Lethbridge Transit bus. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge Transit will require reservations, only for “essential travel”

Apr 3, 2020 | 10:36 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Starting on Wednesday, April 8, Lethbridge Transit is suspending its current routing model and will require people to book their spots in advance.

“In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, this change will ensure transit can remain a safe and viable service for those who need it most,” reads a statement from the City of Lethbridge.

Essential travel is classified as trips to get groceries or medication, attending medical appointments, or going to and from work.

Reservations will need to be made by 4:30 pm the day prior to the planned trip. It will identify the time and bus stop locations.

Door-to-door services are not being provided. This is to ensure there is a safe option for essential travel for the time being.

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“We are asking riders to plan out their trips and reserve their ride as much in advance as they can. Once we have that information, we put it into our operating software and create a route based on these reservations,” says Scott Grieco, Transit Operations Manager for the City of Lethbridge. “We understand that emergency situations may come up like a health-care provider getting called in to work and we’ll do our best to meet those needs as they come up.”

Information will be made available in the coming days online here.

A maximum of just 14 riders can be on the bus at one time.

Spots on transit can be reserved by calling 403-359-6558 or online at www.lethbridge.ca/reserve-a-ride

Riders with mobility aids are asked to book their trip through the Access-A-Ride service by calling 403-329-6464.

Reservations can be made from 6:00 am to 11:30 pm Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 11:30 pm on Saturdays, and 8:00 am to 7:00 pm on Sundays and holidays.

“We recognize that this is going to be a huge change for our riders and our staff and we ask for everyone’s patience and understanding while we work through this challenging time,” says Grieco. “We will continue to do all we can to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 and help flatten the curve all while providing transit service for those who need it.”

Anyone with questions related to the temporary transit system can call Lethbridge 311.

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