Second anniversary of Highway 16 Transportation Action Plan

Jan 31, 2019 | 10:38 AM

VICTORIA – Thousands of people are benefiting from safe, reliable and affordable transportation as a result of the Highway 16 Transportation Action Plan. Approximately 18,000 people have used the inter-community service since it began two years ago.

All four new routes are fully operational and the service saw significant growth in its second year, expanding on the approximately 5,000 passengers who used the Highway 16 transit service the first year. The inter-community routes connect people between Smithers and Moricetown, Burns Lake and Prince George, Burns Lake and Smithers, and Terrace and the Hazeltons.

The one-way fare for the Smithers/Moricetown route is $2.75 and $5 per segment for the other routes. Routes 161 and 162 originating in Burns Lake now have 30-seat capacity buses and overhead package racks, offering better service to people.

The Ministry of Transportation has also installed 15 all-weather bus shelters and 11 webcams at key locations. They also have the First Nations driver education program which helps Indigenous people learn to drive commercial vehicles and obtain their Class 4, 5 and 7 driver’s licences.