Proposal for 365-day public transit in Kamloops gets shot down

KAMLOOPS – The cost of adding additional statutory holidays like Christmas Day to the public transit schedule was too much for Kamloops council, who voted down a motion to offer transit every day of the year. 

Coun. Donovan Cavers’ motion to implement transit 365 days out of the year was defeated seven to one; Cavers being the only to vote in favour of adding the additional days.

Council would not entertain the idea of adding services while a provincial funding freeze remains in place. The general consensus was any additional hours would take away from existing services.

The cost of each additional day was estimated by development and engineering director Marvin Kwiatkowski to be between $22,000 and $25,000.

Mayor Peter Milobar asked Cavers why he hadn’t brought this motion forward before transit service changes were implemented Sept. 1. He also called it 'an uncomfortable motion' because it makes councillors who vote against it appear callous when, in actuality, the funding is simply unavailable. 

In his motion, Cavers said 30 per cent of the city’s population does not drive, and by not offering those who rely on transit are isolated from family and friends during the holidays. 

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