Gatineau bus riders slightly happier with city's transit service
Gatineau bus riders are slightly happier with the city's transit service than they were two years ago, according to a recent survey.
The overall satisfaction rate with Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) rose from 6.5 points out of 10 in 2016 to seven out of 10 last year, according to the survey conducted by Léger on behalf of the transit company.
The survey — which provided rates for each of the city's districts — found that Aylmer residents were the least satisfied with the transit service, where satisfaction rates barely rose from 6.2 to 6.3.
In the eastern districts of Buckingham and Masson-Angers, meanwhile, the satisfaction increase was the highest, rising from 5.9 to 7.1.
The Gatineau district has the highest satisfaction rate, at 7.3 out of 10 — higher than before the city's Rapibus network came online in 2012, which shows how the network has become an important facet of Gatineau residents' daily lives, the transit agency said in a press release.
Bus frequency 'moderately satisfactory'
STO president Myriam Nadeau told Radio-Canada that the transit agency has worked to improve the punctuality and frequency of buses — especially in critical areas.
She acknowledged, however, that there's still work to be done in Aylmer.
"We are aware that we have adjustments to make. Some we will adopt in the coming spring, in April, [so that they are rectified by] the fall," she told Radio-Canada in a French-language interview.
The survey also found that the STO's information tools received a satisfaction rate of 7.5, while driver courtesy was rated at 8.3.
The frequency of STO buses, however, was only deemed to be "moderately satisfactory" with a score of 6.3, according to Léger.
Léger interviewed 828 people over the phone and 178 people online in December 2017 for the survey, which has a margin of error of 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
The STO has stated its goal is to increase its overall satisfaction rate to 7.8 out of 10 by 2027.
