Brody Langager
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
It’s about 400 steps from Robert Clipperton’s home to the nearest bus stop. While that may not seem like much, it requires more activity than going into his garage and jumping into a car.
“All bus riders are pedestrians before and after their trip,” Clipperton, who is part of the Bus Riders of Saskatoon advocacy group, quipped.
A University of Saskatchewan study has been looking at the potential health benefits that come with taking public transportation, whether that be the extra physical activity, or a resident’s overall well-being.
“The study is about understanding the potential health benefits of large, urban infrastructure changes,” said Associate Professor Daniel Fuller, who is leading the study.
The study stretches across Canada, focusing on Ottawa’s rail extension and Saskatoon’s Link Bus Rapid Transit system. It previously included Victoria, Vancouver and Montreal, but those corresponding portions of the study have completed.
“People who take the bus tend to walk 10 to 15 minutes more per day compared to people who drive,” Fuller said. That gets people a lot closer to the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, he noted.
Fuller said better public infrastructure is a good way to encourage more people to be physically active — something people don’t often consider.
How the study works
The study has been ongoing since 2016 and will continue until about four years after the Link project is finished. Fuller said COVID-19 delayed the Link system, extending the amount of time dedicated to the study.
Following about 350 people, Fuller said they started collecting data in 2018 by having online surveys as well as periodic phone app surveys.
Participants will get replaced if they decide to opt out. Fuller said about 70 per cent come back every year.
He’s interested in how the Link system might change how people view Saskatoon, noting that some might feel more connected to their neighbourhood than others.
Because this data collection started before the pandemic, researchers gleaned some information from the previous cities in the study. Fuller said there wasn’t any concrete difference in people’s feelings of social connectivity over the course of the pandemic.
Compared to other cities in the study, Fuller said Saskatoon has a lower rate of physical activity, but higher rates of social connectivity.
“People feel connected to their community, they talk with their neighbours. They’re involved in their community.”
He suggested the reason for the lower rate of physical activity comes from colder weather and the need for more public infrastructure.
Some of the data has contributed to discussions around Link, as business owners expressed concern that a rapid transit system would negatively impact businesses along the corridors. Fuller says the data shows that wouldn’t be the case.
Social well-being, safety
Clipperton says only good things can come out of a study like this, noting how the well-being and social connectivity from riding the bus is also tied to other aspects like accessibility, equity and safety.
The city is clamping down on fare evasion with a new transit bylaw that takes effect in September, but Clipperton points out there are no discussions around what can be done for people living in poverty who still need to get places.
“None of its going to be perfect,” he said, adding that bus tickets could be helpful for those trying to access support services.
He said the social connectivity piece can vary from person to person. While taking the bus, he’ll often have four or five conversations.
“The other element though, and this has got a ways to go, is the feeling of being safe on the bus.”
The city has been working to address bus safety, with police officers starting to patrol Saskatoon Transit property and buses in September.
Clipperton has heard stories of people getting into fights and playing with knives on buses. He observed one person trimming his nails with an exacto- knife; while it wasn’t threatening, he could see how it would make someone uncomfortable.
In July, the StarPhoenix followed Clipperton on a bus trip and found sleeping passengers, a stranger touching the back of another passenger’s head, as well as a discarded needle.
Data collection for the U of S study starts again in September, and Fuller said there will be a media campaign to recruit more participants.
