A new Sarnia Transit route will begin running on Monday, making it easier for riders to get from the Clearwater Terminal to various stores.
The new Route 19 Retail Connector will operate Monday to Friday from 6:50 a.m. to 6:10 p.m., offering a direct link to shopping centres in the areas of London Road, Exmouth Street, Pontiac Drive, Lambton Mall Road, and Quinn Drive.
Transit Manager Michelle Carter said the Retail Connector will eventually alter a few of the current routes in order to improve efficiency and avoid route overlap.
"By the end of the year, we would look to phase out the 17A, 17B, and a portion of the 14 that services Walmart because all of those buses currently service the same area," she said.
In the meantime, Carter said the area will see an increase in service during the day.
"While we transition into this, it's actually going to increase service to those areas. So right now for example, Walmart is being serviced once every 40 minutes on Route 14," Carter said. "With the introduction of this Retail Connector -- especially as we get into the Christmas season -- that's going to see that area serviced every 20 minutes during our daytime service."
Carter said the new route is something that has been requested through a passenger survey and feedback from riders and bus drivers.
"A retail route like this has been a request of passengers over the past few years, especially since we moved to Clearwater and it will just eliminates the amount of transfers some people need," she said.
Changes to Route 2 Devine are also slated to begin on Monday.
Route 2 will start from the Downtown Terminal at 6:30 a.m. instead of the Clearwater Terminal, allowing for earlier connections for those heading east.
"It is giving them service 20 minutes earlier," said Carter.
The changes were listed in a report to council in July.
Further details about Sarnia Transit can be found on the city's website.
