Monday August 23, 2021 | GREATER VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke, Editor | Island Social Trends
BC Transit will be scheduling their Fall 2021 bus services based on anticipated demand and will add services to meet any increased needs in the Victoria Regional Transit System as required.
This was announced this morning, August 23, as the back-to-school and return-to-campus season fast approaches (schools and campuses are set to re-open on Tuesday September 7 after the Labour Day long weekend).
The new service changes take effect Monday September 6, 2021.
No routes cut back:
There were no routes cut back amidst the Fall 2021 changes. Some routes will see minor trip schedule adjustments based on the analysis carried out by the BC Transit team.
More service on these routes:
The following routes will see service level increases, says BC Transit today:
- 4 UVic / Downtown
- 6 Royal Oak Exch / Downtown
- 7 UVic / Downtown
- 11 Tillicum Mall / UVic
- 12 University Heights / UVic
- 14 Vic General / UVic
- 15 Esquimalt / UVic
- 17 Cedar Hill
- 21 Interurban / Downtown
- 22 Vic General / Hillside Mall
- 35 Ridge
- 39 Westhills / Interurban / Royal Oak / UVic
- 51 Langford / UVic52 Colwood Exch / Bear Mtn.
- 59 Triangle Mountain
- 60 Wishart
- 72 Swartz Bay / Downtown
- 81 Brentwood / Saanichton / Sidney / Swartz Bay
Aiming for top service:
“BC Transit and the Victoria Regional Transit Commission work hard to match service with demand and continue to ensure reliable transportation services are available to our customers,” it was stated in today’s release.
They identify “a return to in-person learning for post-secondary institutions, and a further resumption of normal activities in the region” as factors they have accommodated in their scheduling.
Adjustments to ridership will be based on “the data we receive the subsequent analysis”, said BC Transit media relations rep Jamie Weiss today.
Increased above summer service levels:
This service change will provide increased service over and above the current summer-level service in the Victoria Regional Transit System.
This includes additional trips implemented on a number of routes serving the University of Victoria and Camosun College, as well as an increased number of trips on many routes serving the West Shore and Saanich Peninsula.
Ahead of last year’s fall season (i.e. in August 2020), BC Transit announced reinstated service changes (essentially bumping them up after reductions during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic).
Free transit for kids starts September 1:
BC Transit reminds customers that Free Transit for Children 12 and Under launches on September 1, and more information on that program is available here.
Use the apps:
BC Transit says that transit-riding customers are encouraged to use NextRide and the Transit app for real-time bus tracking and additional trip planning resources.
More information on fares, routes and schedules is available in the Rider’s Guide and at bctransit.com/Victoria .
Longer term on the west shore:
Back on June 30, BC Transit held an outdoor media announcement in Colwood during which there was some new information about speeding up the the West Shore/Downtown routes.
That set if enhancements is expected to take place in stages, over approximately three years.
===== RELATED
Free public transit for kids up to age 12 starts Sept 1 (August 9, 2021)
BC Transit service will run on Sept 30 on new national statutory holiday (August 6, 2021)
Fall service changes to Victoria Regional Transit System at Sept 7 in 2020 (August 24, 2020)
