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Changes are coming to the handyDART service in Kelowna.
As part of its 2016 service adjustments, BC Transit will increase the handyDART service by 2,000 hours beginning in September.
That's an increase of 5.6 per cent over the 35,000 hours currently provided through handyDART each year.
Regional programs manager Jerry Dombowski said expansion was made possible through $12.7 million in expansion funding over three years announced by the province back in February.
Along with the expanded service, Dombowski said that's just one of the changes coming for handyDART customers.
"We are also currently initiating a new registration process for handyDART. What that involves is qualifications of potential clients by occupational therapist. We are targeting the market more effectively," said Dombowski.
The increased service was announced as Kelowna Transit saw one of its most profitable years ever.
According to Dombowski, the average cost recovery on all conventional routes combined within the City of Kelowna, was 33 per cent in 2015.
That's up from 31.3 per cent in 2014 and 28 per cent in 2012.
Dombowski said several factors combined to contribute to the higher cost recovery, including increased university and college enrolment and increased ridership from secondary schools.
"Kelowna Senior Secondary and Rutland Senior Secondary ... part of that is an impact of higher busing costs and the improvement in transit. Plus, growth in the outlying areas."
Another factor was a fare increase in 2015.
Dombowski said all routes, with the exception of the No. 15 Crawford, exceeded the minimum threshold of 12 rides per service hour. There was an average of 26 rides per service hour for all routes.
He also outlined anticipated service improvements from 2017 through 2020.
These include an additional 500 hours of Saturday service for key areas – such as downtown, KGH and Rutland – and 2,000 additional hours on frequently used routes, including No. 1, No. 8 and No. 97 in 2017.
An additional 5,000 service hours are contemplated for 2018 within the City of Kelowna with another 5,000 service hours for the region in 2020.
The net municipal cost for the additional hours is expected to come in at nearly $750,000.
