BC Transit, a provincial Crown Corporation operates and administers conventional, fixed-route public transit services in British Columbia's major metropolitan centres of Vancouver and Victoria and in 24 smaller communities across the province. BC Transit service is available to 76% of the province's residents. BC Transit has been successful in providing innovative services that respond to community needs. Some of these innovations include the introduction of lift-equipped and low-floor buses to improve accessibility, the use of bike racks and lockers to integrate transit with cycling, the integration of school bus and transit services to build transit ridership and improve efficiency, and the targeting of the post-secondary student market with special services and discounted fares. The introduction of innovative services to the non-metropolitan areas of the province has been facilitated by BC Transit's Municipal Systems Program and the three-way partnerships between BC Transit, local governments, and operating companies that it provides. Much of the planning for this program is done by BC Transit staff in Victoria, allowing for the easy transfer of experience between systems. A key area for future transit innovations in B.C. is in the creation of a provincewide public transportation system with integrated services and information. This would involve the creation of regional transit services in areas where development is coalescing into continuous corridors, rather than in discrete settlements. Although BC Transit has been successful in introducing a range of innovative services around the province, questions remain as to whether BC Transit's general service provision strategy is as cost-effective and accountable as possible. The current funding and governance arrangements in the province have created a situation that is weak on local accountability and which may perpetuate the provision of uneconomic services. Further research is needed to fully address this issue.

BC Transit, a provincial Crown Corporation operates and administers conventional, fixed-route public transit services in British Columbia's major metropolitan centres of Vancouver and Victoria and in 24 smaller communities across the province. BC Transit service is available to 76% of the province's residents. BC Transit has been successful in providing innovative services that respond to community needs. Some of these innovations include the introduction of lift-equipped and low-floor buses to improve accessibility, the use of bike racks and lockers to integrate transit with cycling, the integration of school bus and transit services to build transit ridership and improve efficiency, and the targeting of the post-secondary student market with special services and discounted fares. The introduction of innovative services to the non-metropolitan areas of the province has been facilitated by BC Transit's Municipal Systems Program and the three-way partnerships between BC Transit, local governments, and operating companies that it provides. Much of the planning for this program is done by BC Transit staff in Victoria, allowing for the easy transfer of experience between systems. A key area for future transit innovations in B.C. is in the creation of a provincewide public transportation system with integrated services and information. This would involve the creation of regional transit services in areas where development is coalescing into continuous corridors, rather than in discrete settlements. Although BC Transit has been successful in introducing a range of innovative services around the province, questions remain as to whether BC Transit's general service provision strategy is as cost-effective and accountable as possible. The current funding and governance arrangements in the province have created a situation that is weak on local accountability and which may perpetuate the provision of uneconomic services. Further research is needed to fully address this issue. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

A mixed integer optimization model is developed to determine both the optimal location of transit centres to serve BC Transit's Lower Mainland route network and the optimal allocation of buses to those centres. The existing five transit centres are explored as well as five candidate facilities. The model considers nonrevenue transportation cost (deadhead), capital cost of constructing candidate transit centres and the salvage values of existing centres. A linear regression is generated to produce the travel times from the terminus of a route to potential transit centre locations. The optimal solution is determined, resulting in potential annual savings of over $560,000 compared to the current location-allocation strategy. Various experiments are performed to examine the sensitivity of model parameters and to determine the effect of different planning scenarios. The effect of the optimal solution on driver relief is considered. Conclusions as well as directions for further research are offered.

A mixed integer optimization model is developed to determine both the optimal location of transit centres to serve BC Transit's Lower Mainland route network and the optimal allocation of buses to those centres. The existing five transit centres are explored as well as five candidate facilities. The model considers nonrevenue transportation cost (deadhead), capital cost of constructing candidate transit centres and the salvage values of existing centres. A linear regression is generated to produce the travel times from the terminus of a route to potential transit centre locations. The optimal solution is determined, resulting in potential annual savings of over $560,000 compared to the current location-allocation strategy. Various experiments are performed to examine the sensitivity of model parameters and to determine the effect of different planning scenarios. The effect of the optimal solution on driver relief is considered. Conclusions as well as directions for further research are offered. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate