Bridge officials to review bus currency switch

Phillip Becker came to Monday night's City Council meeting to invite everyone to this weekend's annual Bridge Walk.

But the International Bridge's general manager soon found himself fielding questions about the controversial plan to have the Bridge Bus accept only U.S. currency.

As SooToday.com reported yesterday, the Bridge Bus between the twin Saults was to stop accepting Canadian currency on July 1.

Spencer Nebel, City Manager of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, believes the plan by the Joint International Bridge Authority (JIBA) may violate the international agreement under which the bridge operates.

Monday night, Becker said that JIBA has been advised that it's within its rights to refuse Canadian dollars, but the decision will be reviewed at a meeting today in Sault, Michigan.

Currently, it costs a dollar, either U.S. or Canadian, to board the Bridge Bus. Disabled individuals may ride for 50 cents.

Second option - $1.50 Canadian

Another option will be on the table today, Becker said, which will have Canadians pay $1.50 in their currency and Americans $1.

Mayor John Rowswell said that would definitely be his preference.

Becker said that the Bridge Bus is heavily subsidized by JIBA. It receives US$40,000 in direct cash, plus free passage across the bridge, worth another US$45,000.

JIBA also loses more than US$4,000 a year on currency exchange, he told councillors.

Councillors oppose the move

On Monday night, City Councillors passed a resolution asking JIBA to drop its plan to have the bus refuse Canadian currency.

A grinning Ward 3 Councillor Derik Brandt pointed out that 80 percent of the users of the bus are Canadian. If the bridge authority is a customer-driven organization, maybe it should accept only Canadian dollars, he quipped.

We gladly accept U.S. dollars at par!

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