The City of Kamloops is poised to move ahead with new service expansions as new data shows there has been a steady increase in the number of people who ride the bus in Kamloops

There were more than 3.5 million trips during the 2022-23 fiscal year – about 400,000 more than the previous fiscal year – with Transportation Planner Jacob Burnley noting there were some months last year where passenger numbers exceeded pre-pandemic levels.

“As of December, our ridership recovery was at about 110 to 115 per cent, as compared to pre-pandemic levels,” Burnley said. “We have had specific months within 2024 where we’ve seen ridership increase to above 130 per cent. People are returning to the system. We are seeing new ridership.”

Burnley says the busiest buses in Kamloops – or the so-called core routes – are Routes 1 (Tranquille), 7 (Aberdeen), and 9 (Gleneagles) – with over 1.1 million riders on Route 9 alone last year.

“It has not reached that level even pre-pandemic,” Burnley said of the Route 9 passenger numbers.

“Apart from our top performers, a couple of routes have seen some positive growth as well. Route 5 serving Pineview, Route 17 to Dallas, Route 16 to Juniper Ridge as well has seen significant growth and those are sort of in our near term expansion projects for 2024-25 and beyond.”

“The Kamloops Transit system has continued to perform quite well in comparison to other Tier 1 systems as well, so on par with systems such as Nanaimo, ahead in terms of ridership beyond the Central Fraser Valley, Chilliwack, Prince George,” Burnley added. “Our ridership per capita is also particularly strong as well.”

Where the Kamloops bus system could improve, Burnley noted, is the on-time performance.

Data showed the buses arrived on-time – defined as being up to one minute early or three minutes later than the scheduled time – about 59 per cent of the time in 2022-23, which is below the 62 per cent seen in other similar transit systems.

It cost about $17.9 million to operate the conventional bus network in Kamloops across the 2022-23 fiscal year, while generating about $4.5 million in revenue. Costs were up about about 9.1 per cent up from the $16.4 million in 2021-22, while revenue was about 11.4 per cent from $4 million.

“While the cost of delivering the service has increased slightly, we have seen greatest cost recovery, lower cost per passenger, and increased revenue as well,” Burnley said.

“The more money we collect through revenue and advertising, the more it offsets the city of Kamloops’ payment as per our cost share model.”

It is expected to cost about $18.7 million to operate the Kamloops conventional transit network in 2024-25, with the City paying about $5.9 million of those costs.

The entire transit system – which also includes custom service like handyDART and community service like Route 18 to Mount Paul in partnership with Tk’emlúps is expected to cost about $23.6 million this year, with the city paying about $7.8 million of those costs.

Numerous expansion of service planned in next few years

Speaking to City Council, Burnley says the focus going forward will be adding service hours on those so-called core routes, which he says would have a positive effect on other bus routes in Kamloops.

“This is really important in the sense that if we don’t look at amending the on-time performance issues that we’re seeing and we don’t look at extending the budgeted time for these trips, the other expansion items that we’re seeing might not be able to be fulfilled to the full potential,” Burnley said.

“We’re also looking at optimizing the routing and some service improvements for Route 4 for Pacific Way, increasing the frequency for Route 3 in Westsyde, and adding some weekend service as well to that route.”

There are also plans to added the previously postponed expansion of service to Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc, with that service currently expected to launch in January 2025.

The expanded service is expected to include a stop at Sweláps Market, extended evening service hours to approximately 10 p.m. on weekdays, a base-level of weekend service weekend from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with plans to expand further, and the introduction of handyDART service to Tk’emlúps as well.

Burnley told council that the City got the provincial government’s share of funding needed to expand service in 2024-25, after it was deferred over the last two fiscal years to support existing services and COVID-19 recovery.

“We’re in a place now where we can proceed with service planning and scheduling,” Burnley said. “Staffing at the depot is really strong as well, and [BC] Transit believes that we can fulfill these expansions this fiscal year.”

There are also longer-term plans to eventually increase the frequency and span of transit service on Routes 16 (Juniper Ridge) and 17 (Dallas) as well as more express-style transit services from places like Valleyview, similar to the current Route 10 (North Shore Express) that has been running.

Over the next couple of years, the City is also expected to increase handyDART service on weekends and stat holidays, as well the possibility of a new bus route to Ord Road and Kamloops Airport.