Niagara Falls Transit Service Improvements

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Consultation has concluded

In 2019, Council approved a 5-year update to the original ‘Transit Strategic Business Plan and Ridership Growth Strategy’ to ensure they were provided with a full picture of Niagara Transit’s performance, required levels of transit service needed and how the community’s needs had been met or had evolved over the last decade. The update outlined the shorter-term needs of the operation and the City for the period of 2021 to 2025 and reflected the immediate recommended transit enhancements needed by the community of Niagara Falls.

To this end, as of September 6, 2021, Niagara Falls Transit is improving service by making a number of adjustments and increases to routes and timing. Select transit routes and stops will be expanded and others will be adjusted to make better use of resources in response to growing customer demand and new development in the City.

Some of the featured changes include:

  • Accommodation of new residential growth areas in the community. This includes addressing growth in the City’s south end, and migrating service toward the future site of the new hospital.
    • Impacted neighbourhoods include Warren Woods / Garner / Oldfield / Thundering Waters
  • Improvement of routing to facilitate:
    • ease of use for passengers
    • consistent timing for routes
    • alignment of departure times day and night, and Sundays and Holidays from Major hubs
  • Addition of service to Heartland Forest / WEGO Facility / Blackburn Parkway in both directions.
  • Access to Stanley South Business Park for those without transportation for employment activities.
  • Completion of the Morrison/Dorchester Lay-by this September with AODA compliant stops and shelters.(Stay tuned for platform locations)

Affected routes and stops include: #103 / #105 / #106 / #113 / #203 / #205 / #206 / #213

Click on the links below to see detailed maps, timing changes, and transit stops:

During this public engagement process we’ve reached out to riders through all channels including at stops, at our major hubs, onboard, on the TRANSIT APP and online. The Let’s Talk opportunity is meant to let the public and our customers tell us what we got right in this plan and what we need to improve on as we enter the 2022 budget and transit planning processes.

We’re excited about promotions we have underway including postcards with a free round trip going to all new potential riders in areas where we are going to be delivering transit to in September!

Thank you for your feedback!
The public engagement period is now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted a question/comment to the project team.

In 2019, Council approved a 5-year update to the original ‘Transit Strategic Business Plan and Ridership Growth Strategy’ to ensure they were provided with a full picture of Niagara Transit’s performance, required levels of transit service needed and how the community’s needs had been met or had evolved over the last decade. The update outlined the shorter-term needs of the operation and the City for the period of 2021 to 2025 and reflected the immediate recommended transit enhancements needed by the community of Niagara Falls.

To this end, as of September 6, 2021, Niagara Falls Transit is improving service by making a number of adjustments and increases to routes and timing. Select transit routes and stops will be expanded and others will be adjusted to make better use of resources in response to growing customer demand and new development in the City.

Some of the featured changes include:

  • Accommodation of new residential growth areas in the community. This includes addressing growth in the City’s south end, and migrating service toward the future site of the new hospital.
    • Impacted neighbourhoods include Warren Woods / Garner / Oldfield / Thundering Waters
  • Improvement of routing to facilitate:
    • ease of use for passengers
    • consistent timing for routes
    • alignment of departure times day and night, and Sundays and Holidays from Major hubs
  • Addition of service to Heartland Forest / WEGO Facility / Blackburn Parkway in both directions.
  • Access to Stanley South Business Park for those without transportation for employment activities.
  • Completion of the Morrison/Dorchester Lay-by this September with AODA compliant stops and shelters.(Stay tuned for platform locations)

Affected routes and stops include: #103 / #105 / #106 / #113 / #203 / #205 / #206 / #213

Click on the links below to see detailed maps, timing changes, and transit stops:

During this public engagement process we’ve reached out to riders through all channels including at stops, at our major hubs, onboard, on the TRANSIT APP and online. The Let’s Talk opportunity is meant to let the public and our customers tell us what we got right in this plan and what we need to improve on as we enter the 2022 budget and transit planning processes.

We’re excited about promotions we have underway including postcards with a free round trip going to all new potential riders in areas where we are going to be delivering transit to in September!

Thank you for your feedback!
The public engagement period is now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted a question/comment to the project team.

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

Do you have a question about the new routes and how they will affect you? We're happy to answer your questions or provide clarification. Submit your question here, and a member from our Transit Customer Service team will reply.

Note: Questions and Answers will be visible to the public. If you would like to connect with the project team privately, please email [email protected]. Please note, all public feedback, with the exception of personal information, will become part of the public record.

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    Why don't you have the ticket booth open at the Drummond hub? That way if passengers needed to purchase a pass they could.

    jbenstead4 asked 5 months ago

    We have a Transit Pop-up Store opening at the Morrison-Dorchester Transit Hub (7190 Morrison St, in the Dollarama plaza). Niagara Falls and Regional transit passes will be available!

    It will run from Monday, August 30th to Friday, September 3rd, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

    If you can't make it, there is a list of all other retailers at: https://niagarafalls.ca/living/transit/iride-pass-card.aspx

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    Has there been an considerations in regards to the working class in the tourist sector who work early sunday morning and late sunday evenings?

    E S asked 5 months ago

    Our Sunday service begins at 7:00 a.m., which is quite early in comparison to a much larger City such as St.Catharines, who doesn’t begin Sunday service until 8:45 a.m. Unfortunately, adding hours to service is driven by dollars and cents but we are always striving to improve and will certainly take this under advisement.

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    Will there be any assistance for low income individuals and seniors regarding reduced/free transportation?

    Fredkratz asked 5 months ago

    A valid question, and one that will be addressed in 2022 as it may have regional implications.

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    We need better fare payment options. Few stores offer cards. Many of the fare boxes are broken when I try to reload. And the drivers seem frustrated when I do reload (esp on 203). Presto, or even transit app ticketing should be implemented. Carrying 3$ all the time is a nuisance.

    Bwhissell asked 5 months ago

    Stay tuned.. a new state of the art fare payment option should be ready to go before years end!

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    will new Riders Guides be issued? I'm hearing rumors they won't be

    cooper1985 asked 5 months ago

    Rumors are true... the Riders Guides have been paused but replaced with a much simpler, effective route mapping tool found on Niagara Falls Transit’s website! It will allow passengers to focus on the route(s) they require, and not be overwhelmed by massive amounts of information overcrowded onto a typical old style guide.

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    Why can't we have free transit for Veterans as Guelph transit does? More attention to stops near senior residences. ie. Dunn street and opposite Kiwanis village also opposite Cavendish Manor. Particularly in winter.

    Rolyand asked 5 months ago

    Free rides for Veterans is an excellent program, one we will discuss in 2022 once potential regionalization is settled. We are always open to potential stop additions, and your concern has been forwarded to our stop location team.

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    Removing the 106 and 206 from the south end of Chippewa Sodem Rd area effects the new development off of Sodom. How is this going to help people. New development and no transit nearby. Not a good idea.

    Richman2021 asked 5 months ago

    The 106 and 206 will not be removed from the Sodom Road area. The buses will still follow their present route over to Gunning and Willoughby, and then onto Main and Ferry.

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    Please add bus numbers to the bus stops! Navigating a transit system that doesn't advise what bus stops where is impossible. Even when using the map - no indication of which side of the street/corner/hub etc is noted. BUS NUMBERS ON BUS STOPS! It's extremely important.

    tapeticker asked 5 months ago

    This certainly is good feedback, and we have been considering options with regards to this! We are looking at several options including frames to show the route, route map, and public timetable. Unfortunately, they may not be at all stops. At major hubs such as Main and Ferry, as well as Canadian Drive Hub, the stops at these locations do identify which bus will depart from.

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    Could you explain some of the reason behind the route changes and times? Will riders be negatively effected?

    Nick asked 5 months ago

    The last time a route and system review was done was in 2009. Council approved it in 2012 and Transit initiated it in 2014. The community has since grown exponentially in Niagara Falls. The changes in effect September 6, 2021 build on that original plan, and update the system to reflect the current state. We’ll deliver service to new neighbourhoods, employment centres not served by Transit currently, and make connections for future routes like the one that will eventually run to the new South Niagara Hospital.

    Our service planners have driven the routes and consulted with riders through customer service requests, and our operators in creating better timing and more natural connections. Our improvements are meant to stabilize the schedule, improve timing in traffic or on routes, and to expand existing routes to cover larger areas by providing service where there has been none.

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    Hi, It is very happy to hear that the new bus route is coming to oldfield subdivision. Thanks for the great decision. Please provide a bus stop at the east side of the intersection of Pender St and Oldfield Rd which is the main entrance to the oldfield sub division. A bus stop at this point provides a comfort access for the residents to bus service. Thanks

    liyalukachan asked 5 months ago

    The bus stops on Oldfield will be located close to Pender on both sides of the street, and at Cole Ct on both sides of the street.