A new bus service has rolled into Iqaluit, giving residents another way to move around the city.

The Iqaluit Transit service was officially launched this week by Nunavut Marketing, a private company. It’s the first time in decades that there’s been bus service in the Nunavut capital. 

“When I first sat down here, I was like, ‘Wow, this is amazing,’” said Franck Essebou, an Iqaluit resident who took a break from work just so he could ride the bus on its opening day.

“I know a lot of people have been waiting for this.”

The last time Iqaluit had a local transit system was more than 20 years ago and it was operated by the city. In 2004, city council voted to cut the service because of the high costs to keep it going, and low ridership.

Iqaluit Transit’s “soft launch” this week is intended to help the company learn about which stops work for the community.

The current bus route has 14 stops and runs from the airport to Apex and back. The bus can be tracked online so people can know exactly where it is along the route.

Joanasie Akumalik, an Iqaluit resident, said that he hopes that the bus service is here to stay.

“The population is growing very fast, and a lot of people cannot afford to take a taxi, or have a ride — so this is one of the ways that [it] will help the community,” he said.

Aglaë Thibaudeau, also a city resident, says the bus comes as good news.

“Transportation is a necessity and not everyone has car. I don’t have a car myself, so I walk pretty much everywhere,” she said.

“I never thought this would happen here.”

Iqaluit Transit co-founder Jacinto Marques said the bus is meant to be a cheaper way of getting around the city, compared to taxis which can cost more than $9 per ride.

A single adult bus fare is $5, or $4 for elders, while children 10 and under can ride for free. Monthly passes are also available.

“Bringing something new that’s affordable to the city, it can change things,” said Marques.

Currently a single bus is running in the city. Iqaluit Transit has a backup bus that could also be used, depending on the demand. The backup bus is wheelchair accessible, and Marques said it could be deployed to help customers who need it.

Marques said that he’s also working to have a security guard on the bus.

Getting the project going took around three and a half years. The bus was originally set to begin operating this past January, but Marques said that it took time to find and train bus drivers, and just make sure things were done right.

He said the community was pushing for the service which is why they launched it now, while some details are still being ironed out.

Marques said that work was still being done to translate the stops and announcements, as well as the company’s website, to Inuktitut. Marques said that work will be done, as it’s mandatory.

There are also no signs yet at any of the bus stops around town as the company is still working with the city to get the permits for them. For now, there are photos on Iqaluit Transit’s website showing where the stops are.

The company plans to finalize its schedule and route details by next month. Marques said that in the meantime, passengers can ride for free until April 27.