Burlington Transit session teaches older adults how to ride the bus

We’ve all got places to go, but how we get there varies from person to person. 

Burlington Transit and the Burlington Public Library held a session last week to teach older adults the ins and outs of using public transport to get around. 

“Transit is for everyone. Older adults don’t need to be concerned about where to sit. They should be confident and comfortable with boarding the bus and getting where they need to go,” Heather Mathewson Jelsma, supervisor of transit rider experience and education for Burlington Transit, says. 

More than 25 prospective bus riders sat together, listening to Mathewson Jelsma for about 45 minutes as she covered how to use and load a Presto card – and that Burlington Transit is free for people aged 65 and older – how to signal that you’d like to get on the bus, how to request a stop, and the buses' accessibility features. 

After the in-class presentation, the group was taken outside where a brand new bus was waiting for them. 

“It’s easier than I thought to take the bus,” Carol Simon, one of the attendees, said. “I hadn’t taken a bus since I was in high school, and there’s a bus stop right outside my door. We’re down to one car now between my husband and myself, so I think I’ll venture out more.”

The group rode from Central Library to the transit terminal, and to the Burlington GO station, where Mathewson Jelsmo touched on transferring from Burlington Transit to GO services. She also mentioned how certain transfers between Burlington, Oakvillle and Hamilton are free. 

Many of the riders commented how clean and smooth the ride was, compared to what they remembered from when they were younger. Most also said they have similar places to go. 

“I’ll do something easy to begin with, maybe Mapleview or Burlington Mall,” Simon said. “Even here I managed to get to the library, which I couldn’t before.”

Program organizers are aware that tech plays a role in transit for many riders, using their phones to get bus schedules and texting the city numbers to get updates on routes. 

A second program is in development now to teach older adults how to use the available tech when taking transit. 

“There’s a lot of technology in transit, whether you’re planning your route, wondering what time the bus is coming, or even reloading your Presto card,” Mathewson Jelsma says. “We’ve been talking with our guests and we’re definitely planning on coming back to cover the basics of technology in transit.”