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More buses have been added to the morning and afternoon rush hours and service on 10 routes that don’t typically run on Saturdays has been restored, Laughlin said.

There will be empty buses on standby throughout various parts of the city that will be able to respond quickly if buses reach capacity, in an effort to reduce crowding.

“We will have more opportunities to address issues as they arise and we will continue this practice going forward,” Laughlin said.

Frequent rider Allen Lai, who relies on transit to get to work every day, said he was shocked to see the Route 1 bus packed to the brim before 8 a.m. as it approached the Jasper Place Transit Centre. He and the many others waiting at the stop were able to squeeze their way onto the standing-room-only bus, Lai said. But with everyone squished so close together, Lai said it’s clear the city’s intent to increase social distancing wasn’t working.

“I was baffled, I didn’t even know what to do,” Lai said of the packed bus rolling up to the station. After his stop, Lai said the bus was too full to pick up about five people at the next seven stops.

North-side resident Victoria Eke was hoping the city would add back all the routes that don’t typically run on Saturdays. Her local route 163 was not one of the 10 restored. Eke worked from home Tuesday and said she would now need to walk 40 minutes to catch the bus to her work.

“Regular scheduling doesn’t even need to happen but they shouldn’t be cutting off a whole section of the city,” Eke said. “It’s just a nightmare, it’s actually a nightmare.”