Transit System: Cowichan Valley
Cowichan Valley – This year, the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) and BC Transit are celebrating 25 years of transit service in the Cowichan Valley, and a decade of interregional service to Greater Victoria on board the Cowichan Valley Commuter.
“It’s amazing to see how far we have come with local transit services in a relatively short amount of time,” said Jon Lefebure, Chair of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. “As our region continues to grow, we will be working closely with our partners to ensure we are meeting the needs of our own residents and visitors using these services to explore our communities.”
BC Transit first hit Cowichan Valley streets in August 1993, operating only two buses and seven local routes. Today, the system operates a fleet of 31 buses and has 17 routes. Ridership has grown to approximately 450,000 rides a year.
In October 2008, 15 years after launching service within the Cowichan Valley, BC Transit introduced two commuter routes connecting the Cowichan Valley with Victoria as a way to promote an alternative to single-occupancy vehicles on the Malahat. Commuter routes are cost-shared between the Province of British Columbia, the CVRD and the Victoria Regional Transit Commission.
“Congratulations to the Cowichan Valley Regional Transit System on reaching these two milestones,” said BC Transit Interim President and Chief Executive Officer Erinn Pinkerton. “BC Transit takes pride in the strength of our partnerships, and we look forward to celebrating many more years delivering transit service that best suits the needs of the Cowichan Valley—both locally, and for customers commuting between Victoria and the CVRD.”
To celebrate this double anniversary, the CVRD and BC Transit will be holding two customer-appreciation events on Thursday, September 20:
• Between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. – Lake Cowichan Transit Hub on South Shore Road
• Between 5:15 and 6:15 p.m. – Duncan Transit Hub (Village Green Mall, beside London Drugs on Central Road)
Drop by and meet CVRD board directors, BC Transit representatives and local operating staff. There will be free cookies and Scratch-and-Win bookmarks, offering the opportunity to win free monthly bus passes. Customers will also have a chance to enter a draw to win other great prizes, including a gift certificate to the Pacific Northwest Raptors Centre, and gift certificates from Island Savings Centre Recreation, South Cowichan Recreation and Cowichan Lake Recreation.
Draw prizes are courtesy of First Transit, CVRD Recreation, Pacific Northwest Raptor Centre and Cowichan Lake Community Services.
For more information about transit in the Cowichan Valley, including routes, schedules and more, visit bctransit.com/cowichan-valley.
Media contact
Jonathon Dyck
BC Transit
Communications Manager
Media@bctransit.com
250-995-5720
