Daily inter-city bus stops may soon be coming to a handful of communities in the North Okanagan and Shuswap.
The provincial Passenger Transportation Board (PTB) has approved an application by a bus company that wanted to add five stops to its daily Kamloops to Kelowna route.
Diversified Transportation Ltd., doing business as EBus, had proposed stops in Chase, Sorrento, Salmon Arm, Enderby and Armstrong.
Currently, the daily route has just four stops: Kamloops, Vernon, Kelowna and West Kelowna.
The PTB announced its decision on Aug. 22, stating a handful of reasons why it gave the application the green light.
“The support letters received from communities between Kamloops and Vernon were given weight as an indicator of public need for establishing a required service at Chase and Sorrento, and for adding other the points that EBus proposes to add to its Route B.
“Further, the EBus proposal to add five communities to its Route B enhances the certainty of service to Chase, Sorrento and Salmon Arm; reinstates parts of the Greyhound network (Enderby and Armstrong); and, generally improves the travel options and network connectivity that previously existed between cities and towns that were served by Greyhound.”
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The PTB continued, saying “we find that the applicant has demonstrated a public need to expand service on Route B. Overall, we find that a minimum route frequency of five trips per week in each direction for the new route points is commensurate with the level of public need for a service that connects the five proposed route points as well as communities beyond these five route points.”
Global News has reached out to Ebus regarding the application. It’s unknown when the stops will be added.
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At the same time, Diversified Transportation Ltd., also proposed a new route between Kamloops and Prince George, with three trips per week in each direction. This route featured stops in Cache Creek, Clinton, 70 Mile House, 100 Mile House, Lac La Hache, William Lake, Quesnel and Hixon.
“We are unable to find that approving the addition of Route D to the EBus licence would promote sound economic conditions in the passenger transportation business in B.C.”
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According to the PTB, the Passenger Transportation Act regulates the licensing and operation of commercial passenger transportation vehicles in B.C.
The PTB adds that, under the act, it makes decisions on applications for inter-city buses and has the authority to consider and approve applications for new licenses, as well as applications from existing licensees to change terms or conditions of their licences.
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