Kelowna

Two new transit routes introduced on a trial basis in September are expected to continue as regular, ongoing routes.

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Council will be asked Monday to make the Quail Ridge and late night weekend 97 Express service permanent after both performed well over the first four months of implementation.

In a report prepared for council, Regional Programs Manager, Jerry Dombowsky says the Quail Ridge route has produced a 33 per cent cost recovery with an average of 25 riders per hour of service.

Dombowsky says the late night 97 Express service, which extends ridership past 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings have also been successful.

"Since September, over 4,600 safe rides home have been provided by this late night service. Return trips from downtown past midnight are averaging 22 riders per trip," says Dombowsky.

"Seating capacity of 40 was exceeded on 16 trips with an all time high of 75 riders being accommodated on one occasion."

The new routes were added as part of a commitment made to UBCO students during a 2011 referendum which saw an increase in the UPASS rate.

The report also evaluated the performance of the entire Kelowna Transit System for the final four months of 2012.

All 18 transit routes exceeded the minimum threshold of 12 riders per service hour (low 12.64 on #12 McCulloch - high of 43.90 on #8 University) while 17 of the 18 routes exceeded the 15 per cent cost recovery minimum threshold (#9 Shopper Shuttle 14%).

Dombowsky says the overall system averaged 31.58 riders per service hour and a combined cost recovery of 30 per cent.

Cost recovery for all of 2011 was also 30 per cent.

Dombowsky says opening of the new Mission Rec. Centre Exchange has helped improve performance of routes in the Mission.

"The #15 Crawford bus which had a cost recovery rate of 4 per cent in the spring now has a 22 per cent recovery rate. The #16 Kettle Valley bus which had a cost recovery rate of 17 per cent now has a 35 per cent recovery rate," says Dombowsky in his report.

Service changes coming up in September, 2013 include re-routing the #14 Black Mountain service to terminate at the new Rutland Centre Transit Exchange while the #17 Southridge route will be altered slightly.

In addition to development of the Rutland Centre Exchange, an enhanced transit exchange will be developed at Okanagan College by the end of the year and discussions regarding changes to the UBCO exchange will continue this year.