BC Transit in Squamish is launching an OnDemand transit service on March 30. It will bring the flexible, app-based bus pickups to four neighbourhoods: Oceanfront, SEAandSKY, Redbridge, and St’á7mes.
In a press release, BC transit announced the service will also connect riders to and from downtown Squamish, including the Downtown Transit Exchange on Second Avenue, where passengers can transfer to any route in the broader network.
Rather than waiting at a bus stop on a fixed timetable, riders request a pickup through the BC Transit OnDemand app or by phone. The app then identifies the best travel option, either dispatching an OnDemand vehicle to a nearby virtual pickup point, or directing the rider to a conventional bus stop if a regular route is the faster choice. Riders receive real-time ETAs and alerts when their bus is 15 and 5 minutes away.
The service will run Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., and uses regular fare pricing. Buses are wheelchair and walker accessible.
Squamish Mayor Armand Hurford says the launch represents a step toward making transit a more realistic daily option.
“The addition of OnDemand service will help to further remove barriers and make it easier for more folks to travel by transit in our community,” he said.
The St’á7mes Community’s inclusion in the service area was also welcomed by Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw Chairperson Sxwíxwtn-Wilson Williams, who noted that reliable transit connects community members to “employment, education, healthcare, ceremony, and to one another.”
The OnDemand service is designed to supplement existing transit, not replace it. Trips that start and end entirely within the downtown core aren’t eligible, as that area is already well served by conventional routes.
The service is a partnership between BC Transit, the Province of BC, the City of Squamish, and transit technology company Via Transportation.
To get started, download the BC Transit OnDemand app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
