The Regional District of Nanaimo is expanding transit service to include a regular route to Cassidy and Nanaimo Airport. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

TRANSIT EXPANSION

Transit service set to expand to Cassidy, Nanaimo Airport

Dec 30, 2019 | 8:03 AM

NANAIMO — Expanded service launching in the new year will better connect areas south of Nanaimo and the airport to the region’s existing transit network.

The Regional District of Nanaimo will oversee the addition of 5,900 extra transit hours mainly on two new bus routes beginning Sunday, Jan. 5. Route 8 will connect Cedar to VIU while route 78 links the city to Cassidy and Nanaimo Airport.

RDN Select Transit Committee chair Tyler Brown told NanaimoNewsNOW the upgrades improve service immediately and builds pillars for future development south of Nanaimo.

“The existing service just didn’t get you where you needed to go in a timely manner,” Brown said. “With this expansion we’re able to do the airport and we’ll now look at how that service operates then look at connecting it to the Duke Point ferry terminal and other places.”

Brown said there was no timeline on expansion to Duke Point but did note it is in their planning moving forward.

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The RDN’s Supt. of fleet and transit service Brandon Miller said regular trips to the airport and Cassidy addresses constant feedback from residents.

“Monday to Friday there will be five trips daily, the first one will start around 6 a.m. with the final trip at 6 p.m.,” Miller said. “The idea of course is to cater to the people that are trying to go back and forth to the airport but also Cassidy residents that want to get to downtown.”

Miller noted several existing routes, including routes 7 and 30 will see changes on both the schedules and the paths buses take.

The RDN, City of Nanaimo and BC Transit are due to participate in a transit review in 2020 that will look at tweaks to the whole system.

“Where can we create some really quick lines that you would expect in a city of 100,000 people,” Brown said. “Looking at if we can move you through Bowen Road really quickly or the highway so you can get from one end of the town to the other,” Miller said.

The study will look at striking a delicate balance between people and area.

“The ridership model looks at serving the most people effectively rather than a coverage model that looks at the largest geographical area,” Brown added. “Both have their strengths and weaknesses, ultimately you want your service to be as effective as possible.”

More information on changes to transit in Nanaimo can be found by clicking here.

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley

— with files from Kyle Ireland