Medicine Hat Transit says it will improve communication with riders on its expanded transit service pilot project for statutory holidays after reporting a low ridership on Family Day.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
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City staff aim to improve direct communication with transit riders about a new pilot project that now provides service on select holidays.
At the start of 2026 the city announced it would expand transit services in a pilot program in response to rider requests for service on statutory holidays.
On Monday, members of a city committee heard ridership on the first day attempt, was lower than anticipated. Ridership on Family Day was half the average Sunday in Medicine Hat, which is already the slowest day of the week.
To improve communication with riders the city plans to put up more posters on shelters and improve communication on the buses about the expanded service.
Staff also say in-demand scheduling was affected for two hours by a software glitch that has since been resolved.
The pilot project is funded by resources previously approved in the 2025-26 budget and was intended to support riders who require the service on statutory holidays.
The next stat holiday planned for expanded service is Canada Day, which lands on a Wednesday this year. Canada Day was voted the No. 1 choice by transit users in a 2025 survey.
The city will take data collected from from both Family Day and Canada Day services and determine the next holiday in fall, between National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Remembrance Day and Boxing Day, which will be the final day of service during the pilot.
