The commuter bus pilot project between 樱桃视频and Whistler is a hit.
The new service is off to a good start and proof of that can be seen through the statistics generated in the first full week of operations.
The number of riders using the service is averaging about 30 riders per trip.
"We are off to an excellent start," said transit manager Scott Pass. "I knew it would be successful but I didn't know it would be this successful this soon."
Pass said that demand is already exceeding capacity. Extra buses will be added to meet the high demand expected on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Because the system reached capacity within the first two weeks of operation, Pass said that the program funders are now looking at ways to address the capacity issue above and beyond the plan to add an extra bus on the peak use days.
According to Pass, it is mostly workers using the service.
"The number of skiers and boarders on each trip is less than five," said Pass.
The commuter bus makes four round trips a day and the departure times were set so 樱桃视频residents who work in Whistler arrive in the resort just before the shifts that begin at 8 a.m., 3 p.m. and 11 p.m. The departure times from Whistler coincide with the end of the shifts in the resort.
The highest number of riders was registered on Saturday (Jan. 8) when 97 passengers were moved from 樱桃视频to Whistler on the 6:09 a.m. bus.
The last day that statistics were provided by Whistler Transit was for Monday (Jan. 10) and on that day a total of 256 passengers were moved. On Sunday (Jan. 9) a total of 262 passengers used the service and the day before a total of 302 riders were moved.
The statistics indicate that the 4:45 p.m. trip from Whistler to 樱桃视频is the most popular trip with the 6:09 a.m. and 6:24 a.m. departures from 樱桃视频the two next best used.
After eight days in operation, the lowest number of riders on a trip was the 11 people who rode from 樱桃视频to Whistler on the 9:10 p.m. trip.
Pass said that even the non-peak trips are carrying more passengers than originally projected. He noted that 16 people used the midnight service from Whistler on Wednesday (Jan. 12). That many riders on the bus represents as many as 16 cars that would have been traveling on Hwy. 99 if the service didn't exist.
According to Pass, the riders are happy with the service.
"There have been times where people have had to stand or there are three people on a seat for two," Pass said.
The commuter service is currently scheduled to run until April 24. It is expected that the operating costs will reach $223,043.
The $4 fare and the monthly $75 passes available to Whistler employees living in 樱桃视频will offset a small percentage of the operating costs. The shortfall will be made up through funding from the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the District of 樱桃视频and the provincial government.
During the pilot project period, local governments plan to explore a permanent funding structure for the service. One possible scenario would see the creation of a Sea to Sky Transit authority with the ability to impose a gas tax and use proceeds from the tax to help fund a regional bus service between 樱桃视频and Mount Currie.
The commuter bus service will be officially launched at a ceremony in Squamish's Chieftain Centre parking lot on Friday (Jan. 14). The original plan called for an official launch on Jan. 7 but the event had to be postponed because of cold weather and high winds that day.
