Sault Ste. Marie Transit Services is a local

public transportation Public transport (also known as public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) are forms of transport available to the general public. It typically uses a fixed schedule, route and charges a fixed fare. There is no rigid definition of whi ...

service serving the city of

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Sault Ste. Marie ( ) is a city in northern Ontario, Canada, on the north shore of the St. Mary's River directly across from its "twin city," Sault Ste. Marie, in the state of Michigan. The city's population was 72,051 at the 2021 census, makin ...

providing seven major bus routes and two community bus routes serviced by a fleet of 27

buses A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a motor vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van, but fewer than the average rail transport. It is most commonly used ...

and 2

minibuses A minibus, microbus, or minicoach is a passenger-carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is us ...

. The Parabus service consists of 11 vehicles.

History

Early years

Sault Ste. Marie transit services since 1888: *1888–1903: Sault Sainte Marie Electric Light and Transit Company *1903–1942: International Transit Company (the last day of streetcar service was 31 October 1942) *1942–1964: Algoma Steel Corporation Transit *1964 to present: Sault Ste. Marie Transit Services operated by the City of Sault Ste. Marie

Recent history

In 2020, the City of Sault Ste. Marie announced that it was planning to relocate the main municipal bus terminal from Dennis Street to Huron Street where the current bus maintenance facility is.

Routes

Current

All routes start and end at the Downtown Transit Terminal located at Queen Street and Dennis Street.

Frequencies

All regular routes operate every 30 minutes during weekdays until 7 pm. Regular routes operate every hour weekdays after 7 pm and on weekends. The Central Community Bus operates every hour, Monday-Friday from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm. The Pointe des Chenes bus operates as a pilot during the summer of 2021 on weekends and holidays from June 26, 2021 until September 5, 2021 (except Canada Day). It operates 3 trips, one in the morning, afternoon, and early evening.

= On-Demand Sunday Evening Service

= Starting on 8 September 2019, Sunday evening service (7 pm to 11:30 pm) was switched to be on-demand. This was due to the low demand during this time. Sunday evening service was previously cut, to the disappointment of riders. Riders book a ride through the Sault Ste. Marie On-Demand app developed by Via or by calling transit dispatch. Riders are between existing stops, not curbside.

Terminals

Downtown Terminal (Queen and Dennis Terminal)

All routes start and end at the Downtown Terminal. This terminal offers an indoor waiting area, washrooms, shop, and driver facilities. The terminal has 6 bays. The terminal is in poor condition and is due to be replaced. There are also ongoing safety concerns, with the terminal staffed by a security guard. The terminal is also not accessible to passengers with disabilities.

Northern Transfer Hub

The Northern Transfer Hub opened on 3 May 2021. The Hub features a heated waiting shelter and 4 bus bays. The Hub is located on the Sault College campus providing service to the growing student population and area residents. The Hub is served by routes 2, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7, Point des Chenes, and the Central Community Bus.

Incidents

Gallery

File:Queen Street streetcar, Sault Sainte Marie -a.jpg, Streetcar on Queen Street in 1900s File:Passing streetcars, Sault Sainte Marie -a.jpg, Streetcar on Queen Street in 1910s File:1950's ssm bus.jpg, Buses garage in 1950s File:Sault Transit bus terminal.JPG, Bus (133) parking at Queen Terminal in 2010

References

External links

Sault Ste. Marie Transit Services
{{SaultOntario Transport in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Transit agencies in Ontario