'We are cannibalizing parts': How broken buses are leaving Saskatoon Transit riders stranded

A bus is seen in downtown Saskatoon on March 1, 2022. (Josh Lynn/CTV News)

A parts shortage is leading to unpredictable bus service for those who rely on it.

Early Monday morning, Saskatoon cancelled dozens of trips due to "mechanical issues."

The cancellations come less than a week after service disruptions attributed to mechanical issues brought on by the cold.

Lesly Kelly said the route she takes to work was cancelled two times last week.

"It wasn't actually in the notice posted by Saskatoon Transit, that my specific route was cancelled," she told CTV News.

Kelly said with no Uber vehicles available and a long wait for taxis she decided to walk 35 minutes to work.

"I'm a person with a disability, I have cerebral palsy. So, you know, walking 35 minutes is not the best for me," Kelly said.

"I don't have the ability to drive, public transportation is my main source of transportation."

Between the time spent waiting for a bus that would never come and having to make the trek to work on foot, Kelly arrived at work a half-hour late.

This issue of bus cancellations was front and centre during Monday's meeting of city council.

"We've got angry citizens — and quite frankly helpless citizens — that cannot go on with their everyday lives to get them to work to daycare, etc. because they can't count on their means of transportation," Ward 9 Coun. Bev Dubois said.

Darren Hill took issue with Transit's approach to sharing information about the service disruptions.

"Identifying what is the cause rather than just putting 'mechanical issues' on the communications releases, because that's telling them nothing except 'mechanical issues' — they need to understand the severity," the Ward 1 councillor said.

'CANNIBALIZING' PARTS

While the city's frigid weather can wreak havoc on buses every winter, there are unprecedented challenges in fixing them, according to Transit director Jim McDonald

"We are running into issues with parts availability with COVID. That has been an issue that is around North America in terms of the bus industry," McDonald said when asked about the issues during Monday's meeting

He said bus operators in other jurisdictions have even contacted Saskatoon Transit trying to track down parts and Saskatoon Transit is currently "cannibalizing" parts from unserviceable buses to keep vehicles that still run on the road.

"Our staff are investigating every available option for parts that are available on the market."

He also said Transit is trying to avoid cancellations by keeping vehicles with a "check engine" light on the road — rather than having them immediately serviced.

"What that means is that we're taking a little bit more risk by putting those buses back out on the road immediately as opposed to having them completely checked out," McDonald said.

The fleet's newer buses are particularly vulnerable, MacDonald said, because the newer designs mean there are fewer available parts.

"So to give an example of 16 buses … parts are not available for those buses to be putting into them at this point," McDonald said.

While Kelly said she understands the challenges faced by Saskatoon Transit, it's of little consolation when she can't depend on her only mode of transportation.

"It's frustrating. Because I'm a person with a disability I don't have the ability to drive."

While resorting to a taxi or a ride-sharing service works for "one-off" trips, Kelly says they are too pricey to use routinely.

"To be paying for that — to and from work every day — it gets more expensive than owning a car," she said.

"And definitely more expensive than a bus pass."