Saint John Transit service enhancements focus on North/South routes and Route 1 East/West, beginning July 3, 2023
Route 25 (Millidgeville/North) will be discontinued and will be split into Route 24 North End and FLEX Millidgeville.
The Saint John Transit Commission is pleased to announce Phase 3 enhancements as part of the Transforming Transit project.
Enhanced schedules, new features and technology, and improved industry and system standards are making our transit service more financially and environmentally sustainable and providing more Saint John residents with better and more accessible transportation options.
This transformation is guided by principles that consider Saint John’s people and geography, industry standards, passenger and stop data, route modelling, and a comprehensive study of the transit system conducted by Stantec.
New Route and Flex Zone
Route 25 (Millidgeville/North) will be discontinued and will be split into Route 24 North End and FLEX Millidgeville.
NEW Route 24 North End
The Old North End will be serviced by Route 24, a new route that will run from Metcalf Street through the North End back to Place 400 where transferring will be available every 15 minutes. Hourly service will begin at 6:30 am and continue to 5:45 pm Monday to Friday. Saturday service runs from 10:30am to 5:45 pm.
NEW FLEX Millidgeville
Areas in Millidgeville currently served by Route 25 will be serviced by FLEX Millidgeville. The new zone does not include University Avenue. Transit service and stops beyond Brothers Cove on Kennebecasis Drive and along Sandy Point Road will be discontinued.
Bus service will be available from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm Monday to Friday, and 10 am to 6 pm on Saturdays.
Hours for booking
You can book on the app during service hours.
Telephone booking is available from 6:30 am until 5pm weekdays and 10 am to 5 pm on Saturdays.
Riders can travel stop-to-stop within the Millidgeville FLEX zone or transfer to Routes 3 or 9 North (University/Hospital) at a new stop at 608 Millidge Avenue (old Station 8). Riders who want to transfer to Route 3 or 9 East (Uptown/ McAllister Place) will transfer at the existing stop at the corner of Millidge Avenue and Woodward Avenue.
FLEX is an on-demand service that goes to stops where it’s requested within a zone instead of following a fixed route. The new Millidgeville FLEX zone will include all areas previously covered on the Millidgeville portion of Route 25 offer longer hours of service.
To access FLEX, riders can download the “Saint John Flex app” via the Apple Store or Google Play. Riders can use the app on their phones or tablets or call 506 652-3539 (FLEX) to schedule a pickup at their nearest stop. Transit planners encourage Saint Johners with friends, family, neighbours and co-workers in Millidgeville to help them set up a Saint John Transit FLEX account and take advantage of this new transit service.
Signage will be posted throughout the zone.
Riders are encouraged to book trips in advance for best service. The intent is to provide service within half an hour of a rider’s request.
Exact schedules for the fixed routes and the Millidgeville FLEX zone information will be available in saintjohn.ca in the coming weeks.
Fixed Route Service Enhancements
Route 1 (E/W)
Monday to Friday
The second most used line in the city, running from the Irving Oil Field House (East) to the Lancaster Mall (West) will run every 15 minutes during peak hours (6:35 am to 10:00 am, and 2:35 pm to 6:30 pm) with half-hour service during off-peak hours. Route 1 service begins at 6:05 am and ends at 10:55 pm. Saturday and Sunday service will remain as is.
Route 3 (E/N)
Monday to Friday
The first run on Route 3E will begin at UNB Saint John at 6:00 am. The last trip on Route 3N will depart from McAllister Place at 10:20 pm and arrive at UNB Saint John at 11:00 pm. The last trip Route 3E will depart from UNB Saint John at 11 pm and arrive at McAllister Place at 11:40 pm.
Route 15 (S)
Monday to Friday
The first run on Route 15S will begin at Lancaster Mall at 6:20 am.
Route 21 (South End) and Route 23 (Crescent Valley)
Monday to Friday
Service on these lines will begin at 6:25 am and end at 9:20 pm. Buses will run every 30 minutes until 6:20 pm, with hourly service during evenings. Service previously began at 7:35 am and ended at 6:20 pm and ran hourly. Saturday will remain the same as the current service. There is no Sunday service on this route.
Route 20 (Wright Street)
Monday to Friday
Hourly service will begin 6:10 am and continue until 6:25 pm. Service previously began at 7:40 am and ended at 6:05 pm. Saturday service will be hourly from 9:50am to 5:25pm. There is no Sunday service on this route.
FLEX West users who book using the telephone, telephone booking hours are 6:30 am until 5:00 pm. This change is to accommodate service expansion to Saint John Transit service.
Trip Planning
Riders can download the “Transit” app using Google Play or the App Store for trip planning. The Transit app integrates fixed routes and FLEX zones and also allows riders to book Flex rides.
About Transforming Transit
Riders began to see the results of the Transforming Transit project in October 2022.
Riders have seen frequency increases on rapid lines, extended service hours on other routes and the introduction of FLEX service in demand service. FLEX routes and shorter routes in the city are being serviced by six, 20-foot leased electric Karsan eJest buses.