EDITORIAL: Regional transit support ideal

By Editorial - Vernon Morning Star Published: February 03, 2012 1:00 AM

There’s another clear indication that co-operation has resurfaced in the North Okanagan.  All jurisdictions within the regional transit system have agreed to fund the second bus that has been travelling between Vernon and the University of B.C.’s Kelowna campus since 2010 (they all pay for the first bus). Funding was increasingly a bone of contention for Vernon, which absorbed the entire $120,000 annual cost for the second bus, subsidizing users from the outlying communities. For some jurisdictions like Enderby, few of their residents are hopping on to the bus to get to UBC or other activities in Kelowna, like shopping, work or doctors. But, there are other, and specifically Coldstream, which would account for a significant number of the people catching a ride down the highway. It wasn’t a fair situation and if the roles were reversed, Coldstream or the other communities would be frustrated if it was Vernon getting a free ride. Even if there are few users in some communities, the entire North Okanagan benefits from the service. It makes post-secondary education more accessible for our youth and that means they can remain here instead of leaving the valley. Transit also gets vehicles off the road, which is good for the air that we breathe. A long-term funding model is now being developed for UBC transit, and that’s good news, as the service is over-capacity and many students are left standing on the side of the road. A third bus is going to be required sooner than later and a regional focus will continue to be needed.