More people are riding the bus in Williams Lake.
Compared to 2010/2011, ridership has increased by 9.6 per cent.
In 2011/2012 transit in Williams Lake saw a total of 83,340 trips compared to 75,067 in 2010/2011.
“The numbers are very good,” BC Transit corporate spokesperson Meribeth Burton told the Tribune. “You are definitely one of our top 10 performers. I was speaking to the regional transit manager that represents Williams Lake and heard it’s just a system that continues to grow. We’ve had steady growth, but nothing as substantial as 9.6 per cent until this year.”
BC Transit believes the “incredibly fair fare” residents are paying has a lot to do with how attractive taking the bus in Williams Lake is.
“Credit goes to the local government for making that decision to keep it so cost-effective. It’s convenient and it’s efficient,” Burton said.
The Number One route — servicing Second Avenue and the hospital — is still the strongest route.
Describing the increase as “a tremendous jump,” Burton says BC Transit is thrilled.
“The affordability is a huge factor and the uptake has been really strong this year.”
BC Transit has been operating in Williams Lake for 30 years.
According to its annual report, released on July 25, BC Transit saw an overall increase in ridership of 0.7 per cent in 2011/2012.