Skip to content

City buses join information age

Acessibility at forefront of North Bay Transit improvements
Mark King Transit
Coun. Mark King, standing next to a new numbered bus stop sign, announces North Bay Transit improvements. The audible announcement system has already been rolled-out to every bus in the City’s fleet. The My Ride NBT website can be viewed at northbay.ca/myridenbt. Photo by Stu Campaigne

Media members were treated to a free bus ride today. The City of North Bay and North Bay Transit were eager to demonstrate the new bells and whistles that the $434,484 they spent in upgrades make buses more accessible, efficient, and enjoyable to ride.

From the smooth stylings of Mike Monaghan (the new voice of NBT) announcing the newly-numbered stops, to the outdoor speaker to let riders at stops serviced by multiple buses know which route the bus would be taking, to the dedicated website to track and plan your bus trip, all of the new features make the sometimes arduous grind of taking transit to work or school a little less of a hassle.

No remedy yet for the girl talking really loud on her cell phone (is she really talking to anyone?) or the guy who smells like swiss cheese, or the fella next to you whose earphones are louder than your home stereo system, but what was demonstrated on one of the newly outfitted buses just makes a whole lot of sense.

The My Ride NBT site, a real-time website that uses GPS data from transit buses, can be accessed from smartphones, tablets or computers. Riders can determine when the next bus will arrive at the newly numbered bus stops, or search by general area (such as Northgate Shopping Centre). No more waiting outside in negative temperatures in February. You can take shelter and go outside just in time to catch your ride.

Website users can also pinpoint where the bus is along its route, and receive notifications about service disruptions or route changes.

"We wanted to adapt to meet the needs of all our riders," said Coun. Mark King, chair of the City's Community Services Committee. "With the system, we now have in place, we can continue to evolve and enhance the services we can provide residents through this website."

In place of the old "Stop Requested" lit signs, information centres have been installed, showing where on the route the bus is, which stop is next, and a clock to show you how close you've cut it to get to work on time. This is especially useful to the deaf and the hearing-impaired.

As the bus makes its way, Monaghan's recorded voice informs riders of the progress and stops on the route, a significant improvement for the visually-impaired.
"This is an important step in making our buses more accessible," said King. "The investments that we are making in our buses broaden the accessibility of our public transportation system in North Bay."

Granted, many of these changes were legislated by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), but North Bay Transit is now compliant, some three months before the mandate deadline.

Remi Renaud, Manager, North Bay Transit points to another feature of the two newest buses in the fleet as North Bay Transit's commitment to meeting the needs of its customers. The two buses will be used on the routes used by college and university students. On one side of the bus, all of the seats will be foldable, allowing more room for passengers to stand, and more riders on the bus.

Renaud explained, "The visual and audible announcements will help passengers identify upcoming bus stop locations and ensure they arrive at their anticipated destination."

This is an effective tool for senior citizens, those who do not see well at night, and those that are just plain lost. Renaud says that the services are not switching to online-only. Paper maps will still be available, and the transit phone number (705-474-0419) remains the same. Plus, if you are lost or in need of assistance, your friendly neighbourhood transit operator is always there to assist.


Stu Campaigne

About the Author: Stu Campaigne

Stu Campaigne is a full-time news reporter for BayToday.ca, focusing on local politics and sharing our community's compelling human interest stories.
Read more

Reader Feedback