Transit forum will focus on growth of Burlington bus system

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Published April 15, 2024 at 4:33 pm

bus rider transit Burlington

Working towards a transit system that meets the needs of Burlington residents is the goal of this year’s Transit Users’ Forum.

Presented by Burlington for Accessible, Sustainable Transit (BFAST), the forum will take place May 4 from 1-3 p.m. at Burlington Central Library.

According to organizers, the forum will give riders a chance to question Burlington Transit management directly about their concerns and focus on how residents can best engage local politicians to get moving on a transit system that can meet the community’s growing needs.

A panel of transit and environmental activists, including Gideon Forman of the David Suzuki Foundation and Ian Borsuk from Environment Hamilton, will join Burlington’s Deputy Mayor for the Environment, Councillor Rory Nisan, to discuss pro-transit initiatives in other communities and how supporters got their best results. The forum will also feature a state-of-the-system report and a question-and-answer session with Burlington Transit Director Catherine Baldelli.

Local political leaders have been invited to attend.

“People are realizing that transit is a common-sense alternative to ever-mounting car expenses, traffic gridlock, pollution and concrete sprawl,” said Doug Brown, chair of BFAST). “It’s the best bang for the city’s investing buck.

“Ridership at Burlington Transit is the highest in its history and growing. That’s a tribute, in part, to the leadership of the Mayor and City Council. Their investment in transit is working. It’s working so well that the system is now stretched. Transit needs the resources to meet today’s demand, let alone the needs of tomorrow. We have to find the best way for transit users and supporters to get that message across.”

Panelist Forman is Climate Change and Transportation Policy Analyst for the David Suzuki Foundation. He is the author of a number of recent articles about the proposed Highway 413 and the benefits of public transit.

The Transit Users’ Forum has been organized annually by BFAST since 2015, with a three-year break from 2020-2022. Last year’s forum was held in September, but this year’s returns to its traditional May date.

As has been our practice in the past, BFAST will circulate a summary and photos following the event.

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