HSR partners with McMaster University to ‘re-envision’ Hamilton transit system

The HSR wants to hear from you about how bus service can be improved.

The city has announced a partnership with McMaster University‘s Faculty of Engineering and the McMaster Institute for Transportation and Logistics in order to complete a two-year research project aiming to figure out how to improve Hamilton’s transit system.

HSR Director Debbie Dalle Vedove said the project will begin with an initial survey in June and will ask customers what they most want to see from their transit system.

“We’re going to find out if we’re servicing the right areas of the city. We’re going to ask if we’re running buses to the places where our customers need to go. We’re going to ask for ideas on how we can improve our routes, our destinations and our schedules,” said Vedove.

“It’s going to take a few years to complete properly, because we want to be sure that we’re not jumping to conclusions or just putting Band-Aids on everything.”

She added that the plan is to also continue trying to improve service during the two-year research period, especially in terms of juggling service alongside LRT construction.

Moataz Mohamed, the principal investigator for the project and an assistant professor with McMaster’s Department of Civil Engineering, said they’ll be looking at getting as many different customer perspectives as possible.

“We need to hear your voice,” Mohamed said. “This project is driven by you and it’s meant for you, and the entire system will be designed based on what you’ll express in the survey.”

The process will involve surveys and focus groups with as many transit riders as possible and will ultimately result in researchers presenting their recommendations to city council in March 2020.