BY JODIE COOPER

Riding the bus is an everyday activity for many people. For some, it’s their main mode of transportation since many people do not own vehicles or have the ability to drive. There has been a transit system here in Kamloops since July of 1946, when Civic Transportation Company, Ltd provided service between Kamloops and North Kamloops. In 1976, the Kamloops Transit System was officially established, and since then it has grown into the transit system that we know and use today.


The current Kamloops transit system operates a total of fourteen routes, which are numbered one through eighteen, and in 2022 they also introduced twelve new “school specials”, operating around school bell times to provide transportation for students whose areas aren’t serviced by a school bus. These buses usually run once a day, in the morning before school, because there are not as many buses operational at that time of day, and buses can easily become packed full of students trying to get to school. These new school special routes save time and room on the traditional routes.


The Kamloops Transit System plays an immensely important role in the community. It provides transportation for those who are unable to access it in any other way. It also participates in the growth of the community. They recently introduced the “Get on Board” initiative in 2021, a kids-ride-free program designed to help make life more affordable for families. This program saves families about $420 a year for a family that buys their child a $35 monthly pass. For large families, this charge is even more expensive.


BC Transit has big plans for the future in Kamloops, and highlights some of this in the Transit Future Action Plan first introduced in 2012. Not every action in the plan has been met even today, but it is safe to assume that the city still has big plans to expand the system. The new school special routes are evidence of this.


BC Transit’s Transit Future program recognizes the importance of expanding transit in communities across BC. They guide transit investment that is supportable of living communities through offering more transportation service; supporting smart land use that focuses on walking, cycling, and transit, and meeting climate change goals, among other things.


Taking the bus may not be everyone’s idea of a good time, but there are many positive aspects of taking the bus. For one thing, you don’t have to do any of the driving yourself. It’s a safe form of transportation if you are intoxicated after a night out on the town, and don’t want to drink and drive. For another, many of the routes in Kamloops are absolutely beautiful. It can be fun to go and sit on the bus for awhile and explore an area of town you haven’t seen before. For many people, especially those who can’t drive, this is their only way of exploring the city they live in.


Bussing is also an environmentally conscious option compared to driving. Every person onboard the bus is helping the environment by not driving and using the gas in their own cars. It is also cheaper compared to driving – an adult monthly pass is $50 compared to gas, which can be anywhere between $50-$200 depending on your tank and the type of gas you use.


While it can take a bit of work to time the bus routes that work best for your schedule and waiting for the bus to come can sometimes be annoying, it is a much better option compared to rideshares such as Uber, taking a taxi, or driving. The only thing better than taking the bus is either biking or walking. Buses, especially in Kamloops, work well alongside bike riders. Every year, the Kamloops Transit System supports the “Go By Bike” program, which provides free transit for those who ride their bikes every year. “Bike part of the way, bus the rest!” The program’s slogan proclaims, while providing free transit for bikers two weeks out of every October, a helpful program which supports those who choose to bike instead of drive.


Even though taking the bus during the winter can be a bit of a drag, it doesn’t have to be so long as you take the proper precautions. Dressing up warmly is a must, and timing your ride is important. You want to take the bus that will get you to your destination as close to your required time as possible. Make sure you map out your route in advance in order to see which route and time works best for you.


Riding the bus might not be for everyone, but for those of whom it is part of their daily routine, they love it. Taking the bus can always be made bearable, so long as you take the proper precautions, and with the amount of community initiatives that the Kamloops Transit System is supporting and pretty routes to see around town, it doesn’t have to be a chore! In fact, it can even be fun!