The District of Tofino is excited to announce the renewal of Tofino’s Summer Transit Service for 2015 and 2016. The service is free of charge for all riders, who can hop on and off at various beach and resort stops between downtown and Cox Bay, with their surfboards and beach gear.

From 2008 to 2013, Summer Transit Service users were charged a $2 fare but in an effort to increase ridership and relieve parking pressures downtown and at beaches, the District of Tofino eliminated the fare in 2014.  Ridership almost tripled, with local residents making up 1/3 of ridership.

“Providing a free summer transit service in Tofino says a lot about what kind of community we are,” says Tofino Mayor Josie Osborne.  “We welcome visitors and encourage them to explore the area, and the shuttle provides a convenient, extremely cost-effective, and environmentally friendlier way to do that.”

Financial support for this seasonal service comes from Federal Gas Tax Agreement funding and the Province of BC’s Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI). The RMI program provides funding to small, tourism-based municipalities to support and increase visitation though investments in tourism-related infrastructure, services, and events. Tofino has received $4,565,689 in RMI funding since joining the program in 2008.

Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour –

“Tofino’s Summer Transit Service is a great example of why our government has provided Resort Municipality Initiative funding to Tofino since 2008. This funding will help develop and enhance tourism related infrastructure and amenities and make it easier for visitors to travel within Tofino. The free summer transit service will add to the quality of their visit and encourage visitors to return to the area, strengthening the tourism industry, spending within the local economy and supporting more jobs within the region.”

For 2015, the service will kick off June 27th, just prior to the Canada Day long weekend and run daily through the September Labour Day weekend.  The service will run hourly from 11:00 am and 8:30 pm between downtown Tofino and the Cox Bay Visitor Centre with stops convenient to local beaches, restaurants and businesses.  Riders can hop on or off the bus at any stop along the route and can even load up their surfboards.

Some useful notes about this service:

  • Feel free to bring along your surfboard, but the bus is not equpiied to transport bicycles
  • Passengers are seated on a first-come, first-served basis
  • Please note that there are scheduled stops – as well as flag stops (use your taxi hailing skills) and drop-offs by request

Get the shuttle schedule here:  http://www.tofinobus.com/transit  

If you’re looking for a bus schedule to Long Beach in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, visit http://www.tofinobus.com/beachbus

The District has contracted a locally-owned company, Tofino Bus, to operate the service with a 21 passenger mid-sized bus.  For a complete schedule visit the District’s website at www.tofino.ca/content/seasonal-shuttle-bus.

 

Media Contact:

April Froment
Manager of Resort Municipality Initiative Services
District of Tofino
(T) 250 725 3229 ext 23
(E) afroment@tofino.ca