Bus ridership in the Comox Valley shot up 17 per cent from the previous year, BC Transit said in its 2010/11 annual report, which detailed another record-breaking year.
Other increases were recorded in Fort St. John (26 per cent), Whistler (19 per cent), Prince George (16 per cent), Central Fraser Valley (12 per cent), Squamish (10 per cent), Kelowna (nine per cent), and Kamloops (eight per cent).
Overall ridership in B.C. increased five per cent from the previous year to 51.2 million trips.
“BC Transit’s continued focus on delivering efficient transit to the communities we serve resulted in operating costs that were eight to 11 per cent lower and ridership per hour that was five to nine per cent higher than the average of similar-sized systems across the country,” said Kevin Mahoney, chair of the BC Transit board of directors.
As of March 31, 2011, BC Transit served over 1.5 million British Columbians. With 1,028 vehicles, BC Transit has the 17th largest fleet in North America. The cost to provide service across 81 systems in British Columbia last year was $249.443 million.
To view the 2010/11 annual report and learn more about BC Transit, visit www.bctransit.com.
— BC Transit