BC Transit launches BusReady youth program for 2023-2024 school year

BC Transit has launched its BusReady youth program for 2023-2024 school year. BC Transit’s youth program team originally launched the BusReady program in August of 2022 and are expanding the resources available in the program this year.

The program came to light in August 2022 after British Columbia Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming made transit free for all children aged 12 and under to increase youth ridership.

The BusReady program will help teach and guide young people on transit safety using education and activities. The main goal of the BusReady program is to ensure children feel safe and comfortable when riding transit any day of the week.

BC Transit also has an in-school program called the BusReady Ambassador Program. This program will begin in schools across the province in the coming months. The BusReady Ambassador program is developed to complement the British Columbia educational curriculum. Students will receive a presentation and are given hands-on experience with a guided bus tour by a local BusReady Ambassador. Through the program, students will be able to demonstrate their bus knowledge, explore accessibility and safety elements of their local bus and talk to a local BC Transit bus driver.

The program has been delivered to 385 classrooms, engaging more than 10,400 children and has received a 95 percent recommendation rating from educators who have participated in the program.

The pilot program is in the early stage of delivery and will be available to select transit systems, including Campbell River, Comox Valley, Cowichan Valley, Nanaimo, Squamish, Sunshine Coast, Victoria Regional and Whistler.