B.C. Transit has reconsidered plans to regionalize the local public transit systems in Clearwater, Ashcroft-Cache Creek-Clinton, Kamloops, and Merritt, following considerable pushback from elected officials in those areas and in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD).
During the TNRD's Committee of the Whole meeting on Friday (March 28), BC Transit announced the cancellation of a plan to regionalize the systems. The plan was unveiled in early 2024, and came as a surprise to the affected communities, which had not been consulted prior to the plan's announcement.
Daynika White, BC Transit Manager of Government Relations for the Thompson/Kootenay region, confirmed to the TNRD board at the start of her presentation that the regionalization plan was mot moving ahead. She added that BC Transit would be continuing its contractual relationships with Yellowhead (which operates the Clearwater and Ashcroft-Cache Creek-Clinton services) and the Nicola Valley Transportation Society, which operates the Merritt service.
"BC Transit monitors and supports safe and effective delivery of service throughout the year, and operating contracts with both organizations will be renewed annually," she said.
When news of the proposed regionalization plan was announced, elected officials from the affected communities were quick to note the positive relationship that existed with the system operators, and expressed fears about what would happen under regionalization and a new operator. Representatives from the communities and from the TNRD voiced their reservations about the plan to BC Transit, in person and by letter, and met with then-Transport Minister Rob Fleming in summer 2024.
Fleming acknowledged the lack of consultation and said he would hit the "reset" button on the discussion, postponing the planned regionalization for a year.
"I'm aware that many questions and concerns were raised last year when BC Transit informed local government partners about the intent to have all four of the transit systems in the TNRD operated by one partner," White told the board when she announced the regionalization plan's cancellation. "I appreciate your patience and trust as this strategy has been reassessed."
She added that she was familiar with both Yellowhead Community Services and the Nicola Valley Transportation Society, and the impact both organizations have had in their communities.
"I am pleased to deliver this news to you today. Additionally, BC Transit is committed to engaging the TNRD in advance of program changes and strategic shifts."
Following the announcement, TNRD Area "A" director Usoff Tsao, whose area surrounds Clearwater, told Black Press, "I appreciate the BC Transit board and management’s consideration of the messages that TNRD board members have sent over the last year against the direction of centralization. Additionally I thank Ms. White and BC Transit for their support of the Clearwater and area transit services by providing two new buses. It aligns with the statement from previous BC Transit delegations that safety is a priority for user clients."
Tsao acknowledged the involvement of the District of Clearwater, as well as the Yellowhead Community Services delegation which, in 2024, "approached the TNRD board to share their perspective on potential centralization" and the impact that would have on residents relying on such an essential service." He also pointed to the importance of BC Transit's decision to award the mechanical maintenance contract for buses locally (in Clearwater, to TNT Transmissions and Automotive), calling it "critical" to keep contracts centralized in rural areas.
"This is very good news for the communities that rely on our local transit services, and which have established such good relationships with the operators and with the drivers, who know the clients personally and who go above and beyond to assist them," said Ashcroft mayor, and TNRD board chair, Barbara Roden.
"There was considerable dismay and confusion about the regionalization plan and the lack of consultation, which left us with many questions but few answers. However, elected officials from all the affected communities and the TNRD worked together and presented a consistent message and united front to BC Transit and to the province, and our voices and concerns were heard.
"Many thanks to BC Transit for this decision, which provides certainty for the operators and for the people who depend on this service."
Jack Keough, chair of the board of directors of Yellowhead Community Services, said "This is welcome news from BC Transit to abandon their regionalization initiative. It is encouraging that they found merit in what the affected communities were saying.
"Our hope is that the BC Transit board considers the recommendations that were put forward to improve public transportation in the rural areas.”
White presented ridership numbers from the 2023/2024 year, which showed that during that period some 7,100 riders used the Clearwater system. There were 3,700 riders using the Ashcroft-Cache Creek-Clinton system during the same period, with 65,000 using the Merritt system and 3.6 million riders using the Kamloops system. New annual performance summaries for 2024/2025 should be available in the next couple of months.
"Even though most rural transit systems are quite small, as you know they provide a highly valued service to the residents who utilize them and often rely on them," she said. "I recognize that transit services are very subsidized, by the province and by local taxpayers, and it isn't a service that every community member uses, but for those who do it's often a vital lifeline to getting to work, getting to social engagements, or enabling seniors to live independently for longer than maybe they otherwise would have."
TNRD Areas "A", "E", and "O" all contribute funding to the Clearwater system, which in addition to local service in Clearwater operates a twice-weekly Valley Connector service that runs from Blue River to Kamloops. White said that the service is very well-used, with the 17-seat buses averaging 15 passengers on each trip.
She added that last year, new onboard technology was installed in the Merritt, Ashcroft, and Clearwater fleets. The "Next Ride Program" includes automatic vehicle location hardware (like GPS), auto passenger counters in the doorways, and a customer-facing component for smart phones. For more information about the "Next Ride Program" and app, please visit: https://www.bctransit.com/about/nextride-faq/.
White ended her presentation by offering to meet further with the TNRD to explore things such as introducing transit service to a new area, increasing the frequency of an existing route that "might be performing well," re-negotiating existing funding contracts through the Community Transit Partnership Agreements, or taking advantage of the BC Transit bus shelter program, which enables local governments to purchase shelters at an approximate 80 per cent discount.
