Senior feels stranded by change to bus route
By Lethbridge Herald on September 2, 2025.
Nathan Reiter
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
A Lethbridge senior isn’t happy with a new change to the Lethbridge Transit network.
At the end of June, Lethbridge Transit discontinued four stops on the 51 Red Crow bus service on Garry Drive West – known as the 1 Gold route – instead routing the bus along Metis Trail and Walsh Drive in order to serve the Country Meadows neighbourhood. The change to the route took place on June 25 as part of a series of updates to transit routes in the city.
Michael Tipper is a resident at the Good Samaritan West Highlands Centre on Garry Drive. Tipper uses a walker for mobility reasons and can’t make the walk to the new bus stop along Metis Trail.
In an interview with the Herald, Tipper says having the bus stop along Garry Drive gave him a lot more freedom.
“It made a big difference to my life. It gave me a degree of independence and was part of my daily routine and I felt very disappointed. I was sad because I enjoyed using the bus. When you have a regular bus service, you can plan on going places.”
Because of the removal of the bus service, residents have not been able to access transit services. Access-A-Ride is a service by the City of Lethbridge for residents who can’t use regular public transit services.
Tipper says Access-A-Ride has not been a viable solution to replacing the 51 Red Crow bus service.
“You see people having to wait at the door for their son or daughter to pick them up. We can’t use Access-A-Ride. You have to book way in advance. They won’t let us access rides on demand until 7 o’clock in the evening, which isn’t much use to us.”
In the time since the transit route change, Tipper has phoned the City’s 311 number numerous times to express his frustration over the new change.
“One time, she was a very helpful person. She said that the change had come out because people at Country Meadows had phoned in to 311 wanting the service. She urged me and other people to phone in ourselves at 311, but it doesn’t seem to do anything good. I’ve talked to people, I can never talk to anybody who has any influence. They can only pass on a message kind of thing.”
Another impact the bus change has had is on home health care aide workers. Michelle Whaling, the housing co-ordinator for Good Samaritans, says she has witnessed workers sprinting towards the building in order to be on time.
“The home health care aides are already pressed for time as it is,” sys Whaling. “They are under a time crunch. They have such a quick turnaround time with people with anybody that they’re looking after. To have them sprinting from the closest one near Home Hardware, that’s a big trek for anybody. I can’t imagine how they’re going to do that in the wintertime.”
Whaling says Access-A-Ride has a high bar to access, with the application process being complicated for seniors due to filling out a form and uploading documents online.
“Even if their only option is the Access-A-Ride, that system needs to be looked at. Whoever runs it needs to have their senior mom try to do that by themselves because it’s difficult. I’m not asking an 80-year-old to try and scan paperwork and then email it, it’s just not feasible. I think about it at my age and how much I hate apps and things like that, that’s all we’re pushing them towards is apps and computer work. If Access-A-Ride is their only option, it just means that full application process needs to be acceptable too.”
The City of Lethbridge is currently looking for public members to join the new Transit Advisory Committee. The committee will meet quarterly with City representatives to discuss the transit system and recommend new ideas to improve service. An online application form and information is available at Lethbridge.ca/transit. Deadline for applications is Sept. 30.
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People no longer have their voices heard at the city of Lethbridge, particularly if you are an elderly person. They do what they want, whether it is transportation, roads, or downtown issues.
Many people who could no longer walk more than a few blocks had to find alternate ways to get to their diagnostic services at Radiology Associates after a crucial bus stop on Scenic Drive in front of that business was removed a few years ago.
Many people could not afford cabs to get there, and if anyone has ever had to assist a family member in applying to Access-a-Ride, they know that even the typical citizen finds the process challenging. After being accepted, the service frequently has lengthy wait times wherever you go, and if you are elderly and have to wait to be picked up to go home, you can end up in difficulties if there are no restrooms, which are hard to find because of the addiction crisis, another failure by the city to add to the list.
We do not require another committee, which has repeatedly shown itself to be a waste of time. They begin transparently and seem to make beneficial improvements, but they ultimately accomplish very little and serve primarily as a front to demonstrate that “we are listening.”
In an attempt to invalidate the accusations of worried individuals, City Hall no longer listens and instead dismisses any worries by releasing statistics and news releases! The worst impacts are frequently towards seniors!