If residents who ride transit regularly in the qathet region think they noticed two shorter BC Transit buses bombing around town in recent months, they would not be wrong.
According to a BC Transit media release on December 12, two new light-duty buses are now operating in the Powell River Regional Transit System. The 26-foot vehicles carry up to 18 seated passengers and two mobility aids, such as wheelchairs or mobility scooters.
However, the buses are not increasing the size of the fleet, or increasing the frequency of transit service.
"The new buses were simply replacing older buses that had reached the end of their service lives," said Jamie Weiss, senior media relations and public affairs advisor for BC Transit, in an email to the Peak. Weiss said there would be no impact to the level of service or number of drivers required.
According to the release, the buses are equipped with a white LED destination sign that clearly shows the bus number, route name, and destination. The interior of the buses include modern vinyl seating and better interior lighting to make commuting more comfortable for riders.
The total investment for the two buses was just over $451,904. Funding was cost-shared through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), where eligible costs for infrastructure and fleet investments are shared between Government of Canada, the province, local governments and other partners.
"The buses have been in service for a while now,” said Weiss. “We were catching up on new fleet deliveries fulfilling our funding obligation with the federal government.”
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