The Saint John Transit and Parking Commission has cut its deficit from last year down from $770,000 to $23,000.
CEO Ian MacKinnon says the deficit was mainly because of the repayment of debt on the Peel Plaza parking garage but calls filling the garage “a major accomplishment”.
He says the deficit was lowered through some cost reductions to off-street parking in general.
MacKinnon says off-street parkers are starting to pay for parking and transit ridership numbers went up after parking rates were increased.
People were deciding to take the bus instead of parking their cars in the uptown core.
MacKinnon says there’s been an enormous shift in the supply and demand as it relates to off-street parking.
The commission hopes to make parking and transit more innovative in the near future by allowing citizens to pay electronically to get on a bus or to park their car.
Switching to paying electronically is said to save $35,000 a year.
City Transit also has part-time staff for the first time, which has essentially eliminated overtime costs.
