Plans are driving ahead to get more passengers on board the bus.
A review of the local transit service is getting underway to analyze existing service levels, cost factors/allocations, client groups, geographic areas and efficiency of service delivery.
“For all of us, the next step is how do we get more people on the bus?” Steve Harvard, from B.C. Transit, told Coldstream council at a presentation Monday.
Along with consulting with municipal partners (Vernon, Coldstream and North Okanagan Regional District transit participants), a ridership count and public consultation will help develop short-term system changes to be implemented within the next five years.
“What we feel can be improved upon and possibly what routes need to be looked at under the microscope,” said Harvard.
Coldstream politicians have some concerns around timing and the effectiveness of a two-week ridership count.
“If you just measure what is you may be missing what could be,” said Coun. Maria Besso, urging the review to examine options currently not provided by transit.
One example, she says, is ways to improve Vernon’s Kelowna connection, particularly to UBC Okanagan.
“That is probably the single most effective way to subsidize students getting an education,” said Besso.
The North Okanagan connector is also a route of concern for Vernon.
The tourism advisory committee is asking for an additional stop at Kelowna International Airport. Currently the transit service only makes a northbound stop at the airport and does not stop at the airport when heading south from Vernon to Kelowna.
But Harvard says that would create dysfunction on the Vernon end.
“There’s a significant cost for that to happen and it significantly impacts what happens on this end.”
