BC Transit is warning commuters of delays, detours and cancellations on Wednesday due to snow on Vancouver Island.
Just after 6 a.m., BC Transit said all service in the Cowichan Valley was suspended due to snowy conditions – including routes 66 and 99 that travel from the Cowichan Valley to Victoria.
Meanwhile, around 9 a.m., the transit provider said all service in the Regional District of Nanaimo Transit System had been suspended “until further notice.”
Service was also suspended on Salt Spring Island, while all handyDART service was paused in the Port Alberni transit system.
Further south, several routes in the Victoria Regional Transit System were delayed Wednesday morning, including routes 12, 13, 17, 35, 63, 64, 85 and 87.
HandyDart service is still running in the Victoria Regional Transit system, but BC Transit says it will prioritize service for people who have medical appointments, or who need to access essential services or get to work, with drivers making their own determinations on specific routing.
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⚠️🌨️ #YYJ #RiderAlert – due to snowfall and freezing rain, please expect delays, detours & cancellations today.
Get #RiderAlerts at 💻 https://t.co/lLVrZGDJ42 or 📞 250-382-6161.
Thanks for your patience and we apologize for any inconvenience.
— BC Transit – Victoria (@victoriatransit) January 17, 2024
The company says its transit supervisors will “closely monitor road conditions throughout the region” and issue updates when necessary.
“As conditions continue to change, BC Transit will be updating customers as quickly as possible of service impacts,” said the company in a release around 6 a.m.
Snowfall warnings are in effect for Greater Victoria, Inland Vancouver Island and East Vancouver Island, according to Environment Canada.
An estimated 10 to 20 centimetres of snow is expected in these areas of Vancouver Island throughout the day.
BC Transit encourages travellers to check its alert page on the BC Transit website for the latest updates on individual routes.
It also released several travel tips for snowy conditions, which can be found below:
- If your usual stop is on a hill, do your best to make your way to a stop on more level ground
- Use a light or reflective gear to flag down the bus as visibility may be poor
- Step back from the curb when the bus approaches
- Consider footwear with more traction for potential wet bus floors and use caution when boarding and departing
- Have your fare/pass ready before boarding the bus
BC Transit isn’t the only organization to be affected by the snow.
Several school districts on Vancouver Island have cancelled classes and declared snow days Wednesday.
A list of closed schools can be found here.
SEE ALSO: Snowstorm inbound for B.C.’s South Coast, including parts of Vancouver Island
Adam Chan
