BC Transit is increasing its handyDART service in the Kamloops-area to include Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc starting on Sept. 3.

It says the door-to-door shared transit service for people with permanent or temporary disabilities will now be available Monday to Saturday from 7:00 a.m. until 11 p.m. and on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

“This service expansion in the Kamloops Regional Transit System has been made possible by an increase in local government and provincial funding,” BC Transit said, in a statement.

“The operating grant provided in the 2024-25 provincial budget will allow BC Transit and its local government partners to continue to provide safe and reliable service and demonstrates that public transit remains a priority in our communities.”

The City’s former Transportation Planner Jacob Burnley told City Council in May that service expansions to Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc were on the horizon after it had been postponed in the past due to a lack of provincial funding.

BC Transit spokesperson Jamie Weiss says while the handyDART service will go into effect next month, other service expansions on Route 18 Mt. Paul will occur in January.

“We are waiting for additions to the fleet that will facilitate that change,” Weiss said. “The January change will introduce weekend service and add service along Chief Eli Larue Way to better serve the community.”

BC Transit also says there will be changes made to buses on Route 4 Pacific Way, including new stops and some rerouting, with more details available here.

As part of the service changes that will take effect after Labour Day, BC Transit says the School Tripper service for students heading back to class will also be returning, with full service also resuming for TRU and K to 12 students.

“We encourage our customers to use the Umo app, Transit App, Google Transit or any other app of their choice for real-time bus tracking and planning your next transit journey,” the BC Transit statement added.

For more information on trip planning and bus schedules in Kamloops, go here.