Thunder Bay has received a combined $19.5 million from the federal and provincial government, and the City of Thunder Bay.
The funding will be used for nine projects including the two new electric pick-up trucks that were announced earlier this month.
The federal government is providing $8,402,140, the provincial government is providing $6,489,680, and the city is providing $4,579,526
A new real-time route and traffic management software for accurate, on-demand arrival times and fleet tracking is set to be purchased to provide the community with a more reliable and efficient transit service.
The city is also set to construct almost 13 kilometres of new sidewalks, multi-use trails, and trail extensions, including bridge river crossings to make transit more accessible for residents. Working in tandem with this addition; the city plans to address accessibility at 67 bus stops as well.
“Public transit is more than just a means of getting around,” said MP for Thunder Bay-Rainy River, Marcus Powlowski. “By making transit accessible, affordable, and reliable, we’re not only connecting people to opportunities but also creating inclusive, sustainable, and vibrant places to live and work.”
To extend the useful life of the fleet transit garage, a section of the roof, the diesel exhaust system, the lubrication lift, and the approach aprons will be replaced. This will reduce operating costs and make bus maintenance more efficient and safe. This isn’t the only adjustment the fleet garage is receiving as the facility is set to receive a new exit onto High Street as well.
To make driving more ergonomic and safer for bus drivers, the city will replace driver’s seats in numerous buses. They will also fit new transmissions and engines into select buses to improve the efficiency and extend the useful life of Thunder Bay’s existing transit vehicles.
