(980 CJME file photo)

By Lisa Schick/980 CJME News

Rider Shuttles

No COVID restrictions for Rider shuttles

Aug 4, 2021 | 10:08 AM

As the Saskatchewan Roughriders take to the field for the first time in nearly two years and Mosaic Stadium will be able to be full for the first time in 16 months, those won’t be the only things nearly back to normal on Friday.

Rider Transit, the shuttle service that takes ticket-holders to the stadium from different points in Regina for free, will also be close to normal.

Ridership on Regina Transit’s regular routes is only back up to about half of pre-pandemic levels, but that is not expected to be the case for the stadium shuttles.

“We are planning that this will be similar service levels to what we had in previous years,” explained Nathan Luhning, manager of transit administration with the City of Regina. “So, in consultation with the Roughriders, we’re going with the same amount of buses in anticipation that we’ll have the same amount of customers that we once did.”

In addition, there won’t be any COVID-19 restrictions on the shuttles.

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“Right now masks are not required on city buses but those are optional for both customers and staff. All the capacity restrictions on buses have been lifted so they can carry a full busload,” said Luhning.

He said the Saskatchewan Health Authority hasn’t recommended any restrictions, so the city is following the authority’s guidelines.

“For us, they have worked well, so we want to continue to follow their lead and make sure that we’re making a safe environment for both our staff and for customers,” said Luhning.

The buses are still cleaned more frequently, hand sanitizer is provided for those who want it, and there are still barriers available for drivers to use if they want.

The city will be using the two articulated buses it purchased earlier this year for the shuttle. Luhning said they will be able to take more passengers with more space.

As with previous years, the shuttles will be running back and forth between the stadium and eight different locations in the city, starting two hours and 15 minutes before the game. The return shuttles will begin in the fourth quarter and continue until an hour after the game ends.