Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 07/99) - Balancing rising costs with rising public expectations is the challenge being faced by the city in its attempt to revamp the city bus system.

The city got an earful of what the public expects from the system at a meeting Tuesday to discuss the recommendations of a study of busing in Yellowknife.

One of those expectations was that the transit system be extended to the Kam Lake industrial park.

"It's very hard to get employees there," said Kam Lake business owner Manuel Jorge. Jorge said he has 11 employees. Only three have their own transportation. He has to pick up and drop off the remainder each day.

Jorge got support from outspoken bus driver John Warren.

"We're really quick to add service for students going to school, but what about the people putting them through school?" asked Warren.

Warren later said he sees the potential for ridership in the industrial area each day when he drops people off at the closest stop, at Kam Lake Road and Finlayson Drive.

But consultant Steve Keen said surveys done during the study indicate extending the system to Kam Lake would not be cost-effective. Keen said the system could serve either Kam Lake or the airport, but not both.

The study recommended the four routes currently on the system be replaced by one. The single route, running between Ndilo to the airport, would have 30- minute service.

"The 30-minute frequency is a bit like a magic number," said Keen. "It's a lot simpler to understand and certainly a lot easier to market."

It also recommended fares be raised slightly, and separate buses be devoted to transporting students to and from schools to reduce overcrowding during peak hours.

About 20 people attended the meeting, less than half of them commuters. Other recommendations they made were:

* School buses are not suitable for public transit, since they have no hand rails for standing passengers to brace themselves with

* The proposed route is tight as is, and if any extra loops are added it will be almost impossible to complete in 30 minutes

* The school specials will be costly. The city will be billed for four hours to operate the buses for a two-hour shift, since the vehicles must be warmed up for a half hour and drivers must do inspections before and after each shift.

* The city needs to advertise, on the public access cable TV and other media, its schedules and changes to routes.

The city's current busing contract expires Aug. 31. One element in the cost of the system will be the amount of competition for the new contract.