The Village of Salmo and RDCK Area G have launched a transit demand study which aims to improve public transportation throughout the rural community.
In a media release the Village of Salmo stated that the primary objective of the study is to create a more accessible and efficient system for both current and future residents.
The study began on Aug. 1 and was built in collaboration with past transit studies to understand what improvements need to be made to enhance ridership and increase residents’ transit experience.
A major component of the study is based on data collected through a public survey that all residents are encouraged to take part in. The survey asks questions directed towards both transit and non-transit users.
Once the survey closes on Aug. 31, a research team working with the Village of Salmo will compare the results with studies done in the past to identify changes in trends and areas that residents want to see improvements.
After studying the information, they will begin to make decisions surrounding destinations, route changes and scheduling adjustments to benefit the diverse needs of residents.
Jonnah Ronquillo, a Mitacs Research intern with the Village of Salmo, says another goal is to learn what gaps need to be filled to increase ridership and promote transit as a sustainable and reliable form of transportation within non-transit users as the province moves towards its no-emissions goal by 2040.
“With transit improvements, hopefully people would opt to use transit instead of their own vehicles. As much as it’s about improving the transit experience for current users, the data will also be used to learn where changes are needed to promote it to non-users as well.”
The survey is available online through the Village of Salmo’s website.
