Summary
A new transit operations and maintenance facility for Prince George is currently in development. The $23 million project is funded through the Public Transit and Infrastructure fund which includes the Government of Canada, the Province of B.C. and the City of Prince George. The new facility was officially announced in the summer of 2016.
The new facility will be used for maintenance of the buses, fueling including the ability to use compressed natural gas, a bus wash, administrative offices and bus storage. In the new location, BC Transit will be better able to meet the needs of the community by being closer to more of its routes, resulting in cost savings and improved transit service.
With the continued growth of the Prince George Transit System, the current locations have reached their capacity. It is expected that future growth of transit in the city will occur and the new facility will have the capacity to grow from servicing a maximum of 30 buses to 80 buses. The facility is an implementation item in the Prince George Transit Future Plan. In addition, this facility will work to accommodate the medium to long-term fleet growth identified in the Prince George Transit Future Plan.
The new facility will also benefit the environment as it will support CNG bus technology which is cleaner burning fuel than diesel and creates operational savings. The location of the new facility will also reduce costs for fuel and labour used to transport buses to the usual start and end of their routes. In addition, the facility will be built to allow for continued recreational use in the surrounding area.
