All-Time List of Canadian Transit Systems
Brtish Columbia Communities (G - O)

Gabriola Island, British Columbia

Blue Line Transit, Ltd. (circa 1949 - circa 1950)
Operator of scheduled passenger service on Gabriola Island and in and around Nanaimo (BC PUC 1950). Purchased by Vancouver Island Transportation Company, Limited 29 January 1950 (BC PUC 1951).

William H. Coates (circa 1950 - ?)
Operator of scheduled passenger service on Gabriola Island (BC PUC 1951, 1952, 1953). Still operating as of 01 March 1952.

GERTIE (01 June 2013 - present)
Name is an acronym for Gabriola Environmentally Responsible Trans-Island Express. First week of service was fare-free, followed by an official launch 08 June 2013. (website 2013)

system logo

Data source:

website 2013

Golden, British Columbia

Kicking Horse Country Transit Service (10 December 2007 - 27 July 2012)
Operated under contract by Olympus Stage Lines Ltd. Golden Town council voted 10 April 2012 to discontinue transit service. (BC Transit website 2008, website 2010).

Grand Forks, British Columbia

Boundary Paratransit System (24 August 1992 - 200x?)
Paratransit service conducted by Grand Forks & District Health Care Society under a contract with BC Transit and the municipal government(s) (BC Transit 1997, BC Transit web page 2000, 2001).

Boundary Transit System (200x? - present)
Operated under contract by Interior Health Authority (BC Transit website 2008, website 2010).

Hazelton, British Columbia

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

Hazeltons' Regional Transit System (200x? - present)
Tri-weekly service connecting Gitsegukla, New Hazelton, Hazelton, and Kispiox; and twice-weekly service connecting Smithers, New Hazelton, Hazelton, and Kispiox. From 20 November 2017 service extended tri-weekly (Tuesday, Thursdays, Saturdays) to Terrace, and tri-weekly (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays) to Gitwangak. Smithers via Kispiox service also expanded to tri-weekly (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays). Operated under contract by Farwest Bus Lines Ltd. (BC Transit website 2008, website 2010). From 01 April 2018 contract operator was Pacific Western Transit Canada.

Hope, British Columbia

Hope Regional Transit System (05 September 2017 - present)
Four round trips daily except Sundays connecting Hope with Seabird Island and Agassiz. Operated under contract to the municipality/ies and BC Transit by a contractor.

Invermere, British Columbia

Columbia Valley Transit System (25 February 2008 - present)
Service connecting Radium, Canal Flats and Fairmont Hot Springs with Invermere. Operated under contract by Olympus Stage Lines Ltd. (BC Transit website 2008, website 2010).

Kamloops, British Columbia

Principal System

Civic Transportation Company Ltd. (April 1946 - 1961)
Owner Selby Etsel Irwin granted PUC licence March 1946 for start no later than 01 July 1946. Principal transit operator in Kamloops. Also operated scheduled passenger service between Kamloops and North Kamloops. Acquired by BCCL 1961. (Walker).

B.C. Coach Lines (1947) Ltd. (1961 - 1964)
Operating between Kamloops and Tranquille (see below). Acquired Civic Ttn 1961 making BCCL the principal transit operator in Kamloops. Company sold to Coachways 1964. (Walker).

Canadian Coachways System (1964 - January 1970)
City service (Canadian Coach 1966). (Canadian Coach 1968)

Western Bus Lines of BC Ltd. (January 1970 - 01 October 1976)
(Canadian Coach 1970, Dawes et al. 1972, Canadian Coach 1974). WBL of BC was formerly Tyee Transit (Canadian Coach Vol. IX, No. 2, March/April 1973). Acquired by T-OT 1976. (Photo: Peter Cox).

Kamloops Transit System (01 October 1976 - present)
(BC Transit 1988) Initial contract operator was provincial government owned Thompson-Okanagan Transit Limited (Transit Canada 1977). Operation conducted by Farwest Coach Inc. (a subsidiary of FirstBus Canada Ltd.) under a contract with BC Transit (pb89, BC Transit 1989/90, BC Transit 1997, 2008). BC Transit 1989/90 also states that KTS service startup was 10 October 1979. BC Transit 1997 states that KTS service startup was 10 October 1970. Contracting municipality: City of Kamloops (pb97). As of 2010 the contract operator was FirstCanada ULC (website 2010, Street Side Guide 2015). From 04 September 2018 service was extended to Tk'emlups te Secwepemc (TteS) First Nation including Sun Rivers and Mount Paul Industrial Park. Initial service agreement with TteS is for 5 years. (BC Transit 1996, BC Transit web page 2000, 2001). (Photo: Peter Cox).

Secondary Systems

Wilkinson & Blackwell Stages (1929 - circa 1945)
Bus service connecting Kamloops with North Kamloops and Tranquille. From circa 1930 company began operating intercity routes from Kamloops. Company incorporated as BCCL. (Walker).

B.C. Coach Lines Limited (circa 1945 - 1947)
Operating Kamloops - Tranquille as well as intercity routes. Gradually sold off much of its intercity business. Reincorporated 1947. (Walker).

B.C. Coach Lines (1947) Ltd. (1947 - 1964)
Acquired Civic Ttn 1961 making BCCL the principal transit operator in Kamloops (see above). Company sold to Coachways 1964. (Walker).

Riverview Coach Lines (circa 1949 - ?)
Owner Louis C. Vigna. Operator of scheduled passenger service between Kamloops and Valleyview (7km), and between Kamloops and Powers Addition (3km) (BC PUC 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953). Still operating as of 01 March 1952. (Probably forerunner of VSL.)

Valley Stage Lines (? - 10 October 1976)
Owner Bill Riste. Bus service to Westsyde and Valleyview areas. Service assumed by KTS 1976. (Kamloops Transit Service folder 10 October 1976). (photo Kevin Haggkvist).

References

• B.C. Coach Lines 1947 Ltd., Time Tables: Effective January 4, 1954, collection of F.R. Jelfs.
• Thompson-Okanagan Transit Ltd., Kamloops Transit Service, Effective October 10/1976, collection of F.R. Jelfs.
• Walker, R. Gerry, “The B.C. Coach Lines Story: A short history of an important acquisition by the new Coachways System.,” explorenorth.com, a world wide web page at the URL: http://www.explorenorth.com/library/bus/bc_coach_lines-history.html 2018. Reprinted from The Coachways Thunderbird, Volume 1, Number 1 (June/July 1966).

Kelowna, British Columbia

Principal System

Thompson Bus Lines, Ltd. (March 1946 - circa 1951)
Owner Fred S. Thompson. Municipal franchise granted 11 June 1946. Operator of city bus service in Kelowna (BC PUC 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952).

Kelowna Bus Lines Limited (circa 1951 - October 1951)
Operator of city bus service in Kelowna (BC PUC 1953). Went out of business October 1951.

O.K. Mission Stages, Ltd. (October 1951 - 04 July 1974)
Operator of scheduled passenger service between Kelowna and Okanagan Mission circa 1948 - 1974 (see below). In October 1951 stepped in to replace city bus service of KBL. Also listed in other references as O.K. Mission Lines (Canadian Coach 1971) and Okanagan Mission Lines (Scrafton et al. 1970).

Lake-Valley Transit (04 July 1974 - July 1977)
Company formed by the amalgamation of OKSL and S-GS (Transit Canada 1975). Succeeded by the KTS. (photo: Kelowna Transit).

Kelowna Regional Transit System (04 July 1977 - present)
(TC77, BC Transit 1988). Operation conducted by Kelowna Bus and Transportation Inc. under a contract with BC Transit (pb89, BC Transit 1989/90, BC Transit 1997, pb98). Contracting municipalities: City of Kelowna and Regional District of Central Okanagan (pb98). Web site uses Kelowna Regional Transit without the trailing word "System." Serving Central Okanagan, Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland, and Westbank, and operated under contract by Farwest Transit Services Inc. (a subsidiary of FirstBus Canada Ltd.) (BC Transit website 2008). As of 2010 the contract operator was FirstCanada ULC (website 2010, Street Side Guide 2015). (BC Transit 1996, BC Transit web page 2000, 2001. Photo: John M. Day, barp.ca)

Secondary Systems

Jessie B. Hall (? - circa 1947)
Operator of scheduled passenger service between Kelowna and Okanagan Mission from before 28 February 1945 and ending between 01 March 1947 and 01 March 1948 (BC PUC 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949).

J.W. Pavle (March 1946 - ?)
Operator of scheduled passenger service between Kelowna and Rutland, Kelowna and Glenmore, and Kelowna and East Kelowna (BC PUC 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953). Service to South Kelowna added circa 1949. Still operating 01 March 1952 (BC PUC 1953). (Perhaps a forerunner of S-GS.)

O.K. Mission Stages, Ltd. (circa 1948 - 04 July 1974)
Operator of scheduled passenger service between Kelowna and Okanagan Mission (BC PUC 1949, 1950, 1951). Service extended to Cedar Creek circa 1951. In October 1951 stepped in to replace city bus service of KBL (see above).

Silver-Green Stages (1969 - 04 July 1974)
Owner C.W. Carignan (CPTdb wiki 2014). (Scrafton et al. 1970)

Note

Kimberley, British Columbia

Principal System

Roy Langlands (circa 1946 - circa 1947)
Operator of new scheduled passenger service in Kimberley (BC PUC 1947).

Kimberley City Service Co., Ltd. (circa 1947 - ?)
Operator of scheduled passenger service in Kimberley. Probably incorporation of predecessor. Purchased new Fitzjohn Cityliner bus October 1950 (Lawrence 2012, p. 47). Still operating as of 01 March 1952. Added route between Kimberley and Sullivan Mine circa 1952. (BC PUC 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953).

Kimberley Paratransit System (01 January 1982 - 200x?)
Paratransit service conducted by Kimberley Community Transportation Committee for the Handicapped Society under a contract with BC Transit and the municipal government(s) (BC Transit 1989/90: 1 bus). (BC Transit 2000, 2001)

Kimberley Transit System (200x? - present)
Operated under contract by Kimberley Transportation Committee (BC Transit website 2008, website 2010).

Secondary System

Kimberley Community Transit (circa December 2007 - present (annually mid December - March or April))
Ski-season daily bus service between Kimberley and Kimberley Alpine Resort. Between nine and twelve trips/day (2010/11 schedule). $3.00 fare (2010/11). Funded in part by the City of Kimberley and the local accommodations industry. (The [Kimberley] Bulletin 12 December 2011).

Kitimat, British Columbia

Kitimat Transit System (22 April 1974 - present)
(Canadian Coach 1974, BC Transit 1988). Operation conducted from start-up by Coastal Bus Lines Ltd. under a contract with BC Transit (pb89, BC Transit 1989/90, BC Transit 1997, pb98, BC Transit 2008). As of 2010 the contract operator was FirstCanada ULC (website 2010, Street Side Guide 2015). From 01 April 2018 contract operator was Pacific Western Transit Canada. (BC Transit 1996, BC Transit web page 2000, 2001).

Lillooet, British Columbia

Kaoham Shuttle (01 November 2002 - present) After the cancellation of regular BC Rail passenger service in October 2002, return trip service operated Lillooet - Seton - Darcy by railbus, sponsored by the Seton Lake Band, and available to the general public. Operational partner BC Rail sold 15 July 2004 to Canadian National Railway Company. (Ken Storey photo, Train Scan website) Service to Darcy discontinued.

Lillooet & Lytton Transit System (200x? - present)
Once-per-week transportation service (Tuesdays: Lillooet - Cache Creek - Savona - Kamloops; Thursdays: Lytton - Ashcroft - Savona - Kamloops) operated primarily to facilitate medical appointments in Kamloops. Operated under contract by Mile 0 Taxi & Charters (website 2010).

References

• Johnson, Bob, “British Columbia's Backcountry Locals,” Trains, Vol. 68, No. 5 (May 2008), pp. 50-55.

Logan Lake / Chase, British Columbia

Logan Lake - Merritt - Chase & Area Transit (01 April 2008 - present)
Twice weekly bus service between Logan Lake and Kamloops, plus weekly service on routes Merritt - Kamloops, Logan Lake - Merritt - Kelowna, and Chase - Kamloops oriented primarily towards medical appointments. Booking 24 hours in advance is required to use the service. Administered in part by BC Transit. As of 2010 the contract operator was Farwest Coach Inc. (website 2010).

Merritt, British Columbia

Merritt and Area Transit System (05 November 2007 - present)
Operated under contract by Nicola Valley Transportation Society (BC Transit website 2008, website 2010).

Mount Waddington, British Columbia

Mount Waddington Transit System (02 July 2008 - present)
Operated under contract by the North Island Community Services Society and in conjunction with the Volunteer Transportation Network (BC Transit website 2008, website 2010). Serves Port Hardy, Port McNeill, Fort Rupert, Coal Harbour, and Woss. Operated under contract by North Island Community Services (Street Side Guide 2015).

Nanaimo, British Columbia

Blue Line Transit (05 February 1939 - 1946)
Owned by Harold Sangster and a division of Veterans' Sightseeing & Transportation Company. Grant of a franchise by the voters of Nanaimo reported in TJ March 1941. Prior Blue Line service in Nanaimo had been under a licence. Licences and franchise transferred to BLT Ltd. 1946. (Les Broughton 2018, photo Peter Cox).

Blue Line Transit, Ltd. (1946 - March 1950)
Operations in Victoria and Nanaimo purchased September 1946 by British Columbia Electric Railway Company which continued to operate in Nanaimo as BLT until sold to VICL in 1950 (Canadian Coach 1969). (Les Broughton 2018, photo Peter Cox).

Vancouver Island Coach Lines, Limited (March 1950 - 1960)
Operator of scheduled passenger service in Nanaimo and vicinity (BC PUB 1951, 1952, 1953). Also an intercity carrier with long distance and local routes around Vancouver Island. (Canadian Coach 1967). VICL entered the local Nanaimo market 16 October 1948 with routes between Nanaimo and Extension (10km), Nanaimo and South Wellington (8km), and Nanaimo and Craycroft (BC PUB 1950).

Nanaimo Transit Limited (1960 - circa November 1969)
(Canadian Coach 1965, 69, photos: William A. Luke, Peter Cox).

Nanaimo Regional Transit System (01 April 1972 - present)
After 01 April 1979, operation conducted by the Regional District of Nanaimo (the municipality) under a contract with BC Transit. (Dawes et al. 1972, CUTA 1976-77, BC Transit 1988, pb89, CUTA TT89, BC Transit 1989/90, BC Transit 1997, pb98, BC Transit 2008, website 2010). Serving Cedar, Lantzville, Nanaimo, Parksville, and Qualicum Beach (BC Transit 2008). (BC Transit 1996, 2000, 2001).

Note

Parksville - Qualicum Beach Systems

Parksville - Qualicum Beach Transit System (08 November 1993 - 200x?)
Operated for BC Transit and the municipalities by a contractor. (BC Transit 1996). Contract operator the Regional District of Nanaimo which also operates connecting local transit in Nanaimo (BC Transit 1997). Not listed in BC Transit web page 2000 but is included on the Regional District of Nanaimo transit web page, 2000. By 2008 this service is part of Nanaimo Regional Transit System.

Shop to Shore Shuttle (01 July 2010 - 03 September 2011 (summer seasons only))
Free scheduled summer bus service in Qualicum Beach, connecting the shopping district with the beach. Joint iniative of the Town of Qualicum Beach and the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce (Parksville Qualicum Beach News 05 July 2011, 22 July 2011, 03 July 2012). 2011 operating season was 01 July – 03 September, Monday to Saturday, 10:00AM to 5:00PM (Mid Island News 22 June 2011).

Downtown Free Bus (July 2011 - 2013? (summer seasons only))
Free scheduled summer bus service in downtown Parksville. Initiative of the Parksville Downtown Business Association. The 2012 operating season was Monday to Saturday 02 July to 01 September (Parksville Qualicum Beach News 26 June 2012. 21 December 2012). Operated by Tofino Bus Service Ltd. (online 2012 schedule).

system logo (2012)

Data source:

website 2012 (logo)

Ocean Falls, British Columbia

Johnston Terminals (1950s?)
Bus service in isolated one-industry town. Population peaked over 3,500 about 1950 (Wikipedia). Mill closed 1980. Population circa 2009: 40. (photo: 1961 BC Archives I-50616)

100 Mile House, British Columbia

100 Mile House Paratransit System (23 July 1990 - 200x?)
Paratransit service conducted by South Cariboo Home Support Services Association under a contract with BC Transit and the municipal government(s) (BC Transit 1997). Listed in the 1997 telephone directory as 100 Mile House Transit while BC Transit web pages 2000 and 2001 imply [100 Mile House & Area Paratransit System].

100 Mile House & Area Transit System (200x? - present)
Operated under contract by LDN Transportation (BC Transit website 2008, website 2010).