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This low-floor bus was tested last week in the city for possible future use in the public transit system. City staff are hoping at a future date to acquire this bus in order to help make the system more accessible for seniors and persons with disabilities. - photo courtesy of the City of Yellowknife

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The city is further exploring the possibility of acquiring its first low-floor bus. It has been promoted as a more accessible means of transportation for disabled residents.

Staff at First Canada, the bus company hired by the city to provide public transit, completed a three-day trial last week of an Xcelsior Better By Design New Flyer in extremely cold conditions.

"The contractor is trying to take out a specific model that will meet our needs and I have talked to staff and (testing) appears to have worked out pretty good," said acting senior administrative officer Dennis Kefalas.

The bus made its rounds without passengers during the trial.

He added there may be some small fixes to road conditions in certain areas of the city over the summer to make the bus go through easier. He noted that while driving along Franklin Avenue toward Old Town in the area right before McDonald Drive, in certain spots the ground has settled, while in others it has heaved, making it difficult for a low-floor bus to navigate.

City councillor Phil Moon Son is the sole council representative on the transportation issues committee, the Ecology North committee which looks to improve how residents commute. Moon Son said the road conditions are a concern and the full costs to the city of adding a bus to the fleet are unknown. However he expects to see one added to the transit route.

"There has been some concern about (the bus) bottoming out, especially around the Old Town area," said Moon Son. "Because (the bus) is so low and some roads are so bumpy, (the roadway) scrapes along the bottom (of the bus)."

First Canada is now looking at what the implications may be of adding one of these buses to the fleet, but Moon Son predicts the additional costs should be minimal.

"There will be some adjustments to the contract if it goes because the current buses still have a life and are not fully depreciated yet," he said. "So if we want those types of amendments the city has to pay for it.

"What we have learned about it seems to be quite promising and I don't think the costs are out to lunch either."

Neither transportation issues committee chair Jacqueline Porter, nor representatives from First Canada wished to comment on the future of having a low-floor bus in the city.

However committee members Dan Wong, sitting as a citizen on the committee, and Lorraine Hewlett both indicated that they hope it will be an added benefit in making public transportation more efficient for all city

users.

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