Watch above: Saskatoon Transit users forced to find alternate transportation amid lockout
SASKATOON – The impact of the Saskatoon Transit lockout is definitely being felt by those who rely heavily on buses to get them where they need to go.
Riders are having to fend for themselves to get to and from work or school.
Jesse Campbell says he took the bus seven days a week to work and is now having to walk from the city’s Montgomery neighbourhood to the downtown core.
“By bus it would take me about 15 minutes, walking it’s about two hours,” said Campbell.
Other transit riders are having to hitch a ride.
“When I moved here for school I picked my location where I was living based on the bus routes because I’m not close to campus so now I’m too far to walk but it’s kinda hard to park,” explained Kodi Munro who has been dropped off at the University of Saskatchewan by friends and family so far this week.
READ MORE: More parking at University of Saskatchewan to deal with transit lockout
In response, there has been a surge in carpooling and it’s not just family and friends offering a lift.
“I’m offering them a ride in my car to come here if they don’t have a car or they can’t find a ride or something,” said William Fuller.
“I think it’s just really good cause when you help people it makes you feel good inside so I think that’s really important.”
Fuller, who was offering rides Tuesday, is just one of many who have posted offers to those in need on ‘YXE Share-a-Ride’. The Facebook page was launched on Sunday in the wake of the transit lockout.
“The whole concept is connecting drivers who have available spots in a vehicle with people that need a ride across the city,” said Doug Ramage, creator of YXE Share-a-Ride.
In other words, the page is organized hitch-hiking and it’s working.
Read more: Saskatoon Transit lockout leaves thousands scrambling for rides
“I think right now there are a lot of students, a lot of seniors and a lot of people who don’t have alternative transportation choices and can’t afford to take a cab every day,” explained Ramage.
Safety is always a concern when getting a ride with a stranger so common sense is advised.
“If something doesn’t seem right there’s nothing wrong with declining a ride or declining an offer of a ride and trying to find another. It would be better to miss an appointment or miss a class or miss a day of work then to get into a situation where you feel unsafe,” added Ramage.
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