qathet Regional District (qRD) board has authorized the signing of a three-year transit expansion initiative and the board has reaffirmed its commitment to service expansion to Texada Island in the 2024 operating year.
At the September 27 regional board meeting, Rob Ringma, BC Transit’s government relations senior manager, provided a report to directors on ridership, a transit improvement program, an electronic fare payment program and an update on digital on-demand busing.
Ringma showed a graph demonstrating provincial ridership numbers that indicate projected boardings in 2023 having climbed to 2019 pre-COVID-19 levels. In the qathet region, with the rural paratransit system, ridership was also increasing in 2022/2023.
“We’ve been kind of flirting with the 2019 level of ridership pretty much all year long,” said Ringma. “We have been consistently above 2022 levels. From a regional perspective, we are seeing these consistent increases in ridership year-over-year.”
Regarding the transit improvement program, Ringma said last year there was approved expansion for an extra day of service to Texada. He said currently, Texada is only serviced one day a week. BC Transit proposes to add an additional bus to the route in 2024.
Regarding modernized fare payment technology, there will be options to pay with a mobile app, or reloadable smart card, as well as cash, in phase one, according to Ringma. In phase two, credit cards and debit cards will be accepted.
“Our current fare technology is quite antiquated, so this is a big and innovative move for BC Transit,” said Ringma. “For our customers, it’s going to continue to break down some of those barriers and make it more convenient for people to access transit.”
For digital on-demand, similar to City of Powell River’s Zunga Bus service, a pilot will be operating in Kelowna in 2024, according to Ringma. He said BC Transit will be working with qRD on a digital on-demand feasibility study.
Electoral Area C director and board chair Clay Brander said he is excited that ridership keeps trending upward. He said the new fare payment system will remove some of the inconvenience of riding on the bus.
“I’m really pleased we are going in that direction,” added Brander.
Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick said she wanted to thank BC Transit for the Texada expansion project.
“I know we had a lot of full loads this year going over on the Thursday bus, and so this will be well-used,” added McCormick.
She said there was a strong request from the community that a second day be on Tuesdays. She asked if that was possible.
Ringma said once the agreement is approved by the regional board, and provincial funding is approved, BC Transit will sit down with the qRD operations team, look at the schedule and try to accommodate the request for Tuesdays.
City director George Doubt asked about the Stillwater route and ridership to Saltery Bay. He asked if there was any prospect of expanding that for a true intercity service where people can seamlessly get to the lower Sunshine Coast or Horseshoe Bay.
Ringma said regional transit continues to be a hot topic on the Sunshine Coast and other areas.
“I know the province is looking at some options across the province,” added Ringma.
He said he didn’t have exact numbers to Saltery Bay but could get those to the regional district.
“BC Transit recognizes that there is still more to be done and a desire to look at a seamless inter-regional route between the Powell River region and the Sunshine Coast,” said Ringma. “We’re working closely with the Sunshine Coast Connector to make sure we are able to provide some synergies in terms of our schedule and the Connector’s schedule.”
Ringma said the real game-changer would be having the Sunshine Coast transit system go further north than Halfmoon Bay.
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