New buses starting to roll in Squamish

“The new buses will help us better connect people and communities in Squamish,” said Manuel Achadinha, BC Transit President and Chief Executive Officer. “Customers will see and hear a difference with the new buses as they are more effective and efficient than the current fleet.”

The new buses are made by Grande West Transportation International Ltd., based in Aldergrove, B.C. The 30-foot medium duty buses will help better meet the transit needs of the communities they serve as they have better performance, more environmentally friendly and reduced fuel consumption. 

Each Vicinity bus can seat 24 passengers with room for another 20 standees. There is also space for two mobility aids. Medium-duty buses burn less fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 30 per cent, when compared to a standard heavy-duty (40-foot) bus.

“Active transportation and transit infrastructure is foundational in building healthy, connected communities,” says District of Squamish Mayor Patricia Heintzman. “Through our partnership with BC Transit, we are working hard to improve Squamish’s transit service through a focus on safety, comfort, accessibility and convenience to stimulate increased ridership and decrease the volume of vehicles on our roads.”

Each bus will cost $319,807, and is funded by the Province of BC and through BC Transit’s local government lease fee program.

The new buses will also have active closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras to improve the safety of our customers and drivers. Cameras have been installed on buses in Kamloops, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Chilliwack, Whistler, Dawson Creek, Quesnel, Penticton, Nelson, Vernon, and Victoria. Details about the CCTV camera program can be found at bctransit.com.

The introduction of these five buses is part of a larger province-wide refresh program, with over 100 new buses arriving in communities across British Columbia this year from Grande West, New Flyer and ARBOC.

More details about the Squamish Transit System can be found at bctransit.com/squamish.