New Service ahead will let Prince Rupert Transit users track their ride

Sometime in the summer of this year,  BC Transit users in Prince Rupert  and Port Edward will be able to keep track of their bus by way of an online app, with BC Transit announcing plans to introduce "NextRide".

The program to be rolled out across the province, will see the the Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) technology installed in communities and regional transit systems across the province on approximately 315 buses operating on all conventional, fixed routes in British Columbia. 

BC Transit outlined yesterday just how the system will work as the program is introduced.

NextRide will continue to use AVL technology to allow even more customers to see real-time bus locations along routes and identify what predicted arrival times are at any selected stop. Onboard, automated stop announcements call out stops to customers riding the bus, which increases comfort and convenience, while also improves the overall accessibility for many using transit. 

Through BC Transit, it will provide bus location data to mobility providers like Google Maps and our partner Transit App, so our customers across the province can track and monitor bus routes using their application of choice.

The program falls under BC Transit's Smart Bus program and is funded through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. This project is being cost shared with the Government of Canada contributing 50 per cent, the Province of British Columbia contributing 40 per cent and local government partners contributing the remaining 10 per cent. 

The project cost for NextRide being installed in these additional transit systems is nearly $6 million.

Transit users in Kitimat, Skeena Regional and Terrace Regional service areas will see the program in place this summer as well.

You can learn more about the program here.

More notes on transit across the Northwest can be reviewed from our Highway 16 corridor Archive.