New transit route coming to Squamish as summer pilot

Starting Saturday, June 16, BC Transit and the District of Squamish will pilot a brand-new, seasonal transit route that will allow Squamish residents and visitors to take the bus to the South Squamish Parks.

“Linking Squamish’s stunning parks and tourist attractions to public transit is wonderful news for the community and visitors to the area,” said Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “Good public transit is about getting people to where they want to go – for both practical purposes and for leisure – and I’m positive this new route will have tremendous uptake.”

The new pilot route, 5 South Parks, will run seven days a week, connecting downtown Squamish to Shannon Falls, the Sea to Sky Gondola and the Stawamus Chief. The pilot will run from June 16 to September 3. After this time, the route will be evaluated based on ridership and performance, and BC Transit will make recommendations to its local government partners regarding the future of the service.

“The introduction of this new transit route supports the District's active transportation goal of providing viable options to car travel, which leads to a variety of benefits, including reduced roadway and parking congestion—a particular challenge for our park infrastructure,” said Squamish Mayor Patricia Heintzman. “We're hopeful that the pilot will be successful and could signal the beginning of a more robust transit system that provides greater access to our parks, north and south.”

The route 5 South Parks pilot is possible due to the addition of 1,100 new service hours to the Squamish Transit System.

“BC Transit is pleased to offer the new pilot route to the South Squamish Parks,” said Erinn Pinkerton, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of BC Transit. “We look forward to monitoring its performance to determine future service needs, and to ensure that we provide the most efficient and effective service to this remarkable area.”

The new service hours will also allow for the introduction of late night service on Fridays and Saturdays, including an additional evening trip on route 2 Highlands. This trip will leave downtown at 11:35 p.m. and continue on as route 1 Brackendale at Garibaldi Village.

Introducing transit service to the South Squamish Parks was identified as a priority within the Sea to Sky Transit Future Plan, available online at bctransit.com/squamish/transit-future.

For transit schedules, fares and routes in Squamish, please visit bctransit.com/squamish.

May 31, 2018