Lake Country launches free ‘Scottie’ the summer shuttle to improve public transit

Lake Country has limited public transit so the district decided to launch a free seasonal shuttle to help people get around.

The district dubbed the bus “Scottie” and it’s an eight-week pilot program to complement the BC Transit bus routes over the summer. The shuttle rides are free for everyone and it’s meant to get people to destinations like beaches and restaurants.

“The Summer Shuttle Pilot implements a recommendation from the District’s Integrated Transit Strategy, which identified a seasonal shuttle as an opportunity to improve transportation options in Lake Country,” the district said in a press release.

The 24-person shuttle is going to operate Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for the summer.

Its route has 16 stops around Lake Country. It loops around Wood Lake, over to Pebble Beach and then to the Creekside Theatre.

The district is going to evaluate how popular the shuttle is, which stops are the most popular and general feedback to potentially continue or expand the free shuttle service.

There are BC Transit bus routes that connect Kelowna to Lake Country but there aren’t very many options for frequent buses within Lake Country.

The shuttle is meant to complement the public bus routes to help people get around easier on the weekend.

“The Summer Shuttle complements existing BC Transit service and does not replace Routes 23, 32 or 90. Riders are encouraged to use both services together to access more destinations throughout the community,” the district said.

The shuttle is funded with $43,000 from the District’s Climate Action Reserve which comes from the the sale of electricity from the district’s hydroelectric plant.

The district is encouraging people to give feedback on the service through an online survey.