The City of Owen Sound is pleased to announce the completion of several key improvements to the City Transit System.

The City was the recipient of a Public Transit Infrastructure Fund grant from the Federal and Provincial governments. The City is grateful for these grants, as they have allowed the City to improve and extend the life of Transit System assets. These funds allowed the City to make the following improvements:

· The installation of 19 new bus shelters in 2017. 46 of the City's 154 bus stops now have a bus shelter.

· The installation of concrete pads at 54 bus stops. These pads connect the sidewalk to the curb to improve accessibility or provide a clear waiting area in others.

· The replacement of the Transit Terminal roof and the rooftop heating and cooling unit.

· Upgrading the washrooms at the Transit Terminal to make them more accessible.

· Replacement of the service counter at the Transit Terminal with an accessible counter.

· Replacement of outdoor signage at the Transit Terminal.

· Replacement of the Transit Terminal loading platform.

· Installation of a water fountain and a water bottle filling station at the Transit Terminal.

Still to come under the grant program in 2018 is the installation of one more bus shelter and 'approximate time of arrival' signage at each bus stop.

In addition to the projects included in the grant program, the City hired a contractor in the fall of 2017 to provide winter maintenance at all stops to increase accessibility and improve service for all our passengers.

The 2018 Bus Route Guide and Schedule is now available at the Transit Terminal, the Service Counter at the temporary City Hall location, Public Works and the Library. New this year, the City has added the location of each bus shelter to the route map.

The discount on monthly Student Bus Passes will continue until May 2018. Since October 2017, Student Bus Passes are available at the reduced rate of $30/month, down from $45/month. Bus passes may be purchased at City Hall, the Transit Terminal, and the Library. Student passes may also be purchased at the Georgian College bookstore.

source: media release, City of Owen Sound