Happy Cities led multi-phase transit study and network redesign to increase ridership and efficiency of Pictou County’s fixed-route bus system.

New bus stop signage in Pictou County, Nova Scotia. (Happy Cities)

Transit offers an affordable way for residents to get around Pictou County—and the local transit agency is leading the way in providing affordable, convenient bus service for rural Nova Scotian communities.

Pictou County Transit’s (PCT) bus system has seen rapid growth since it began in 2021. In 2024, annual ridership increased by 39% from 2023. This growth was largely thanks to the success of PCT’s main route (now renamed as Route 1), which saw over 50,000 riders in 2024. PCT launched a second “expansion” route in June 2024. This route plays an important role by connecting between six different towns in Pictou County. However, residents shared challenges with using the route, including long wait times for return trips and difficulties understanding the map and schedule.

A redesign of Pictou County’s expansion route was the primary recommendation from an initial pilot study, conducted by Happy Cities and commissioned by the Nova Scotia Community Transit Network (NSCTN) and funded by the Province of Nova Scotia. In 2025, Happy Cities was re-hired to lead the redesign process for Pictou County Transit, and to conduct annual monitoring of the success of each route for the next three years.

What we did

In the first phase, we conducted background research on innovative rural transit models, analysis of the transit routes, and engaged local residents, community groups, and employers to understand how transit can better meet residents’ needs. We rode the bus, held pop-up events, and conducted an online survey to hear from as many people as possible.

Following the initial transit study, our team worked with Pictou County Transit and six municipalities to:

Redesign and relaunch the network to address key design issues in PCT’s regional “expansion” route, which connects between six different towns in the county
Rebrand PCT’s bus system, including new maps, signage, clear information for riders, and integration with trip planning applications (e.g. Google Maps)
Monitor performance and develop data collection tools to assess success of the changes
Conduct an accessibility review of all bus stops to identify improvements and increase access to transit for all ages and abilities

New wayfinding for PCT’s bus system

During engagement, we heard from residents that the bus system was difficult to navigate and find information about, particularly for the county’s regional expansion route. Alongside the network redesign, we led a comprehensive graphic design and communications process to update information and signage and create a more user-friendly bus system. These upgrades included:

Designing new maps for the bus system, including a geographically accurate map and simplified transit map
Creating and installing bus stop signs, schedule information, and maps at all stops
Integrating the bus system with Google and Apple Maps

Explore the routes

Download the PDF map