Comex Route Changes Coming In July

Changes are coming for some Comex users in the Kennebecasis Valley amid low ridership numbers.

The 53 Quispamsis Comex will be scrapped and replaced with extra stops on the 52 KV Comex, which serves both Rothesay and Quispamsis.

Details of the changes were shared during the monthly Quispamsis town council meeting on Tuesday night.

Coun. Kirk Miller, who serves on the Comex committee, said while ridership numbers have been declining for several years, the pandemic changed things significantly.

“Unlike Hampton and some other areas that actually cancelled their whole Comex, we looked at an alternative to increase the runs slightly but also not give up some of our stops,” said Miller.

Miller noted that the Quispamsis Comex run sometimes only had two to four people on it at a time.

Aaron Kennedy, the town’s communications manager, said there have been ongoing discussions with the Town of Rothesay and Saint John Transit, which runs Comex, about the changes.

“I think council’s directive has been to ensure that we still provide that service but trying to do it in the most efficient and effective way,” Kennedy told council.

Kennedy said the biggest change will be for the three stops along Vincent Road, which will be replaced by one stop at the qplex.

“In terms of times, it’s basically about 10 minutes earlier for folks to get on at the qplex and arriving in Saint John basically around the same time,” he said.

In addition, those who use the Parkside Road stop will be picked up first in the morning and dropped off last at night, rather than being picked up last and dropped off first, he said.

Those who use the 52 KV Comex will also see fewer runs to and from Saint John as part of the changes.

According to the new schedule, the number of morning runs into Saint John will be reduced from three to two.

Currently, the bus arrives at King’s Square at 7:05 a.m., 8:15 a.m. and 9:25 a.m. The new schedule will have it arriving at 7:40 a.m. and 8:50 a.m., which is similar to the current schedule for the 53 Quispamsis Comex.

In the afternoon, the 4:05 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. runs to the KV will be maintained, while the 4:40 p.m. and 6:25 p.m. runs will be eliminated. This will be a slight change for the 53 Quispamsis Comex users, who currently leave the city at 3:45 p.m. and 4:50 pm.

Miller said he considers the adjustments to be “temporary” and added that they are open to future changes based on data and feedback.

“What none of us know right now is what’s it going to look like when the pandemic is over,” he said.

“It will come back to council in the fall, as well, once we start getting data that if we want to change things or work with Rothesay or go back to having our own route.”

The new changes will take effect July 5.