Cindy MacDougall
Northern News Services

Yellowknife ( Mar 01/00) - A fleet of shiny new buses and revamped routes await public transit passengers this spring.

The four new buses, which were supposed to be running the roads of Yellowknife by February, will now arrive by May.

Back-ups at the factory have made the four buses late for their appointment with Yellowknife commuters, according to Cardinal Coachlines manager Troy Bowden.

"February was a guesstimated time of arrival," Bowden said. "The manufacturer was waiting on paint schemes from the city."

Calgary-based Cardinal took over the city's bus service last year, outbidding Arctic Frontier, the last bus contractor.

The five-year deal was struck last September and included four new buses for city routes.

The new Thomas-built models will be actual city buses, rather than remodelled school buses, said Norman Kyle of the city's public works and engineering department.

"They'll have two doors, with bells and hand rails throughout," he said. "They will have blue and yellow striping on a white bus."

The buses will not only be pretty, they'll also hold at least 84 passengers, compared to the 50 the current buses can handle, said Kyle.

Those extra seats are needed, especially during the morning and evening rush hours.

Kyle said the buses heading to the Frame Lake South and Range Lake areas are packed during the peak times.

"There's been a slight increase in ridership since the new provider took over," he said.

Once the new fleet is up and running, several bus routes may be overhauled.

The city started a ridership survey last week, with copies placed on all the buses. Kyle said he's received 70 responses, full of suggestions, so far.

"We're tentatively looking at adding the hospital and the airport back into the routes," he said. "And we hoped ridership for the Kam Lake area would be better. Since it's low, we may have reduction in service to that area."

Passengers on a Monday afternoon bus said they liked the service, especially since the routes run every half an hour.

"It comes 10 minutes after I leave school, so I can catch it right away," said Graham King, a 15-year-old Sir John Franklin student who lives on Latham Island. "I don't take it much except to go to school, though."

Bus driver Bob Castle drives the Ndilo to downtown route. He said the new routes haven't been finalized, but he hopes he can stay on his loop.

"The other buses get pretty packed at night, but you'll see them empty in the day," he said. "This route is never completely full, but it's pretty steady all day."

He said the shiny new buses should be able to handle Old Town's rough roads, as well.

"And they'll be in good shape. This bus never gets it's seats slashed or gets burn marks," he said. "The kids down here respect other people's property."