NANAIMO – BC Transit and the Regional District of Nanaimo are announcing a service expansion of 5,900 service hours for the Regional District of Nanaimo Transit System effective January 5, 2020.
BC Transit and the Regional District of Nanaimo work hard to match service with increasing demand, and this expansion will improve access for customers to connect with other communities and to Vancouver Island University, Cassidy, South Wellington and Nanaimo Airport.
The service expansion will include the implementation of two new routes:
- 8 Cedar/VIU
- Connecting the community of Cedar to Vancouver Island University
- 78 Cassidy/Downtown
- Connecting Nanaimo to the communities of Cassidy & South Wellington as well as the Nanaimo Airport
Holiday service will also be added to the system with Sunday level service on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Day and Good Friday.
Service changes will also be implemented to coincide with the expansion, including:
- 7 Cinnabar/Downtown
- No longer service the Cedar area and will now travel directly between Cinnabar and Downtown, connecting to the number 8 Cedar/VIU at South Parkway Plaza, reducing trip times by up to 40 minutes
- 30 NRGH to Woodgrove/Downtown
- Route adjustments to match service with demand
In addition to the conventional service expansion, handyDART services will also receive an expansion of 1,700 hours to help provide more service to customers. The service expansion will increase the handyDART service to meet demand at peak travel times.
handyDART is an accessible, door-to-door shared transit service for people with permanent or temporary disabilities that prevent them from using fixed-route transit without assistance from another person.
For more information on routes, schedules and fares, please visit bctransit.com/nanaimo or pick up a new Rider’s Guide. You can also use NextRide (RDNnextride.ca) to see where your bus is in real-time.
Quotes
“We are committed to making BC Transit service more convenient, including adding new routes where possible. Adding trips to existing routes and new connections to Vancouver Island University and the airport will make it even easier for people in Nanaimo to choose transit.”
Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure
“It is a strategic priority for the current RDN Board of Directors to provide opportunities for residents to move efficiently through and around the region. This addition of hours and expansion of service is an exciting step to help connect our communities throughout the region.”
Ian Thorpe, Regional District of Nanaimo Chair
“BC Transit works hard to ensure our services match ridership demands. In addition to the providing holiday service and expanded handyDART hours, the additional routes in the Regional District of Nanaimo Transit System will help improve service reliability throughout the system and provide our customers with essential access to Vancouver Island University and the Nanaimo Airport.”
Erinn Pinkerton, BC Transit President and Chief Executive Officer
Media contact
BC Transit Communications
Media@bctransit.com
