The on-demand transit service in Chatham-Kent is expanding to Wallaceburg and will now be available seven days a week.
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent said Ride CK OnRequest Public Transit will launch in Wallaceburg on July 18, allowing riders to book a trip between bus stops using a mobile app or by calling the transit telephone line. The service will operate Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7:15 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding holidays.
There will be 53 designated bus stops throughout Wallaceburg that will include a mix of marked stops and many that are virtual. The municipality said this will balance reasonable walking distances with service efficiency.
At a given time, there will be one or two low-floor, fully accessible transit vehicles on duty to provide requested trips.
“With no previous conventional urban transit in Wallaceburg it’s going to take some time to build up bus stop infrastructure,” said Ann-Marie Millson, manager of Transit and Capital Asset Management, in a news release. “But by using virtual stops we can reduce walking distances and be more flexible in making adjustments to locations in case travel needs are different than we forecasted.”
At the time of booking the rider will be directed where to wait for the bus based on their location, as well as the approaching direction of the bus. Like all urban Ride CK services, a $2.50 exact cash fare will be required for each trip.
In addition to the expanded service in Wallaceburg, OnRequest Public Transit will run on Sundays in Chatham from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., beginning on July 17.
“Transit on Sundays has been a longtime ask from Chatham residents,” said Millson. “While we don’t anticipate high enough demand to support the extension of our fixed route network to Sundays, OnRequest will be perfect for those who need to run errands or looking to attend church services.”
For a list of bus stop locations and information on how to book CK OnRequest Public Transit, click here.