Vernon Considers Transit Improvements

Public input will be the next step for proposed improvements to Vernon’s transit system.

The city is looking at adding three new buses, and seven-thousand more hours of service by next March.

Councillor Scott Anderson says he doesn’t want to keep investing money into transit, to try and make it successful.

“But if we can be shown that it’s actually having an effect, that people are actually starting to take the bus, or increasing their use of the bus, then I am in favour of it,” Anderson tells Kiss FM.

Councillor Brian Quiring says re-configuring some of the routes would make them more efficient.

“That might actually be enough, but if it proves out that we need to bolster some of the routes with additional time, then we’ll add the hours,’ says Quiring.

Councillor Bob Spiers is concerned about the city’s share of the extra costs — over 419-thousand dollars — which he says would increase the budget by 1.5 percent.

“It’s a heck of an increase,” stated Spiers.

Under an agreement with BC Transit, the City would pay 52% of the $810,000 cost.

The City will get input from the public at consultation stations at the downtown bus exchange, the Schubert Centre, and Walmart, and through an online survey Sept. 22 to Oct. 6.