City clarifies what to do if your bus isn’t the bus you expected

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Asking to remain anonymous, one transit user explained to rdnewsNOW that this left some feeling hesitant to hop on in, not being clear that the vehicle was legitimately giving bus rides for Red Deer Transit.

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City clarifies what to do if your bus isn't the bus you expected

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Michael Leibach, Transit Superintendent at the City of Red Deer, says he appreciates why that hesitance could occur, but wants to reassure riders that alternate vehicles are genuine; he also offers tips on how you can make sure in that moment.

“The City of Red Deer is very good about keeping on top of our regular vehicle maintenance, but they are subject to breaking down like any other. In situations like Tuesday, a bus broke down on the road, and at that point, we have several options: If we have another unit of the same size available, we can send it over; if we do not, we have alternative vehicles such as Action Buses, 15-passenger vans, and light-fleet vehicles,” he explains.

“In these cases, everyone is in uniform and everybody should be able to be identified as a City of Red Deer employee, although it is appreciable that someone who doesn’t regularly have these things happen may have been concerned about getting into a different vehicle.”

He adds that the vehicles should also be clearly marked with a Red Deer Transit insignia and have a vehicle number.

If still in doubt, any rider can ask the driver to call a supervisor, he says.

Leibach says to stay on schedule, that the vehicle may still leave with passengers who get on; however, once a supervisor attends the location, they will offer a courtesy ride to the person who stayed.

With respect to the city’s transit fleet, it is comprised of two types of buses — diesel and compressed natural gas (CNG), the latter being more eco-friendly.

But he says the issue Tuesday isn’t to do with a lack of vehicles, or their age.

This upcoming budget, he says, city administration will be asking city council to replace several buses, but they aren’t proposing, at this time, any growth to the total number in the fleet.

“When our buses break down, it’s certainly not the same issue every time. Our buses run 362 days a year, so we do see some issues that only happen [seasonally]. In the summer, we see AC failures, for instance. Our buses aren’t old, relatively speaking, but they aren’t brand new either,” he admits.

“That said, there are no fine-determined factors as to why the buses are breaking down, but any vehicle, as it continues to be used for as many kilometres as these do, is subject to mechanical issues from time to time.”

He says it’s under review how many buses they’re looking to replace, and any purchase would require a procurement process.

The greener CNG buses do cost considerably more than diesel, but newer diesel buses do actually offer a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

At the end of the day, Leibach wants customers to be comfortable.

“Although we are experiencing issues, we are well off here in Red Deer, given the equipment we have, and I think the way we address challenges pretty swiftly,” he says.

“We understand some people may be uncomfortable, but hopefully the message gets out there that we’re more than happy to answer any questions at customer service. We welcome anybody to contact us, and we can support them.”

Red Deer Transit customer service is available by calling 403-342-8225 or emailing transit@reddeer.ca. Hours are Monday to Friday from 8-4:30. Or visit in person at 4830-48 Street (Sorensen Station).