All-Time List of Canadian Transit Systems
British Columbia Communities (A - F)

Abbotsford - Mission, British Columbia

Principal System

Gleeson & Company (? - circa 1946)
Operator of scheduled passenger service between Abbotsford and the British Commonweath Air Training Plan/R.C.A.F. base at Abbotsford airport (BC PUC 1946).

Abbotsford-Matsqui Transit System (28 August 1986 - circa 1995)
Contractor Abbotsford Matsqui Transit listed in (pb89). Contractor Township Transit Services Inc. listed in (BC Transit 1989/90: p38k b4). The separate District Municipalities of Abbotsford and Matsqui were amalgamated to form the City of Abbotsford 01 January 1995. Merged with Mission system about the time of the start-up of the West Coast Express commuter rail service from Vancouver.

Central Fraser Valley Transit System (circa 1995 - 200x?)
Serving Mission and Abbotsford and area. (BC Transit 1996). Contract operating company Township Transit Services Inc. (BC Transit 1997). Contracting municipalities: City of Abbotsford, and District of Mission (pb98). (BC Transit web page 2000. Photo: Bill Wong, barp.ca)

ValleyMAX Transit System (200x? - present)
Operated under contract by Township Transit Inc. (BC Transit website 2008). Extended service 04 September 2007 to Aldergrove which is served by the metropolitan Vancouver transit system TransLink. As of 2010 the contract operator was FirstCanada ULC (website 2010). BC Transit seems to use the ValleyMAX and Central Fraser Valley names interchangeably (2010).

Mission System

Fraser Valley Bus Line (circa 1946 - circa 1948)
Owners J.D. Routledge and J.H. Routledge. Operator of scheduled passenger service between Mission and Huntington [Abbotsford] via Abbotsford, as well as rural/intercity routes between Mission and Hatzic Island, and between Mission and Haney [Maple Ridge] (BC PUC 1947, 1948).

Mission Transportation Ltd. (circa 1948 - circa 1949)
Operator of scheduled passenger service in Mission, and between Mission and Huntington via Abbotsford, as well as between Mission and Hatzic Island, and between Mission and the junction of Dewdney Trunk Road and Ruskin cut off (BC PUC 1949). MTL operating licences transferred to PSL circa 1949 (BC PUC 1950).

Pacific Stage Lines (circa 1949 - ?)
B.C. Motor Transportation Limited. Operator of suburban and intercity bus services across the greater Vancouver region and the lower Fraser valley. Absorbed the operations of MTL circa 1950. (BC PUC 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953). PSL, a subsidiary of the BCER, was sold with the BCER to the BCH&PA 1962 but the history of its local service in Mission after 1952 is not yet known.

Mission Transit System (01 April 1979 - circa 1995)
(BC Transit 1988). Operation conducted for BC Transit by contractor Township Transit Services Inc. (BC Transit 1989/90: p15k b1). Merged with Abbotsford - Matsqui system about the time of the start-up of the West Coast Express commuter rail service from Vancouver.

Ashcroft - Cache Creek - Clinton, British Columbia

Ashcroft - Cache Creek - Clinton Transit (January 2008 - 31 March 2013)
Operated under contract by Mile 0 Taxi & Charters (BC Transit website 2008, website 2010, Ash-Cache-Journal.com Aug. 9, 2011). Cache Creek withdrew its funding contribution effective 31 March 2013.

Ashcroft - Clinton Transit (01 April 2013 - 05 July 2019)
Service reduced to three days per week, stopping only in Ashcroft and Clinton. Operated under contract by Yellowhead Community Services. Periodic trips (one day per week?) to Kamloops added circa 2015. From November 2017 added a once-monthly trip to 100 Mile House.

Ashcroft - Cache Creek - Clinton Transit (08 July 2019 - present)
Cache Creek rejoined the transit system effective 08 July 2019.

Bella Coola, British Columbia

Bella Coola Valley Transit System (200x? - present)
Operated under contract by Bella Coola Valley Bus Co. Ltd. (BC Transit website 2008, website 2010).

Burns Lake, British Columbia

Bulkley Nechako Regional Transit System (19 June 2017 - present)
Service alternates between two routes providing service three days per week on both routes. Trips between Prince George and Burns Lake run Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The run from Burns Lake to Prince George start at the Wet'suwet'en First Nation just west of Burns Lake and cover the 230-kilometre distance in 3 1/2 hours. The routes between Burns Lake and Smithers via Houston operates Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Operation conducted for BC Transit and the Bulkley Nechako Regional District (the municipality) by contractor Pacific Western Transportation.

Campbell River, British Columbia

Campbell River Transit System (04 January 1982 - present)
(Transit News Canada 1983, BC Transit 1988). Operation conducted for BC Transit by contractor Campbell River Bus & Transportation Inc. (BC Transit 1989/90, BC Transit 1996). Contracted operating company Watson & Ash Transportation Co. Ltd. (BC Transit 1997, 2008, website 2010). (BC Transit web page 2000)

Chilliwack, British Columbia

Principal System

Gallagher Transportation, Limited (1947 - circa 1948)
Granted a franchise to operate a city bus service by City of Chilliwack 28 March 1947 (BC PUB 1949).

C & H Transportation (circa 1948 - circa 1949)
Owners G.T. Henry and A.B. Cunningham. Operating city bus service in Chilliwack as of 01 March 1948 (BC PUB 1949).

Atkins Stage Lines, Limited (circa 1949 - circa 1950)
Operating city bus service in Chilliwack as of 01 March 1949 (BC PUB 1950). Operation established in 1938 by E.S. Atkins and incorporated 01 March 1944. Operated bus service between Harrison Hot Springs and Cultus Lake via Agassiz and Chilliwack from 1938 to 1963. Seems to have operated the city service in Chilliwack for approximately one year. Other services included a local routes between Chilliwack and Vedder Crossing circa 1944 and between Chilliwack and Ryder Lake beginning 1946.

Chilliwack Bus Lines, Ltd. (circa 1950 - 1970s?)
Operator of city bus service as of 01 March 1950 (BC PUB 1951). Owner in 1967 was Leslie R. Stevens (Vancouver Sun Aug. 31, 1967, p. 41). Robert Johnson assumed ownership July 1969 (Vancouver Sun Jun. 13, 1970, p. 11). Ownership changed hands August 1970 from Johnson to John J. Griffin (Vancouver Sun Oct. 30, 1970, p. 18; Aug. 30, 1973, p 42). In 1973 service area covered Chilliwack, Sardis, Vedder Crossing, and Cultus Lake. (Canadian Coach 1971).

Chilliwack Transit System (01 June 1980 - 200x?)
(BC Transit 1988). Operation conducted for BC Transit by contractor Township Transit Services Inc. Contracting municipality: District of Chilliwack (pb98). (BC Transit 1989/90, BC Transit 1997). (BC Transit 1996, BC Transit web page 2000).

Chilliwack/Agassiz-Harrison Transit System (200x? - present)
Operated under contract by Township Transit Inc. serving Agassiz, Chilliwack, Harrison Hot Springs, Kent, and Rosedale (BC Transit website 2008). As of 2010 the contract operator was FirstCanada ULC (website 2010). The City of Chilliwack website (2015) identifies the contract operator as FirstCanada Transit Services Inc..

Agassiz - Harrison System

J.W. Farqhar & Sutro Bancroft (? - circa 1946)
Operator of scheduled passenger service between Harrison Hot Springs and Agassiz as of 01 March 1945 (BC PUB 1946).

J.W. Farqhar & Katherine Begg (circa 1946 - circa 1948)
Operator of scheduled passenger service between Harrison Hot Springs and Agassiz as of 28 February 1946 (BC PUB 1947, 1948).

G.V. Farqhar (circa 1948 - circa 1952)
Operator of scheduled passenger service between Harrison Hot Springs and Agassiz (BC PUB 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952).

Edward O'Neil (circa 1952 - circa 1952)
Operator of scheduled passenger service between Harrison Hot Springs and Agassiz, discontinued service circa 1952 (BC PUB 1953).

[Agassiz - Harrison Paratransit System] (circa 1999 - 200x?)
Operation conducted by BC Transit and the contracting municipality or municipalities by a contractor. Service connects Harrison Hot Springs, Agassiz and Rosedale with Chilliwack. (BC Transit web page 2000) Web page title is Agassiz-Harrison Transit Service (2001). As of 2008 part of Chilliwack system.

Note

From the arrival of the CPR at Agassiz there have been bus services between Agassiz and Harrison Hot Springs. The photo at left is from 1909 (City of Vancouver Archives).

Clearwater, British Columbia

[Clearwater & Area Paratransit System] (circa 1999 - 200x?)
Operation conducted by a contractor for BC Transit and the municipal government(s). (BC Transit web page 2000, BC Transit web page 2001)

Clearwater & Area Transit System (200x? - present)
Operated under contract by Wells Grey Community Resources Society serving Barriere, Blue River, Clearwater, and Little Fort (BC Transit website 2008). As of 2010 the contract operator was Yellowhead Community Services (website 2010).

Courtenay, British Columbia

Vancouver Island Transportation Company (? - 1950)
In 1950 VITC surrendered their authorities to operate local services in the Courtenay area, including between Courtenay and Comox (5km), between Courtenay and Kye Bay (14km), and between Courtenay and Forbidden Plateau (24km).

Watson and Ash Transportation Co. Ltd. (1950 - ?)
Assumed the operating authorities surrendered by VITC and initiated local service in Courtenay (BC PUC 1951). Was still operating as of 01 March 1952 (BC PUC 1952, 1953).

Comox Paratransit System (01 August 1981 - 1990s?)
Operated for BC Transit and the municipalities by contractor Watson and Ash Transportation Co. Ltd. (1 bus) (BC Transit 1989/90). Superseded as principal transit service by a conventional system.

Comox Valley Transit System (23 July 1990 - present)
Operation conducted for BC Transit by a contractor. (CTHF/SSG 1993) (BC Transit 1996). Contract operating company Watson & Ash Transportation Co. Ltd. (BC Transit 1997, 2008, website 2010). Contracting municipality: Regional District of Comox-Strathcona (pb98). (BC Transit web page 2000). Serving Comox, Courtenay, Cumberland, and Royston (BC Transit website 2008).

References

• Comox Valley Transit System, a world wide web site at the url: http://www.valleylinks.net/buses/transit.html, 1998.

Cowichan Valley, British Columbia

Population centres in the Cowichan Valley Regional District include Chemainus, Cobble Hill, Crofton, Honeymoon Bay, Duncan, Ladysmith, Lake Cowichan, Mill Bay, North Cowichan, Shawnigan Lake, and Youbou.

Cowichan Valley Paratransit System (25 May 1987 - 200x?)
Operated for BC Transit and the municipalities by contractor Cowichan Valley Volunteer Society (1 bus) (BC Transit 1989/90). Superseded as principal transit system by a conventional service. (BC Transit web page 2000)

Cowichan Valley Transit System (26 August 1993 - 200x?)
Operation conducted for BC Transit by a contractor. (CTHF/SSG 1993) (BC Transit 1996). Contracted operating company The Gray Line of Victoria and Cowichan Lake Community Services Society (BC Transit 1997). Under the separate heading "Youbou/Cowichan Valley" CTHF/SSG 1998 and CTHF/SSG 2000 list an assigned BC Transit fleet of one minibus. The CVTS web site includes route "C" "Youbou Connector" (CVTS web site 2000). (BC Transit web page 2000, BC Transit web page 2001)

Cowichan Valley Regional Transit System (200x? - present)
Serving Chemainus, Cobble Hill, Cowichan Valley, Crofton, Duncan, Honeymoon Bay, Lake Cowichan, Mill Bay, North Cowichan, Shawnigan Lake, and Youbou. Urban services operated under contract by Greyhound Transportation Canada Inc. (a subsidiary of FirstBus Canada Ltd.) (BC Transit website 2008). Rural services operated by Volunteer Cowichan (BC Transit website 2008). As of 2010 the contract operator was FirstCanada ULC with the Youbou and Honeymoon Bay connector service operated by Cowichan Lake Community Services Society (website 2010). Service extended to Ladysmith 03 September 2013, including community bus service replacing the Ladysmith Trolley.

Duncan – Victoria Commuter System

Cowichan Valley Commuter Transit System (20 October 2008 - present)
Commuter service connecting Victoria with Duncan, Shawnigan Lake and Mill Bay area. Funding is cost shared between the Cowichan Valley Regional District, Victoria Regional Transit Commission and BC Transit. Contract operator is Farwest handyDART Services Inc. (BC Transit website 2009). As of 2010 the contract operator was FirstCanada ULC (website 2010, Street Side Guide 2015).

Ladysmith Systems

Sisco Transportation Co. (1920s?)
A series of photographs held by the BC Archives depict this company's buses transporting miners in and around Ladysmith. One identifies the route as Ladysmith to Cassidy. (BC Archives: C-02421, C-02453, E-04904, C-02474)

Ladysmith Trolley (04 August 2009 - 02 September 2013)
Seven-route 100-minute single vehicle system (All Aboard the Ladysmith Trolley, Ladysmith Downtown Business Assoc. 2009). Fare structure replaced donation fares October 2011 (“Ladysmith trolley going user-pay” canada.com 2011). Replaced by an extension of CVRTS 03 September 2013. (website 2013).

system logo

Data source:

online schedule 2011 (dated 2009)

Cranbrook, British Columbia

The Cranbrook Taxi Service (1948 - 1948)
Cranbrook city bus service. Owners D. Revie and J. Kaye. Licenced a bus for public passenger service in Cranbrook in 1948, but discontinued the service the same year. (BC PUC 1949 p. I22).

Cranbrook Paratransit System (01 January 1982 - 2000?)
Paratransit service conducted by Cranbrook Home Support Services under a contract with BC Transit and the municipal government(s) (BC Transit 1989/90: 1 bus). Listed in the 1997 telephone directory as Cranbrook Transit System. Contracting municipality: City of Cranbrook (pb97). Supplanted by a conventional transit service (CTN 2000, City Website 2000). (BC Transit web page 2000).

Cranbrook Transit System (01 December 2000 - present)
Operated under contract by Greyhound Transportation Canada Inc., a subsidiary of FirstCanada ULC (BC Transit website 2008, website 2010). Operated under contract by Sun City Coachlines (Street Side Guide 2015). (BC Transit 2001).

Creston, British Columbia

Creston Valley Paratransit System (03 April 1989 - 200x?)
Paratransit service conducted by Creston Valley Handi-Bus Society under a contract with BC Transit and the municipal government(s) (BC Transit 1989/90: 1 bus). In 1997 contract operator was Creston Valley Home Support Services (BC Transit 1997). (BC Transit web page 2000, (BC Transit web page 2001)

Creston Valley Transit System (200x? - present)
Operated under contract by Grouse Mountain Transportation (BC Transit website 2008). Contract operator for the period 01 April 2010 - 31 March 2017 is Arrow & Slocan Lakes Community Services (website 2010). System also operates twice-per-week Creston-Cranbrook Connector service between Creston and Cranbrook.

Dawson Creek, British Columbia

Dawson Creek Transit (circa 1948 - Spring 1950)
Postcard dated to 1950 shows a bus parked next to the Mile Zero marker for the Alaska Highway (flickr). Operator of scheduled passenger service in Dawson Creek as of 01 March 1948 was A.S. Halverson (BC PUC 1949). Operator of scheduled passenger service in Dawson Creek as of 01 March 1949 was William E. & Emil A. Dorin also reported as Dorin Brothers (BC PUC 1950, 1952).

Canadian Coachways Limited (October 1950 - Spring 1951)
Operator of scheduled passenger service in Dawson Creek. Also operated long distance intercity bus service in Alberta and British Columbia. Dawson Creek transit service ended for the season in the Spring of 1951 and did not restart in the Fall of 1951. (BC PUC 1952).

Dawson Creek Transit System (01 April 1981 - present)
(Transit News Canada 1984, BC Transit 1988). Operation conducted by Nordbo Services Ltd. under a contract with BC Transit (pb89, BC Transit 1989/90, BC Transit 1997, 2008). Contracting municipality: City of Dawson Creek (pb97). As of 2010 the contract operator was Diversified Transportation Ltd. (website 2010, Street Side Guide 2015). (BC Transit 1996, BC Transit web page 2000, BC Transit web page 2001).

Secondary System

Rimbey & Fontaine (? - circa 1948)
Operator of scheduled passenger service between Dawson Creek and Pouce Coupe, and between Dawson Creek and South Dawson (BC PUC 1948).

Rimbey & Hustak (circa 1948 - circa 1949)
Operator of scheduled passenger service between Dawson Creek and Pouce Coupe, and between Dawson Creek and South Dawson (BC PUC 1949).

B.Y.N. Bus Lines (circa 1949 - ?)
Bus operations of Whitehorse-based railway, riverboat and bus operator British Yukon Navigation Company, Limited. Also operated long distance bus service in British Columbia and Yukon. Operator of scheduled passenger service between Dawson Creek and Pouce Coupe, and between Dawson Creek and South Dawson (BC PUC 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953). Still operating as of 01 March 1952.

Fernie, British Columbia

Elk Valley Transit System (25 February 2008 - present)
Connecting Elkford, Sparwood, Jaffray, Elko, Baynes Lake, and Grassmere with Fernie. Operated under contract by DSR Holdings Ltd. (BC Transit website 2008, website 2010). Operated under contract by Sun City Coachlines (Street Side Guide 2015).

Fort St. John, British Columbia

Fort St. John Transit System (06 March 1981 - present)
(BC Transit 1988). Operation conducted by Nordbo Services Ltd. under a contract with BC Transit (pb89, BC Transit 1989/90, BC Transit 1997, 2008, website 2010). Contracting municipality: City of Fort St. John (pb97). Operated under contract by Diversified Transportation Ltd. (Street Side Guide 2015). (BC Transit 1996, BC Transit web page 2000, BC Transit web page 2001).