All conventional buses in BC Transit’s fleet will soon be upgraded with new NextRide technology, which will make it easier to track where buses are across the province.
Starting on Jan. 15, 2024, NextRide’s new Automatic Vehicle Location hardware will be installed aboard all “conventional” buses in the BC Transit fleet.
This will allow commuters to better track where buses are, with real-time location data for buses and more accurate estimated arrival times at bus stops.
Meanwhile, all heavy-duty and high-capacity buses will be outfitted with new digital passenger information displays, which show information like the next several upcoming stops, what the current route is, and any other service alerts.
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BC Transit does not expect there to be any service disruptions as the company installs the new hardware.
It also warns that the NextRide desktop trip planning tool will be disabled starting Jan. 16. Anyone who wants to continue to plan their trips on a desktop computer can do so using the BC Transit website, or Google Maps.
BC Transit adds that it’s offering free subscription upgrades for its partnered Transit app to the new Transit Royale app in the spring.
The NextRide project cost an estimated $16.8 million to implement, with the federal government covering 50 per cent of the cost, the province contributing 40 per cent and local governments providing 10 per cent.
BC Transit recommends using the following sites and apps for the latest information on current bus routes:
- Transit App (mobile only)
- Google Maps (desktop and mobile)
- BC Transit Website
- Umo Mobility App (mobile only)
- Their own favorite trip planning app
- Refer to the rider’s guide
Adam Chan
