The City of Saskatoon is dropping $23.5 million on new buses, as the city was denied federal funding for zero-emission transit in September.

The purchase includes 17 40-foot diesel buses, four 60-foot diesel buses, and three access Transit buses. Robert Clipperton of Bus Riders of Saskatoon says the City was in desperate need of a fleet renewal.

“Despite the new buses that have been brought into service in the past years, scheduled service is still reduced from what it was in 2019, our service is not reliable, and too often, prospective passemgers are left behind due to capacity issues.”

However, he reminds that “you can’t just go down to the local bus dealer and pick out a dozen new buses off the lot. Delivery can take up to two years.” He says the City needs to plan ahead to avoid any Transit disasters.

The buses are expected to arrive by fall or winter of 2025.