Traffic tensions: Halifax Transit patrons and drivers frustrated by delays

Jessica Bona uses Halifax Transit every day. She gets on at 6:00 a.m. to go to work and gets back on 7:00 p.m. The trip takes about an hour each way unless an accident or construction slows traffic.

“Once I miss those connections that means I’m waiting another 45 minutes to an hour and that means I’m not getting home until 9 o'clock,” says Bona.

That's what happened Tuesday afternoon. At 5:20 p.m., Halifax Transit posted on social media that buses were an hour behind schedule because of heavy congestion.

“Last night was more congestion. I don't know if there were accidents, I did see a couple reported accidents on Google maps,” says Patricio Garcia, the president of the Amalgamated Transit Union’s local 508. “It is quite hectic.”

The president of the ATU says it can be stressful because drivers are the first point of contact for angry passengers and suggests there are some steps that could help limit delays.

“Better detours that don't miss as many stops obviously, but better detours to get around the construction. They're certainly a lot of places that construction could happen at night,” says Garcia.

Another potential solution is more bus lanes and rapid transit.

“We're moving in the same traffic as everybody else. There's a lot of single occupancy vehicles that are out there, so when traffic gets tied up, we get tied up. So we need a way to move around traffic,” says Garcia.

Otherwise, people like Jessica Bona will continue to wait and hope their bus is on time.

“A very long day. It doesn't give me much time at home to unwind and relax. It's rushed to eat, rush to get myself ready to go to bed.”

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