“These public transit services improve mobility and employment access for a wide range of Islanders by decreasing the cost of transportation between major centers,” said Minister Sheridan. “It also decreases the provincial carbon footprint by reducing the number of vehicles being used for the daily commute.”

The provincial government announced $162,000 in funding for the 7-5-3 County Line Express in the 2011-2012 provincial budget, and $180,000 in funding for the public transit in the capital area communities of Charlottetown, Stratford and Cornwall.

“We look forward to working with the provincial government to explore how our services can be modified to provide the maximum benefit to Islanders,” said Michael Cassidy, owner of Trius Transit which operates the services.

The 7-5-3 service runs every weekday between Summerside and Charlottetown on Route 2. One-way fares are $7 from Summerside, $5 from Kensington and $3 from Hunter River. The capital area transit has nine routes operating daily in Charlottetown, Stratford and Cornwall. One-way cash fares are $2. On average, close to 1,000 Islanders use these transit services on any given weekday.

“Prices at the pump are on the rise so it’s a real benefit to have a public transit option,” said Minister Sheridan. “The provincial government views these public transit services as a solid foundation for possible expansion to an intra-provincial system.”