Belleville, ON, Jan. 11, 2023 – Loyalist College, in partnership with Belleville Transit, is taking action to remove barriers to education and improve student access to essential public transportation services.
Beginning on Jan. 9, Loyalist College student transit ambassadors are on site at the Belleville Bus Terminal to help students navigate local bus routes and support the delivery of safe and efficient transportation to the College. Developed in consultation with the City of Belleville, the pilot initiative will ease demand on Belleville Transit workers during peak service hours and offer step-by-step guidance to student commuters on transit etiquette, schedules, routes and payment.
“As many new Loyalist students navigate our local transit system for the first time, Loyalist College is proud to partner with Belleville Transit in response to recent student and community feedback,” said Mark Kirkpatrick, Acting President of Loyalist College. “We’ve embraced the opportunity to work with the City of Belleville to meet the needs of the community and our growing student population. Our small size and close relationships in the community allow Loyalist to adapt to the emerging needs of our students. We are grateful to our community partners, such as Belleville Transit, for empowering us to deliver the most personalized wraparound support services in the system.”
As the City of Belleville continues its evaluation of local transit services, Loyalist College encourages students, employees and community members to complete Belleville’s Public Transportation Survey.
“We are very pleased with the relationship Belleville Transit has developed with Loyalist College over the years,” said Joe Reid, General Manager of Transportation and Operations Services, City of Belleville. “We know our transit system is an integral part of students’ experience and any way that we can work together to make that experience as smooth as possible is equally beneficial. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the college as we review and improve our transit system and would like to take this opportunity to encourage all riders to take our Public Transportation Survey to provide their input on the service.”
About Loyalist College
Loyalist College is located on the territory of the Huron-Wendat, the Anishnaabeg, and the Haudenosaunee people. We acknowledge our shared obligation to respect, honour, and sustain these lands and the natural resources contained within. Ranked one of Canada’s top 50 research colleges, Loyalist College empowers students, faculty, staff, and partners through experiential, industry cluster-based education, training and applied research programs. As Ontario’s Destination College, the College provides job-ready graduates for, and knowledge transfer to, industry and the community. Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, the College is perfectly positioned between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Loyalist College offers more than 70 full-time diploma, certificate and apprenticeship programs in biosciences, building sciences, business, community service, health and wellness, media studies, public safety, and skilled trades. Continuing education options are available through LoyalistFocus.com, including hundreds of online, distance and in-class courses, and through the College’s 100+ university transfer agreements. Loyalist College is a key driver of social and economic health in eastern Ontario. It contributes 3.8 percent of the Gross Regional Product, representing $396.3 million annually to the regional economy – based on an October 2021 report by Emsi. For more information on Loyalist College’s Belleville, Bancroft and Toronto campuses and Port Hope satellite location, visit loyalistcollege.com.
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Contact:
Braden Root-McCaig
Director of Marketing and Communications
647-523-4300
brootmccaig@loyalistcollege.com