On Roughriders: City of Regina approves free bus ride proposal

In 2017 and 2018, people in Regina will be able to get free rides to football games thanks to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

On Monday night, Regina City Council approved a proposal from the CFL club to pay for bus rides to all home games.

Currently, the city offers bus routes to Mosaic Stadium from four mall locations (Northgate, Normanview, Southland and Victoria Square) starting 90 minutesbefore kickoff.

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Under the new proposal, buses will start providing trips to games two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff, which will allow "transit to provide more trips to the stadium and increase the capacity of how many people can take the bus to the game."

As well, a fifth location pick-up location will be added in downtown Regina.

The changes will mean there will be 102 total bus trips to each game, compared to 36 under the current model.

Right now, a return trip from a mall to the game costs $3 each way.

It will cost the CFL club $165,000 for each of the two years.

The Riders will start playing at the new Mosaic Stadium in Evraz Place in the 2017 season.

The Roughrider said "although this transit plan is specifically for Saskatchewan Roughriders home games," it could be duplicated for any major events at the new Mosaic Stadium.