THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay Transit is shuffling its routes and schedule to cope with fluctuating ridership levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. The move will see buses arriving every 10 minutes on one busy corridor between the city’s north and south ends.
High-frequency service will begin July 19 on the 3M (Memorial) route between city hall and the waterfront terminal, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m..
From Monday to Saturday, three routes that had been interlined will return to standalone service: the 3M, 3C (County Park), and 10 (Northwood). Bus frequencies will also be increased for the 3C, while the city will no long send two buses at once on the route for additional capacity.
On Sundays, those routes will continue to interline, with service frequency increased on the 3M line.
Transit manager Brad Loroff said ridership numbers remain significantly down from pre-pandemic levels overall, but have begun increasing on some routes, particularly the 3M and, to a lesser degree, the 3C.
The changes go into effect one day before transit begins collecting fares again for the first time since March. The city had ordered a long pause on fare collection as it implemented rear-door boarding to reduce contact between riders and drivers.
On July 20, riders will resume boarding through front doors and be required to exit through rear doors. Passengers with accessibility needs can continue to exit through the front.
More details on transit changes and schedules are available on the city’s website.
