In my mind, this program is poorly promoted by the city.

Although the basic idea is a good one, it fails to attract new customers due to poor promotion by the city.

Transit fares increase in September. There is little information available concerning this change.


The transit guide is outdated. Route 46 and 47 have new schedules since Oct. 19, 2009 which are much different than what is shown in the printed riders guide. There are no route update supplements available on the buses.

With tongue firmly planted in check......It is time for the city of Prince George to establish a communications department to get information out.

Then quit giving free rides and raise taxes and fares, the city is good at raising taxes on a whim.

There is a mistake in that number by a factor of about 3.

Based on a recent report to Council, the annual income is in the range of $1.7+ million.

http://city2.princegeorge.ca/agendas/2010/2010_08_09/documents/Bl8300_8301_report.pdf

That works out to about $5,500/day average if I count just 6 days a week since Saturdays and Sundays are likely lighter days. If I were to count 7 days a week, it would obviously be less than that.

Start giving consideration for monthly passes and the amount will drop even more.

Still, the ten days becomes $55,000 then.

i can see another increase in my garbage fees and tipping fees to pay for it.

This free ride program should not be exercised for pollution caused by forest fires.

The cause is not relevant in this matter. IMO, this is a good idea and it is gaining steam.

I agree with newtech.

1. The relationship of pulling say even as many 500 cars off the streets on air quality days and the actual level of particulates in the air is miniscule. Give it 1% just for the sake of argument. If there is anyone who wishes to dispute that, give me the factual information to do it.

2. There is always at least a day lag from the time an air quality day is called and the actual beginning of the hourly increase in PM2.5 levels and the 24 hour average which is used to call the advisory.

So it starts to increase Monday, let's say, the 24 hour average causes an advisory on Tuesday, and the free ride is on Wednesday, the day when it is highly likely that the one hour averages are already starting to drop again.

The typical numbers are in the 30 to 50 ug/m2 range. Higher than that makes it a much rarer occurrence. All the diesel vehicles, such as buses, make up a low but significant amount of that pollution. Cars make up less than diesel.

On recent forest fire smoke days, the 24 hour averages were in the 150+ range. That is 6+ times the normal high days. The hourly ranges reached 300+

The amount of pollution put out by vehicles does not increase as a result of smoke in the air, thus vehicular pollution, whether from diesel or gasoline has squat effect on the total.

All in all, the free ride has little effect on the pollution picture. In fact, it sends out a message to those who do not know the science of this and are certainly not enlightened by the City which tends to do things more because it feels good than because it is good science.

The same People riding the Bus every Day, what that means they are just getting a free Ride and you pay for it, who ever came up with free Fares paid by the Rest off us, stop wasting Taxpayers Money!

Dustmasks are a lot cheaper.

I agree with Gus and Outwest. There is no information given out that would indicate that there is a substantial (or any) increase in people using the buses during bad air days as opposed to normal days.

So in effect we are giving up approx $12,000.00 per day for no reason. If you want this ;program to work, then lets start at the top.

Lets have the Mayor, Council, City Staff, concerned business people, IPG, Pulp Mill personel, etc; etc; all use the bus on bad air days. If you increased the use by 100% and there is sufficient empty spaces on buses to handle this increase, then you could increase your revenue by $12,000.00 per bad air day.

The problem is to get the City Fathers, and Leaders to leave the comfort of their cars, and ride the bus.


Whats the chance of that happening???

Nil. This is not Vancouver. Something many people forget.

Saves people having to put gas in their cars for ten days.

My point exactly Gus. This is not Vancouver, so its highly unlikely that anyone with a car is going to take a bus.

The fact of the matter is, if the middle class in this town are not prepared to take the bus themselves and lead by example, then the very least they can do, is quit asking other people to ride the bus.

Lead by example, or keep quiet.