The Municipal Systems Program of BC Transit was stablished in 1979. In partnership with local government, this program provides for planning, marketing, fleet management, funding and contracting for transit services in BC that are outside of Greater Vancouver and Greater Victoria.

The Municipal Systems Program has evolved since its inception in 1979. Growth in BC communities has been matched by the growth in the number of transit systems from 13 in 1979 to 69 systems (24 conventional, 13 Custom and 32 paratransit systems) at present.

The Program has initiated and developed services to improve mobility and accessibility in BC communities. The first door-to-door service (handyDART) for persons with disabilities began in 1981. Now all buses purchased are fully accessible. These services provide mobility to seniors and persons with a disability. Transit service to rural areas and small towns has been developed with innovative approaches to service delivery.

Finally, the Program is responding to the increasing role expected of transit in our cities. The link between transit and land use planning is reflected in transit service in the larger regions. Working with local partners to provide a transit service that fulfills the needs of the community and ensuring an effective use of public funding are key objectives for transit today.

Highlights of Conventional Transit System Growth:

The amount of conventional transit delivered to BC residents in the Municipal Systems Program has almost doubled since 1979. There are two key reasons for this:

• The number of transit systems has increased from 11 in 1979 to 24 today. Over 800,000 BC residents have access to these transit services.
• The frequency of service in the six largest transit systems has increased. These transit systems now make up two-thirds of the total amount of conventional transit service in the Program.

Highlights of Custom Transit and Paratransit System Growth:

The growth in custom transit and paratransit services has been even more dramatic. Starting with 14 transit systems in 1981 (4 custom + 10 paratransit), this portion of the Program has grown to 45 transit systems. Over 1.2 million BC residents have access to these specialized and small town & rural transit services.

The custom/paratransit program has continued to seek new and innovative ways to meet the travel needs of persons with mobility needs in BC. In addition to the van and minibus service that are reflected in the service charts, taxis are used to deliver Taxi Supplement and Taxi Saver (discounted coupon) services.