Revelstoke’s transit needs were the focus of a recent special council meeting, where Mayor Gary Sulz and councillors met with Steve Black, director of engineering and public works, to discuss renewing the city’s partnership with BC Transit.
The 2024-2025 Annual Operating Agreement (AOA) with BC Transit provides transit throughout Revelstoke in partnership with BC Transit and Interior Health. While council originally planned for the July 9 council meeting to be dedicated to the topic, AOA deadlines meant a response from council was needed before the end of the month, prompting the special council meeting.
The procurement of additional buses has been delayed due to funding issues at BC Transit, putting pressure on the resort shuttle fleet to fill in some transit gaps, leaving some transit users who require accessibility accommodations struggling with limited schedules and routes. The goal remains for Revelstoke to eventually run their entire system with BC Transit alone, but for at least one more year the collective operation needs to remain.
“As soon as BC Transit can establish a funding mechanism to acquire full-size coaches that are handicap accessible then we will be operating under only the BC Transit banner,” Black explained. HandyDart will still run up to 1800 hours in the community this fiscal year, providing transportation access to disabled users.
“If in fact we need to modify those hours, there is contingency in the budget to make sure we address that,” Black said. “I don’t anticipate that we would ever leave anyone behind.”
Coun. Orlando pointed to people who do not currently qualify for HandyDart as riders who are already being left behind, however, among those who require transit outside of HandyDart schedules.
“What are we doing to address this situation this year,” Orlando asked. “What partners in the community are we reaching out to to address their concerns?”
“The consolidation of the two systems is painful for some of the users, we acknowledge that,” Black said. “The simple solution is to buy buses that are accessible.”
Struggles with increasing fleet sizes aren’t just a Revelstoke issue, with multiple communities throughout B.C. noting the organization’s current procurement struggles capped growth below what communities are looking for, Black explained. Revelstoke’s partnership system has kept the growing town from experiencing too many of the growing pains other municipalities are facing who rely solely on BC Transit. It could be a factor that helps Revelstoke along in the next financial year if BC Transit again can’t secure procurement, leaving municipalities all vying for the limited resources.
Council discussed the options of not renewing the AOA with the province, instead putting pressure on BC Transit to return with funding and fleet vehicles to fill in the service gaps for Revelstoke. But that would mean the city seeking funding for current operations levels from other areas, including budget sources, Black warned. Without funding to fill the gap left if the AOA was not signed Revelstoke risks a larger scale loss of transit services.
“40 per cent of 600,00 would have to be funded internally to maintain the level of service. The Buses belong to BC Transit, we would likely have to procure [the] additional fleet to provide that same level of service,” Black said.
Council voted in favour to sign the AOA with Coun. Palmer opposed. Council also requested city staff meet with BC Transit at the Union of BC Municipalities then present potential interim solutions for accessibility later to council.
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