Rural transit marks five years of serving Islanders

For the past five years, rural transit has helped Islanders get where they need to go by providing an affordable and reliable transportation option.

During that time, it has become an established part of the province’s transportation network by connecting rural communities with larger centres and making it easier for Islanders to access work, services and everyday needs.

“Over the past five years, rural transit has made a real difference for people in communities across PEI,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Bloyce Thompson. “This milestone reflects the tremendous growth of the service, and we look forward to continuing to enhance it for Islanders in the years ahead.”

The provincial government recently signed a five-year agreement with Trius Transit to continue the rural transit service, giving it further stability and a stronger foundation for continued improvements. This supports the province’s commitment to safe, affordable, and sustainable transportation for Islanders.

“Affordability for people has been a cornerstone of rural transit,” Minister Thompson added. “Offering $2 one-way fare, low cost monthly passes and free travel for children and students from kindergarten to Grade 12, makes this a very valuable service for many Islanders.”

The next phase will focus on providing reliable, accessible service, with enough capacity to meet demand and improvements based on ridership trends and community feedback. 

“Rural transit can make a real difference in people’s lives,” said Trius Transit president Matthew Cassidy. “As we mark five years of this service on PEI, we’re proud to make transportation more accessible, convenient and affordable for Islanders.”

To accommodate growing ridership, larger motorcoach buses have been added to the Western PEI, Three Rivers and Montague routes, offering more seating and improved comfort for passengers.

Quick facts:

• More than 550,000 one-way passenger trips have been taken since 2021. 
• Rural transit has grown from three to eight year-round routes and services from Tignish to Souris. 
• Monthly ridership has grown from about 1,500 trips in 2021 to almost 13,000 trips in 2026. 
• Rural transit recorded 15,376 one-way trips in September 2026, the third-highest monthly total on record. 
• Ridership reached 115,948 trips between January and September 2026, five per cent higher than during the same period in 2025. 
• The North Shore summer shuttle provided more than 11,000 one-way trips in 2026.

For more information on schedules or to book a seat, visit the Trius Transit website.

Media contact:

Dan Hodgson 
Department of Transportation and Infrastructure
[email protected]