ATTN: The Honourable the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, in Legislature Assembled

As daily commuters from Greater Vernon to Kelowna and West Kelowna, we are faced with the challenge of a flawed transit system. There is currently no bus service that allows us to reach downtown Kelowna before 8:30-9 am. This limitation is a significant deterrent to public transit utilization and an outright infringement on our ability to access work and other vital services.

The existing Bus 97 begins its journey at UBCO at 6 am and runs every 15-20 minutes, making frequent stops throughout downtown Kelowna, finally concluding its route in West Kelowna. This schedule and route would be an ideal solution for Greater Vernon commuters if it was extended to incorporate the UBCO Route 90, which commences at UBCO and terminates in Vernon. 

Extending the current Bus 97 to include Route 90 (with one added stop for VJH) would allow residents to commute using a single bus directly from Greater Vernon starting at 5am with buses running every 15-20 minutes to downtown Kelowna or West Kelowna, reducing travel times, improving access to local amenities, including Kelowna International Airport (YLW), Kelowna General Hospital, Vernon Jubilee Hospital, Prospera Place, Orchard Park Shopping Centre, and contributing to a more sustainable and accessible public transit system in our region. Final bus would return to Vernon at 2am providing a safe ride home for those out late.

We believe that everyone should have equal access to public transportation, and no one should be left stranded due to systemic shortfalls. Additionally, facilitating easier travel between these areas could stimulate economic and social growth in both communities while lowering environmental footprint by attracting drivers to switch to transit. Tourists and travelers could also make use of this regular occuring bus to go to and from West Kelowna, Kelowna, Lake Country and Greater Vernon to Kelowna International Airport (YLW).

For these reasons, we urge BC Transit to extend the route of Bus 97 to encompass Route 90. This simple, yet impactful change would make a significant difference in the lives of daily commuters, travelers, tourists,  seniors and essentially make public transportation more convenient, reliable, and efficient for all.