Photo: BC Transit
The public will have two opportunities to comment on the current state of public transit in Kelowna in the coming weeks.
First up, BC Transit wants to know what the public thinks about transit services and infrastructure in the Rutland area and has launched a public online survey.
The survey is up at engage.bctransit.com/ruland2022 and BC Transit says the feedback it receives will be used to help it and the City of Kelowna determine future service changes and transit infrastructure improvements. The survey will run until Dec. 1.
For those who prefer to submit their feedback in writing, paper survey forms are also available at the Rutland YMCA, the Rutland Seniors’ Center and the Rutland branch of the Okanagan Regional Library.
Survey participants will be entered in a draw to win a $50 gift card or a one-month transit pass.
Information about transit service in the Central Okanagan is available at bctransit.com/Kelowna.
Meanwhile, a group calling itself Fridays for Future Kelowna is teaming up with the union that represents local transit drivers, ATU Local 1722, to hold a town hall meeting on transit from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm on Nov. 24 at the union’s Kelowna offices at 3-1925 Kirschner Road.
The group says the town hall meeting will be volunteer-led and will address current problems with the transit system and propose solutions.
“Let’s talk about what’s working, what’s not and plan for how we can improve it together,” says the group.
But based on the poster for its event, it appears the group has already made up its mind about the local transit system, which recently saw a one-day strike by unionized drivers following a months-long labor dispute as the drivers sought a new collective agreement.
The labor dispute ended when both sides agreed to send their issues to binding arbitration. That process has yet to start.
The poster advertising the town hall meeting states, in large letters, “Kelowna’s transit sucks…”
The group says the community can join transit drivers and “decision makers” at the town hall meeting.
