Transit needs $2M to pave the way for new riders

Ron Seymour  The Daily Courier  2011-08-08  
An ambitious plan for the expansion of public transit in the Central Okanagan forecasts a quadrupling of ridership in the next 25 years.  Total annual passenger trips are predicted to rise from just over four million to 16 million in the expansion plan, details of which will be considered today by Kelowna city council.  Anticipated service upgrades include having buses run every 15 minutes or more frequently on most routes, 15 hours a day, seven days a week.  To achieve the improvement in transit service, nearly $2 million in additional annual investments would have to be made in Kelowna Regional Transit, city staff say.  "High quality public transit service is an essential requirement for the creation of healthy, economically competitive cities," reads part of a report to council by Ron Westlake, director of regional services.  Benefits of an enhanced transit service, he said, include improved air quality, lower greenhouse gas emissions, reducing demand for costly new roads and encouraging higher-density development in town centre areas.  The total budget for the Kelowna area transit system has doubled from $9 million in 2005 to $18 million this year. But fares from passengers only account for 26 per cent of system expenses. The rest is covered by grants provided by the City of Kelowna and the provincial government, through BC Transit. In July, Kelowna city council approved an increase in the single-trip adult fare from $2 to $2.25, to take effect in January. It‘s the first time fares have risen since September 2007. Between 2009 and 2010, total ridership on Kelowna Regional Transit increased nine per cent.

QUICKFACTS
Some of the key aspects of the 25-year transit plan:

•  Increase the number of buses in the conventional fleet from 72 to 184, and the handyDart custom fleet, for mobility-challenged passengers, from 23 to 51 
• Improve service along the Pandosy-Lakeshore corridor, and along Gordon Drive, providing a bus connection to the H2O Centre
• Improve service between Glenmore and UBCO using a road link expected to be constructed within the next few years
• Extend the RapidBus route across West Kelowna to the Westbank town centre
• Develop Park ‘N Ride facilities so commuters can drive themselves to a transit station before getting on a bus to take them to work. Currently, only three per cent of commuters ride the bus, a figure transit managers hope to boost significantly in the years ahead 
• Increase service between Vernon, Lake Country and Kelowna