Case Study: Sault Ste. Marie achieves cost savings and improved Sunday evening transit with Via

Sault Ste. Marie launches an on-demand service during times of low demand

Sault Ste. Marie faced low Sunday evening ridership and wanted to improve service dependability while maximizing fleet efficiency. After a competitive procurement the City of Sault Ste. Marie selected Via to deploy Sault Ste. Marie On Demand, an on‑demand transit service launched in September 2019 to replace the city’s Sunday fixed‑route network with an eight‑bus on‑demand system operating 7:15–11:30 PM.

Via implemented app- and call-based booking that uses the City’s existing full-size buses and unionized drivers while keeping the regular $2.95 fare. The switch reduced the number of buses required (from a nine-bus fixed route to an eight-bus on‑demand network), delivered shorter waits and higher convenience for riders, and is projected to save the City tens of thousands of dollars annually; the success has city officials and riders praising the service and considering expansion of Via’s on‑demand model.

Sault Ste. Marie

Brent Lamming

Director of Community Services