit Legrot.
“The second big change is that at the end of the line [is the CEGEP campus],” he continued. “It’s very, very suitable for students, there’s a direct link for students. But there’s also possibilities for commuters and workers that go downtown.”
The monthly cost of a fully integrated student pass will be $170 and $120 for seniors. Legros also said that costs will be greatly reduced for travel passes within just the Hwy. 148 range.
He added that Transcollines had intended on upgrading the service to two to three daily trips, but were forced to delay to 2022 due to the pandemic.
“Starting in June 2021, we wanted to add a second and later on a third trip and also some local service for people who want to go work at Shawville or Campbell’s Bay,” Legros explained. “So there’s a whole plan for upgrading the service but that has been delayed for one year because of the COVID crisis.”
Municipality of Pontiac (MoP) Mayor Joanne Labadie confirmed her support for the revamped service during the Dec. 8 council meeting, voting to break a tie on a resolution that confirmed support for Transcollines new service plan.
The vote was split due to councillors Tom Howard, Scott McDonald and Nancy Draper Maxsom voting against the resolution while Susan McKay, Isabelle Patry and Leslie-Anne Barber voted in favour of it.
Howard said that he felt the scheduling of when the bus ran was far too limited to benefit many commuters, citing a former job he had that would have been incompatible with the schedule.
“I think it’s going to really help in our region,” Labadie said after voting. “We’ve got more and more people requesting better service from Transcollines in public transport.”
Legros explained that the service was made more affordable mainly due to its classification being changed from a single bus route to a public transport service, thus opening up more opportunity for funding from Quebec’s Ministry of Transport (MTQ). He said that once a second and third trip are added, the MTQ’s contribution would significantly increase while required contributions from the MoP and the MRC Pontiac would stay the same.
The formerly named Intercity-148 route, now called line 910, has been operating by demand only since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Legros said that total Transcollines ridership had decreased to around five per cent immediately after the pandemic and since then roughly 25 per cent of past numbers have returned, although that number is smaller within the Pontiac.
“We’re hoping with the lower cost and a specific design for the students [that we will] get riders back,” he said. “So 2021 is going to be a transition year.”
Use of the 910 line throughout the month of January will be free to all riders.
