BC Transit and the Province of BC are joining our local government partners to celebrate 40 years of transit service in the Kelowna region. The celebration includes open houses and an interactive online timeline of transit services.
“Over four decades, the Kelowna Regional Transit System has grown and improved into the modern, integrated service it is today,” said Premier Christy Clark, MLA for Westside-Kelowna. “And as the region continues to grow as a crucial part of Canada’s leading economy, it will continue to meet the needs of a dynamic and fast-growing centre.”
Kelowna was one of the first 11 transit systems in BC outside of Victoria and Vancouver that formed the original scope of the small community systems program. Thanks to support from the provincial government and local partners conventional transit service hours have almost doubled from 84,000 in 1997 to 160,000 in 2017. Today, the Kelowna Regional Transit System has 26 routes and welcomes over 4.9 million passengers each year.
“We continue to work to improve transportation services across the province, and it is impressive that the Kelowna Regional Transit System has been growing and improving over the past four decades,” said Norm Letnick, MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country. “With the support of the Federal Government and our local partners, we look forward to working to continue growing the system in the Kelowna region and across the province.”
“Increased service and increased ridership over the years has made Kelowna a leader in transit services in B.C.,” said Steve Thomson, MLA for Kelowna-Mission. “Transit service has to be convenient to be an attractive transportation option, and the expansion in service continues to support current transit riders and encouraging others to hop on board.”
Over the past four decades, the Kelowna region has been a leader in transit innovation. A RapidBus pilot project along Highway 97 over the last two years has supported the upcoming expansion of Real Time technology in BC Transit communities, including the Kelowna region. The RapidBus project includes signs that display when the bus is expected to arrive based on global positioning system (GPS) tracking. In Kelowna, the project also led to the development of the Queensway Exchange and the introduction of the 97 Okanagan Rapid Bus route.
“The Kelowna Regional Transit System is the second largest system, and has been involved in the introduction and implementation of many new transit innovations,” said Manuel Achadinha, BC Transit Chief Executive Officer and President. “Innovation in the system continues with the expansion of Real Time technology over the next two years.”
To celebrate the past 40 years, an interactive transit timeline can be found at www.kelownaregionaltransittimeline.ca, outlining the various service and infrastructure milestones of the local transit system. The City of Kelowna and BC Transit will also be sharing trivia questions, the answers to which can be found on the timeline.
“It is an exciting year ahead for the Kelowna Regional Transit system,” said Jerry Dombowsky, Transit and Programs Manager at the City of Kelowna. “We’ll be giving away transit-related prizes, as well as hosting transit open houses so that people can learn about the many pass programs, discounts and options that are available to them.”
An official celebration will take place at the Queensway Transit Exchange on July 4, the date the service officially started.
For more information on transit in the Kelowna region, please call 250-860-8121 or visit bctransit.com/kelowna.
Media Contact:
Jonathon Dyck, BC Transit, Communications Manager
Media@bctransit.com, 250-995-5720
*Regional partners include: City of Kelowna, City of West Kelowna, District of Lake Country, Westbank First Nation, District of Peachland and the Regional District of Central Okanagan.
