Kelowna Regional Transit System
Kelowna Regional Transit System is operated by FirstCanada, providing public bus transportation services in part of the central Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada.
Funding for the transit system is shared between the City of Kelowna, Regional District of Central Okanagan, District of Lake Country, City of West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation and BC Transit, while the planning and routing decisions are primarily made by Kelowna City Council.
Kelowna Regional Transit was one of the first public transit systems in Canada to have double-decker buses, and the first in Canada to have hybrid buses on regular routes. The hybrid and double deckers buses have since been relocated to Victoria.
Services
Bus routes
There are 29 regularly scheduled routes and a BRT service called RapidBus, connecting Westbank Centre Exchange, downtown Queensway Transit Exchange and UBC Okanagan Exchange. Also, there is one route operated by Vernon Regional Transit and one route operated by South Okanagan-Similkameen Transit System within Kelowna Regional Transit's operational area.| No. | Name | Area | Description | Notes |
| 1 | Lakeshore Mission/Downtown | Kelowna | Downtown Queensway, Pandosy, Kelowna Regional Hospital, Okanagan College, Lakeshore, Mission Rec Centre | |
| 2 | North End Shuttle | Kelowna | Downtown Queensway → Ellis → Cambridge → Richter → Downtown Queensway | |
| 3 | Dilworth Mt. | Kelowna | Orchard Park → Dilworth → Summit → High → Glenmore → Yates → Summit → Orchard Park | |
| 4 | Express Pandosy/UBCO | Kelowna | Mission Town Centre, K.L.O., Benvoulin, Orchard Park, Enterprise, Highway 97, Sexsmith, Hollywood Road N, Academy Way, UBC Okanagan | Weekday rush hours, September to June only |
| 5 | Gordon Mission/Downtown | Kelowna | Downtown Queensway, Clement, Gordon, Okanagan College, Mission Rec Centre | |
| 6 | UBCO Downtown/UBCO | Kelowna | Downtown Queensway, Cawston, Graham, Clement, Clifton, High, Glenmore, John Hindle Drive, Alumni Ave. | |
| 8 | University OC/UBCO | Kelowna | Okanagan ?College, Kelowna Regional Hospital, Springfield, Orchard Park, Baron, Highway 33, Rutland, UBC Okanagan | |
| 9 | Shopper Shuttle Downtown/Rutland | Kelowna | Downtown Queensway, Parkinson, Orchard Park → Baron → Banks → Enterprise → Orchard Park | |
| 10 | North Rutland Downtown/Rutland | Kelowna | Downtown Queensway, Bernard, Orchard Park, Enterprise, Highway 33, Rutland, Fitzpatrick | |
| 11 | Rutland Downtown/Rutland | Kelowna | Downtown Queensway, Orchard Park, Springfield, Hollywood, McCurdy | |
| 12 | McCulloch Gallaghers/OC/Orchard Park | Kelowna | Mission Town Centre, K.L.O., McCulloch | Limited service to Orchard Park Mall |
| 13 | Quail Ridge | Kelowna | UBC Okanagan → Quail Run at Brindisi → Country Club → UBC Okanagan | Weekdays, mornings and afternoons only |
| 14 | Black Mountain Rutland/Black Mountain | Kelowna | Rutland, Highway 33, Loseth, Black Mountain Drive, Large | Community Shuttle Route |
| 15 | Crawford | Kelowna | Mission Rec. Exchange → Dehart → Crawford → Parkridge → Dehart → Mission Rec. Exchange | |
| 16 | Kettle Valley | Mission | Mission Rec. Exchange → Chute Lake → Quilchena → Chute Lake → Mission Rec. Exchange | |
| 17 | Southridge | Mission | Mission Rec. Exchange, Gordon, Frost, Southridge, Arborview, Steele, Gordon, return to Mission Rec. Exchange | |
| 18 | Glenmore Glenmore/Downtown | Kelowna | Downtown Queensway, Cawston, Graham, Clement, Clifton, High, Glenmore, Cross, Snowsell, Union, Glenmore, return downtown reverse routing | |
| 19 | Glenmore Glenmore/Orchard Park | Kelowna | Orchard Park, Cooper, Enterprise, Glenmore, Kane, Valley, Union Glenmore, return to Orchard Park reverse routing | |
| 20 | Lakeview Westbank/Mount Boucherie Exchange | West Kelowna | Mount Boucherie Exchange, Boucherie, Westbank Exchange | |
| 21 | Glenrosa Westbank/Glenrosa | West Kelowna | Westbank Exchange, Glenrosa, Webber, Blue Jay | |
| 22 | Peachland | Peachland | Westbank Exchange, Highway 97, Beach, Princeton, Pine Hills | |
| 23 | Lake Country | Lake Country | UBC Okanagan,, Winfield, Lake Country | Service to Kelowna International Airport 2 morning southbound Ellison trips, and 2 afternoon northbound trips. |
| 24 | Shannon Lake Mount Boucherie Exch/Westbank | West Kelowna | Mount Boucherie Exchange, Boucherie, Old Okanagan Highway, Shannon, Westbank Exchange | |
| 25 | East Boundary Mount Boucherie Exch/West Bank | West Kelowna | Mount Boucherie Exchange, East Boundary, Butt, Westbank Exchange | Community Shuttle Route |
| 28 | Shannon Lake Mount Boucherie Exch/Westbank | West Kelowna | Westbank Exchange → Smith Creek → Shannon Lake Road → Mount Boucherie Exchange | Community Shuttle Route, weekdays only |
| 29 | Bear Creek | West Kelowna | Mount Boucherie Exchange → Westlake → Bear Creek → Mount Boucherie Exchange | Community Shuttle Route, weekdays only |
| 32 | The Lakes | Lake Country | Main, Bottom Wood Lake, Oceola, Lake Hill | Weekdays only |
| 70 | Penticton/Kelowna | Penticton | Penticton, Summerland, West Kelowna, Kelowna Downtown Queensway | Interregional express route operated by South Okanagan-Similkameen Transit System. Weekdays only, twice daily. No trips within Kelowna fare zone permitted. |
| 88 | School Special | Kelowna | September to June; School Days only. | |
| 90 | North Okanagan Connector UBCO/Vernon | Vernon | UBC Okanagan, Airport, Winfield, Lake Country, Oyama, Regional Fare Zone Boundary, Vernon | Interregional express route operated by Vernon Regional. Kelowna Regional fare applies for travel within Kelowna fare zone boundary. |
| 97X | RapidBus Okanagan UBCO/Downtown/Westbank | Kelowna/West Kelowna | Westbank Exchange, Highway 97, Kelowna Downtown Queensway, Highway 97, UBC Okanagan | Bus rapid transit service |
RapidBus
is rapid bus transit operated by Kelowna Regional Transit System since September 2010. RapidBus expanded its service to West Kelowna on September 2, 2012. Digital screens with real-time schedule information installed at all stops.97x RapidBus connects West Kelowna, downtown Kelowna and UBC Okanagan via HOV lanes on Highway 97 with traffic signal priority with limited stops to provide fast and direct service.
North Okanagan Connector
90 North Okanagan Connector is an interregional route connecting UBC Okanagan and downtown Vernon. This route is operated by Vernon Regional Transit, but Kelowna Regional Transit System fare applies for travel within Kelowna Regional Transit's operational area. Kelowna Regional Transit passes and transfers are also valid between UBC Okanagan and Oyama.Penticton
70 Penticon/Kelowna is an interregional route connecting the South Okanagan to downtown West Kelowna and Kelowna. Northbound buses drop only in West Kelowna, and pick up only in downtown Kelowna and West Kelowna on the southbound leg. Fares are separate from Kelowna Regional fares. Operated by Berry & SmithParatransit
is a dial-a-ride service for people with a disability that is sufficiently severe that they are unable to use regular transit buses without assistance. Clients must be pre-registered to make use of this service.Bicycle carriers
All buses are equipped with bicycle carriers, capable of holding two bikes at a time. Carriers cannot hold tandem or motor-powered bikes. Also, the length of handle bars must be shorter than 69 cm. Bicycles are not allowed on community shuttles before dawn or after sunset, because they would block the headlights.Proposed Changes/Improvements
Potential Transit Routing Changes
Future Infrastructure
Over $50 million is being invested in Phases 2 and 3 of RapidBus in 2013 and 2014 with infrastructure being completed in West Kelowna and Kelowna.Rutland Exchange
The Rutland Exchange is located just north of Highway 33 and between Asher and Dougall Roads. It is a small part of the grand Rutland Town Centre Plan.Phase 1 of the exchange was completed in September 2013 and currently only the #14 Black Mountain services it. To have routes 8 and 10 service the exchange at this time would be cumbersome and unnecessary.
The future plan, pending negotiations with he Rutland Centennial Park Society, is to extend the exchange and its road, through the park to Rutland Road to allow easy left and right turns onto Rutland Road. At this time, the 8 University, 10 North Rutland, and a potential East Rutland route will be able to service it.