Mayor Sue McKortoff attended a public information meeting hosted by BC Transit about a new bus route connecting Penticton and Kelowna. Osoyoos residents were asked if they prefer a early morning or midday bus. (Vanessa Broadbent photo)

By Vanessa Broadbent

Osoyoos Times

BC Transit is planning to change its service options in the South Okanagan and last week Osoyoos residents had the opportunity to share their feedback.

A new Kelowna – Penticton route is planned to start in the fall of 2019 and BC Transit hosted multiple open houses across the South and Central Okanagan asking the public if they preferred the route to operate in the mornings for commuters, or midday.

Osoyoos is already serviced by a BC Transit route connecting to Kelowna which only operates on Mondays, leaving Osoyoos at 7:15 a.m. An Osoyoos-Penticton route runs Tuesday to Friday at 7:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Both proposed options of the new route include two round trips each weekday. The commuter option’s trips would be between 6:15 and 7 a.m. and 4:30 and 6 p.m., while the midday trips would be between 9 and 10 a.m. and 12:30 and 1:15 p.m.

• Read more: BC Transit Revises Schedule For Buses Serving Osoyoos

Graham Keehn, transit planner for BC Transit, said that for Osoyoos, the midday option was most common because the Osoyoos-Penticton route would not arrive early enough for commuters to transfer busses.

“We expected that because Osoyoos would not be served by the commuter option,” he said.

The midday option was designed to tie into existing regional services better, improving access to Kelowna for services such as medical appointments, Keehn said.

Attendees were also able to give feedback on which times they preferred for either routes, as well as drop-off and pickup locations.

Potential pickup locations in Penticton included Cherry Lane Shopping Centre, Penticton Regional Hospital and Okanagan College, while drop-off locations included downtown Kelowna, Kelowna General Hospital, Kelowna International Airport and University of British Columbia Okanagan.

The new route will potentially cost riders $11.

BC Transit is planning to implement both route options by 2020, but funding will only be available for one to be in place by Sept. 2019, Keehn said.

“We’re trying to find out what time works best for the residents,” he said. “They’re both in the plans for us, subject to local and provincial funding, but we’re just trying to figure out what works best for the first year.”

(BC Transit)

(BC Transit)

(BC Transit)