COMOX VALLEY – Taking the bus in the Comox Valley just got easier for anyone with internet access, or a smart phone thanks to the expansion of the Google Transit trip-planning tool.
Social Development and Social Innovation Minister and Comox Valley MLA Hon. Don McRae along with Comox Valley Regional District Chair Edwin Grieve and BC Transit Vice President and CIO Brian Anderson launched Google Transit at G. P. Vanier Secondary School.
Chair Grieve, with the help of a Grade 8 class, demonstrated how Google Transit can link all customers and the community to some of the most popular BC Transit destinations in the Comox Valley.
“Students are early adopters of technology and we expect that they will show their parents and neighbours how simple it is to plan a route taking transit,” said Don McRae, Comox Valley MLA. “All the transit buses in the Comox Valley are accessible, and I invite everyone to get on board with BC Transit.
Google Transit, on Google Maps, is a public transportation planning tool that combines the latest BC Transit schedule and route information with the power of Google Maps. It is a free service that makes trip planning quick and easy for everyone.
More than 544,000 people rode BC Transit in the Comox Valley in 2012/13. Tools like Google Transit encourage even more riders by demonstrating that buses are a convenient alternative to private vehicles.
"Here in the Comox Valley, students are a large percentage of our transit ridership," said Edwin Grieve, chair of the Comox Valley Regional District. "But whether you're a student taking the bus to school or college every day, or someone just doing occasional trips on transit, this is such a simple way to help plan the trip."
“Transit customers are demanding easy to use route information,” said BC Transit Vice President and CIO Brian Anderson. “This technology gives existing and new customers a convenient and free tool to plan their trip with simplified directions and boarding times; that will make our services even more efficient and effective.”
For more information on Google Transit in the Comox Valley, please consult our website www.bctransit.com/regions/com and click on the Trip Planner link.