By Ruby Pratka
Local Journalism Initiative
On April 2, Cowansville commuters got their first taste of something many people in larger cities take for granted – taking a city bus to work.
The MRC Brome-Missisquoi and the Ville de Cowansville, with funding from the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, have launched a public transport pilot project that will see a city bus circulating on a loop covering a wide swath of downtown Cowansville. Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins Hospital, Massey-Vanier High School and several parks and supermarkets are along the bus route.
Bus service is on the hour from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. and from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with two additional departures at 3:30 and 4:30 p.m, Monday to Friday. The $4 fare can be paid in cash on the bus or with tickets bought from the MRC office at 749, rue Principale. Children under 14 accompanied by an adult ride free. A full schedule and a route map are available on the MRC website (mrcbm.qc.ca/actualites/projet-pilote-en-transport-a-cowansville; in French only.) Seats do not need to be reserved in advance, although riders are advised to be at their bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive, to ensure they don’t miss their bus.
For Mayor Sylvie Beauregard, the transit pilot project offers “an accessible, sustainable and efficient transportation solution that meets the mobility needs of the community.”
Khalil El Fatmi is the transport services co-ordinator at the MRC Brome-Missisquoi. He said the MRC wanted to provide “more complete rush-hour service” for commuters in Cowansville, complementing the existing on-demand transit service. “It won’t just benefit people in Cowansville – because Cowansville is the central point for the MRC, it will benefit people from around the region.”
The route and the schedule, he said, were designed to accommodate “workers, students, older people … and anyone who wants an alternative” to driving everywhere. The main challenge for the project, according to El Fatmi, is making sure people know it exists. “Naturally, if we want people to use the service, we need to talk about it and make sure people know it’s there.”
The pilot project will run until Oct. 1. The MRC would not provide specific ridership targets. However, El Fatmi said if the project was successful, it could be expanded, with a second loop potentially added.