Lethbridge Transit riders have spoken, as the City of Lethbridge is making a few changes to bus routes around the city starting June 25.
According to the City, these changes are part of Lethbridge Transit’s ongoing efforts to improve reliability, expand coverage and respond to rider feedback.
Here are the following changes:
- 1 Gold will no longer access West Highlands Station via Walsh Drive. Instead, it will turn left from University Drive onto Garry Drive, then right onto Highlands Boulevard, and right again onto Highlands Road to reach West Highlands Station.
- 1 Gold and 2 Blue will have increased frequency Monday to Friday from 7-9:30 a.m., to address overcrowding and improve on-time performance.
- 51 Red Crow will no longer turn right onto Garry Drive to access West Highlands Station. The revised route will be extended along Métis Trail, reintroducing fixed-route service to the Country Meadows area.
- The West Highlands daytime On-Demand zone will be redrawn to align with the new 51 Red Crow route. The zone’s northern boundary is now defined by Garry Drive. Evening and Sunday boundaries remain unchanged.
- 4 Orange will operate bidirectionally between Crossings Station and Southgate Station. Significant routing changes will occur through Lakeview and 20 Avenue South areas. Customers in these neighbourhoods are advised to review the new routing carefully.
- The northern boundary of the Southgate On-Demand zone will be extended to 24 Avenue South.
- 60C Stafford Drive will be extended north along 26 Avenue North, with service terminating at Sherring Station.
The City’s Transit Innovation and Planning Manager Jeff Gillette says the City has seen a dramatic increase in ridership over the past four years. “Basically, our pre-pandemic boarding ridership was about 2.1 million. In 2024, we had just over two million boardings.”
During this time, Gillette adds, the City has modified the routes to better serve customers. “We’ve noticed a dramatic increase in ridership in the Lakeview area, hence the 4 Orange extension. We’ve had requests from the public to have bi-directional service through there to Southgate.”
Since CityLink was launched in 2021, Gillette explains, Lakeview has seen an increase in ridership. “At this point, it was decided the ridership levels required a fixed route solution, and that’s what we’re trying to do, is to add fixed route service back into Lakeview.”
On-demand service, Gillette notes, is a good service for areas with low ridership and low demand. “As we see the increase in ridership and demand for our transit service, we take a look at the data, travel patterns and try to decide what’s the best way to serve that community.”
“In this case, extending the 4 Orange to Southgate was the right answer for this. The majority of boardings in this Southgate zone, about 45 per cent, their origin and destination is along 20 Avenue South and goes to or from Southgate Station. This 4 Orange will offer a direct connection for almost half of the riders in that neighbourhood,” Gillette says.
To help spread the word about the upcoming changes mid-week next week, Transit Customer Service Ambassadors will be out and about at various stations, adds Gillette. “Especially in Southgate, University, West Highlands and at City Centre. This way, they can notify customers directly about the changes.”
General Manager of Transit and Transportation Darwin Juell adds the reason for the changes is because the buses are getting busy. “Customers should be a lot happier with regular service in the Southgate area. But also the University, Route 1 and 2, we’re putting peak hour busing because peak hours are busier and the buses are getting behind, so we’re adding the peak hour bus Route 1 and 2.”
“The reason we’re doing that is to keep these buses on time, which is exactly what customers want,” Juell says. “A lot of the other changes are to create more reliable transit service.”
Lethbridge Transit is also expanding Route 62, going straight to Lethbridge Polytechnic. “We’re doing these little subtle changes to improve transit service,” Juell adds.
Funding for the changes, Juell notes, has no impact on transit’s operating budget. “In the last two years, we’ve had a budget surplus, so we’re reinvesting that surplus back into transit. Creating a bit of an improvement in transit service.”
For full route maps and updated schedules, visit lethbridge.ca/transit.
