The wheels on Squamish's first Vancouver commuter bus are rolling, but its seats are far from full.
After operating for a month, the Squamish-to-Vancouver shuttle averages two passengers per trip, its owner Eduardo Torres told the District of Squamish's select committee on transportation on Monday (Nov. 4).
Pretty much the challenges we see after a month is spreading the word, he said.
The weekday service, excluding statutory holidays, departs from the Squamish Adventure Centre at 7 a.m. and drops passengers off at the corner of Seymour and Cordova streets in Vancouver. The return trip departs from downtown at 5:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15 one way and $17 return.
The company launched a website www.squamishtovancouvershuttle.com with online booking in an aim to bump up its ridership, Torres said. The service connects with the sea buses to the North Shore and the Canada Line to Vancouver International Airport, he added.
Currently, the shuttle's licensing only allows the operation to run a direct route. Down the road, Torres said he will apply for an intercity licence that would permit him to make stops in between.
We need to have the support of the community to make the business profitable, he said, adding he'll also seek a letter of from council backing his expanded licence application. Let's get this one running smooth first.
Squamish's commuter traffic used to head north to Whistler, but now most of the traffic heads to the Lower Mainland, Coun. Patricia Heintzman said. Four years ago the district conducted a survey regarding the community's transit needs. She suggested the district look at updating the information, focusing specifically on commuter needs to the Lower Mainland. The committee backed the motion, putting it forward for council to approve.
