Happy Valley-Goose Bay launches first public transit bus

HappyValley-Goose Bay’s first public transit bus, which is electric, began operations in the Labrador community on June 23. *Heidi Atter.*

Darin Curl has taken a ride on Happy Valley-Goose Bay’s new bus whenever possible, enjoying what he calls the “comfortable” ride.

“It’s a fantastic bus. You can sit up to 18 people, the bus driver is very friendly,” Curl told The Independent. “And the bus can take you all over town, pretty much.”

The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay launched its first public transit bus on June 23, offering free bus fares during the first week. The bus travels between the areas of Happy Valley and Goose Bay.

The town held a public meeting last October to gather input on potential routes; it also invited residents to complete an online survey through the winter. The current route’s stops and times may change in time based on feedback and charging times for the electric bus, the town said.

Happy Valley-Goose Bay resident Darin Curl is pleased with the new bus’s service. *Heidi Atter.*

The completed loop is estimated to be an hour and 20 minutes, with the bus running its routes at 7 a.m., 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

The town received $672,000 in federal funding through the Rural Transit Solutions Fund (RTSF). The province is also contributing $100,000 to the project, while the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay is chipping in $68,000.

“It was my first time actually going on a bus to get home,” 11-year-old Ben Ivey said after riding the bus on July 1. “It was a new experience that I never experienced before. It was really nice.”

Ben Ivey (right) and his friend William ride the new bus. *Heidi Atter.*

Ivey said the bus is designed well, it’s good to have for kids like him that can’t drive yet, and it’s quiet, unlike gas-powered buses. Ivey said he expects he’ll be taking the bus again in the future. “I think they should like see how it goes now; if it goes good, they should get another bus ready if they wanted,” Ivey said.

Curl said it’s been something the town has needed for years and it’s great to see it begin, adding it’s “a great experience for anyone that wants to travel around town, especially for seniors and teenagers and even people in wheelchairs, because the bus is also wheelchair accessible.”

Curl hopes the new transit system goes well, and that in the future the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay can add another bus to the fleet.

“For one bus to travel around the whole town the way it is, it’s going to take time for people to actually be able to catch the bus. So having another bus on the fleet would be a little more helpful,” Curl said.