Transit Business Plan Update

Transit Business Plan Update

1.0 OBJECTIVES

In general, the objectives as laid out in the original Transit Business Plan will continue to guide the Business Plan Update. These objectives are summarized below.

Community Objectives

• The transit system should be developed to support the goals outlined in the Regional District's Growth Management Plan and in municipal Official Community Plans. It should complement and strengthen the transit supportive land use patterns that are outlined in these plans.
• There needs to be a broader view of the transit's role in the community. While provision of bus service is certainly its primary function, transit should also be involved in other strategies to reduce automobile use.
• There should be improved integration between the transit system and other modes of travel. This includes better integration between the accessible conventional and custom transit systems as well as with school buses, bikes, ferries and other modes. A greater range of transit service types and inter-modal linkages should be encouraged to best serve different markets.

Passenger Service Objectives

• Reduce automobile dependence and encourage 'choice' riders to use transit by providing service quality that is competitive with the private automobile through the following initiatives:
  • Reduce the need for transferring by providing more direct service between major activity centres;
  • Provide more frequent service on existing corridors in order to reduce waiting and transfer times;
  • Examine the potential for new service types for travel within and between major town centres. This could include express service, local shuttle service, and rail-based service using the E&N corridor in the longer range;
  • Improve for passengers and reduce emphasis on cash-based fares by making pass rates more attractive and more competitive with driving costs;
  • Make using transit easier, safer, and more comfortable by improving passenger facilities including bus shelters, lighting, information signs, and transit exchanges.

Financial and Passenger Performance Objectives

• Use Key Performance Indicators to set specific targets for transit system performance. These targets will ensure that efficient use is made of resources in order to maximize customer service and minimize subsidization. The Key Performance Indictors will measure both financial performance and ridership performance.

In addition to the objectives outlined above, some additional objectives have been added to address specific issues which have arisen since the Transit Business Plan was originally developed: Address changes to the downtown transit exchange and assess the role of Country Club and other transit exchanges in the system.