EDITOR:
Recently, T3 Transit has been adding new bus shelters, with free WiFi access on the buses and a tracking mobile application. They are great improvements for regular bus users. But a lack of an evening schedule for routes 2, 3 and weekend buses is a stumbling block for the users, especially international students.
Firstly, routes 2 and 3 run only until 6:45 p.m. and this prevents bus users from going to UPEI, Holland College and downtown in the evening. For example, many courses and the final semester exam at UPEI can last until 10 p.m. Thus, students using the bus must walk and may arrive at their house around 11 p.m., which is a concern for cold days in the winter.
Another difficulty for frequent bus users is travelling to other areas from Charlottetown at the weekend. There are many events happening on the weekend across P.E.I., but there is no weekend bus for users to attend those. Attending some of these can improve international student's mental health. Diwali celebration, for instance, is one of the most popular festivals of Hinduism that occurred in November 2017 at Cornwall. And some can provide community participation and culture learning, like Kinkora Winter Carnival or Roots and Boots at Summerside.
Lacking those bus routes is holding users from using this public transportation. Therefore, having a vehicle is a must and this can harm the clean environment in P.E.I.
Thong Ho,
Vietnam,
UPEI Student
