The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen will be presented with the impacts on transportation due to the pandemic on Thursday

Photo: Castanet Staff

Daily transit ridership data gathered from January until March in the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen  shows the substantial impact COVID-19 had on users, and the deficit it caused. 

A report being presented to the RDOS board on Thursday shows increasing ridership in the first three months of the year, but that was sharply impacted once the pandemic hit. 

BC Transit put new guidelines into action on March 19, 2020, adding a rear door boarding policy, 50 per cent capacity seating and the removal of fare collection. 

Route 10 (Naramata), Route 20 (Okanagan Falls), Route 70 (Kelowna Connector) and Route 40 (Osoyoos) were monitored to gather data. 

The official report states the entirety of the effects from the pandemic were only fully realized in April.

Route 10 (Naramata) was the only route to show little decline throughout, and is already back to strong ridership numbers.

The rest of the findings report moderate recovery for the other RDOS transit services, likely resulting from transit users beginning to venture out as restrictions ease.

However, the South Okanagan Transit service is forecasting a year-end deficit of $5,301.18 due to reduced ridership revenue. By accessing BC Transit-held reserve funds, this deficit could be reduced by $5,000 through a budgeted transfer to operating reserve at year-end.

But despite the losses, the service clearly fills a need. 

Ninety six per cent of users surveyed who were still riding during the pandemic stated that it was essential for them, reporting an immense positive reply.

Comments came in acknowledging the importance as well:

“It is my transportation, today was to [the] doctor. That I would not have been able to get to.”

“Some of us don’t have vehicles so we need buses to take us places.”

“Helps disabled people like me.”

“I use the Naramata 10 quite a lot as we sold our second vehicle to go more green!”

The RDOS will be presented with the full findings on Thursday.