Government of BC Bus Pass Program

A universal bus pass that allows for unlimited travel on your conventional transit system is available to seniors and persons with a disability on a restricted income.

To qualify for the BC Bus Pass Program, you must be receiving any of the following:

• Old Age Pension and Federal Guaranteed Income Supplement or Federal Spouse's Allowance;
• Spouses Allowance to Old Age Security;
• Over 65 years: would qualify for OAS and GIS except having less than 10 years residency in Canada;
• BC Employment and Assistance (60 years and older); or
• BC Employment and Assistance PWD Disability Assistance (18 to 64 years).

For more information, contact:
BC Bus Pass Program
Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance
PO Box 9950, Station Provincial Government
Victoria, BC V8W 9R3
Toll-free: 1-866-866-0800 (Choose option 4, then option 3)

Family Travel

Youth aged 12 and younger ride FREE anytime when travelling with their parent or guardian, who is 19 years or older. The adult simply pays the fare using a monthly pass, DayPass, ProPass, U-Pass or BC Bus Pass. Up to four youths can travel with one adult.

Find out how you the Family Travel Program works for class field trips.

This program is run slightly different in each community.

McGruff on the Bus - We'll Radio for Help

The McGruff House Program is similar to the well-known Block Parent Program. Each bus is radio equipped with direct contact to local police, ambulance and other emergency services.

BC Transit's drivers are well trained to assist a child or adult in difficulty.

The program began in 1986 when Victoria City Police and BC Transit staff joined forces to offer a safe place for children. The McGruff House Program is now in place in many communities around the province, and is operated as a partnership between that area's transit system and the local RCMP or police detachment. Participating transit systems have a McGruff decal on each bus.

Since the implementation of the program, transit drivers have helped many lost children and people who are ill or frightened. If you need help just ask your transit driver!

Request-A-Stop

Request-A-Stop is a customer service available to passengers after 7:00pm on
several transit systems in the province.

With Request-A-Stop, passengers who feel that their personal safety is at risk can ask their transit driver to stop between regular bus stops.

Simply ask your driver at least one bus stop ahead of where you wish to get off. Your driver will let you off as close to your request as safely possible. For added safety and security, Request-A-Stop users are asked to leave by the front doors.

Due to safety reasons, passengers using wheelchairs must use designated wheelchair-accessible bus stops.

In order to meet with your request, your bus driver must be able to stop at a safe location.

Bike & Ride

Whether you're headed for work, for school, for shopping or for fun, you and your bike can ride the same bus for the usual fare.

Bike racks have been installed on buses in many communities around the province. Each bike rack can hold 2 bikes.

Loading and unloading bikes on the rack is easy and there is no extra cost for bringing your bike. The rack, attached to the front of the bus, holds two bicycles. The racks have simple instructions posted right on them. Each bike can be loaded or unloaded independently. You don't need to move one bike to reach the other. The rack holds most wheel and frame sizes. Assume that if the rack is full (with two bikes already) you must wait for the next bus... first come, first served!

Van Pools

Vanpools are an efficient and economical alternative to commuting by yourself. Vanpools from the area surrounding Victoria are funded by BC Transit and managed by the Jack Bell Foundation. Participants pay a monthly fee to cover the costs of operating an 8 passenger van. There are over 25 vanpools operating in the region. For more information call 380-7433 or check out the Jack Bell Foundation website at www.ride-share.com

U-PASS: Universal - Affordable - Accessible

The U-PASS program gives all participating students unlimited access to all routes during a 4 month semester for a very low semester fee. A U-PASS decal available on campus validates student cards for transit use. The semester fee is mandatory for all students. Current student participants in the program are from Victoria’s UVIC and Camosun, College of the Rockies in Cranbrook and Kamloops’ TRU.

U-PASS discussions are underway with University and Colleges in Kelowna, Prince George and Nanaimo.

PROPASS: Your permanent ticket to ride

The PROPASS is a permanent bus pass purchased by employees through payroll deduction. It eliminates the need to purchase a pass every month and offers participants savings.

Currently only available in the Victoria Regional Transit System, the pass was launched in September 1994 as part of the Victoria Accord's Travel Demand Management initiatives. In Victoria, there are over 1,700 people presently on the program.