The small-towner’s guide to Guelph transit

While the CSA renegotiates a UPass contract with Guelph Transit services, students can purchase an OnYourWay fare card to use the bus and make their way around the city. CREDIT: NICOLAS BUCK / THE ONTARION

ELENI KOPSAFTIS

To many first-years moving to Guelph, riding the bus probably doesn’t seem all that complicated. But to us small town folk who never had a local transit system, navigating one for the first time can feel pretty daunting. Coming from a town with a population barely over 6,500, I had never used public transportation before moving to Guelph. I didn’t know how much it cost, where to transfer, or where all the buses went. While I was eventually able to figure it out, a guide probably would have encouraged my overly-nervous self to use the transit before my second year. So if you’re like me or just need a quick rundown of how Guelph Transit works, listen up! First of all, U of G students usually have access to a UPass, a student bus pass included in tuition fees that’s offered by the Central Students Association (CSA) and has unlimited rides to anywhere in Guelph. Priced at around $150, the UPass is cheaper than the city’s Post-Secondary Semester Bus Pass. However, the previous UPass contract expired. This fall, the CSA hopes to approve an indefinite contract which prices the UPass at $151 with an annual increase of no more than two per cent per academic year. This motion has not yet been approved, so make sure you keep an eye on the CSA and local transit-related news if you hope to save on transportation. Until then, individual rides on the bus cost $3 which you load into the farebox upon boarding. You can also purchase an OnYourWay fare card from either Guelph City Hall on 1 Carden St. or the Transit Admin Offices on 170 Watson Rd S. After purchasing the card, you can load money or a certain amount of rides onto it, then tap the card on the farebox when boarding. Alternatively, you can load a bus pass onto the card.

Passes you should consider include the Fall 2021 Post-Secondary Semester Pass which is priced at $272. You will need to provide your full name, student ID number, proof of enrollment, and your OnYourWay fare card number when applying for this pass. It will be valid from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31, 2021. Another option is the affordable bus pass which costs $37.50 per month for adults and $31 per month for seniors. To be eligible, applicants must have proof of their residency in Guelph and an annual combined family income at or below the Statistics Canada before-tax Income Cut-Off. Passes can be loaded either at the place you purchased your OnYourWay fare card or online at onyourwayreload.guelph.ca. Now that you can ride the bus, find your stop at the bus loop or along the sidewalk. As you wait for your bus, keep in mind that they usually take about 30 minutes to arrive at each of their stops. You can use your phone’s maps app to see what bus to take and when it’ll arrive. Also make sure to follow bus-riding etiquette once you’ve boarded. The seats nearest to the driver are priority seating and can be lifted, so they’re reserved for those who use wheelchairs or strollers. If you don’t need those seats, sit elsewhere or give up that seat to someone who needs it. The mid-section of the bus is courtesy seating, so it’s reserved for those who would benefit the most from sitting during their trip, such as pregnant people or the elderly. The back of the bus can be used by anyone. Further, face coverings are mandatory while using the transit, and it’s also a courtesy to socially distance whenever possible. Alright, now that you’ve boarded, where do you want to go? The 99 Mainline arrives at its stops once every 15 minutes and will take you along Gordon St. The 99S will take you south of the university towards the Campus Estates Animal Hospital as well as several banks and restaurants. The 99N will take you north towards downtown where you’ll find shops and pubs like Harmony or McCabe’s. To do some shopping, the 8 circles Stone Road Mall and the downtown area. However, if you’re on campus, the 17 might get to the mall faster since that’s one of its first stops after the U of G bus loop. The 15 also stops by the mall right after the university, although it serves as the University College route. If you’re late for a class that’s on the other side of campus, it will loop the U of G area along Stone Rd. and College Ave. If your destination is far from campus, you’ll probably have to transfer between buses at Guelph Central Station. That’s also where you’ll find the train station that services the Via Rail and GO Transit. For those out-of-town trips, Via Rail tickets can be purchased online at viarail.ca for anywhere between $40 and $90. Similarly, GO Transit tickets can be bought at gotransit.com for $15 to $30. GO Transit tickets can also be purchased at the green and white ticket machines located at the U of G bus loop and the Guelph Central Station. It can be nerve wracking to ride transit in a new city for the first time, but after a while you’ll get the hang of it. If you have some downtime on the weekend, try hopping on a bus and just going for a ride. You can head downtown and familiarize yourself with the platforms at Guelph Central Station, or head across town and see what the other side of Guelph is like. If you miss a stop or get lost, try not to stress; it happens to everyone and will probably make a funny or relatable story to share with your peers in the future!