The Comox Valley Regional District and BC Transit are inviting the public to get on board with the region’s 25-year Transit Future Plan.
Until Tuesday, July 2 the ‘Transit Future Bus’ will be at various locations to connect with the public about area-specific transit needs, priorities and concerns.
The 40-foot decommissioned bus has been transformed into an interactive public consultation tool. Components include an iPad station, a kids zone and a Post-It note board.
The first stop on the Comox Valley tour was Tuesday's CVRD board meeting.
"The Transit Future Bus gives Comox Valley residents the opportunity to help shape the future of their regional transit system,” said Comox Valley MLA Don McRae. “B.C. Transit is committed to working with the Comox Valley Regional District and residents to improve transit services for families and communities.”
The Transit Future Plan will complement and support the findings of the Regional Growth Strategy, which cites transit ridership growth as a key objective in future CVRD transportation planning.
“As our region grows, there are more and more reasons to make transit a viable option for getting around,” CVRD board chair Edwin Grieve said. “Whether to get to school, to work, to an appointment or just to the beach, we need to ensure that transit is meeting the needs of our residents. BC Transit is committed to listening to users – and potential users – of the system, and we encourage everyone who has something to say to take this opportunity to do so.”
The Transit Future Team will travel with the bus to listen to the public and learn more about transit needs in the Valley. The team will be available to answer questions.
“In order for BC Transit to succeed for decades to come, we must listen to what our customers want and need,” said BC Transit vice-president and CIO Brian Anderson. “By bringing the Transit Future Bus to popular community events and destinations in the Comox Valley, we receive direct input from our riders on how to best grow a regional transit system we can all take pride in.”
The future bus will be at the Comox Quality Foods Friday morning, then Union Bay and the Buckley Bay ferry terminal in the afternoon. On Saturday, it will be at the Farmers Market in the morning and Crown Isle mall in the afternoon. Sunday stops are at Comox Centre Mall in the morning, and the corner of Fourth and Dunsmuir in Cumberland in the afternoon. The bus will be at Lewis Park on Canada Day, and Driftwood Mall and later in Oyster River on Tuesday.