Calgary Transit is taking a significant step toward improving winter road safety by equipping its entire bus fleet with new all-weather tires designed to handle the city's challenging seasonal conditions.
Enhanced Winter Performance
The transportation authority has begun replacing all-season tires on its 40-foot and 60-foot buses with a new all-weather variant that features wider, deeper grooves and softer rubber compounds for superior winter traction. According to Dennis Uvbiama, manager of transit service vehicles for Calgary Transit, the changes should deliver measurable improvements over the current tire system.
"We should have better performance over our all-season tires," Uvbiama stated during a recent media briefing. "Most commercial vehicles do rely on weight to get around during the winter months, so we think this is an improvement over what we have today."
Multi-Year Implementation Plan
The tire replacement program will be implemented gradually across Calgary Transit's 1,100-bus fleet, with completion expected by 2029. The phased approach allows the city to replace tires as existing ones wear out, ensuring no additional costs to taxpayers since the new all-weather tires are being procured at the same price as the previous all-season models.
Uvbiama explained that the city specifically chose all-weather tires over dedicated winter tires due to Calgary's variable winter conditions. "Calgary does have dry pavement during the winter months so winter tires do wear faster," he noted. "We found winter tires would be cost-prohibitive."
Addressing Winter Service Challenges
The tire upgrade comes as Calgary Transit seeks to address historical challenges with bus operations during heavy snowfall and icy conditions, particularly on the city's steeper inclines. These conditions have frequently resulted in service delays that impact commuters throughout the winter months.
The new tires will remain on buses year-round, eliminating the need for seasonal tire changes. Transit officials plan to monitor the tires' performance through operator feedback and compare their effectiveness against the previous all-season models.
Meanwhile, the city's snow clearing teams are also preparing for winter weather. Chris Hewitt, the city's manager of mobility maintenance, emphasized that "whether you are walking, wheeling, cycling or driving, we will be focused on making sure you get around the network safely."
The city's snow clearing protocol prioritizes busiest routes within the first 18 hours after snowfall, with 750 kilometres of priority pedestrian pathways cleared within 24 hours. Major bus and community routes receive attention between 18 to 36 hours following snowfall.
