Greater Victoria commuters will have to go with Google Maps’ best guess a little while longer when tracking their bus routes.
A live, GPS bus-tracking app known as NextRide was set to go online in the spring of 2019, but the official unveiling won’t be ready until July.
“Initially we were hoping to have it out at the end of spring, which was based on our rollout time in other communities,” said Shellene McConnell, senior communications and engagement advisor. “However, given the diversity of the Greater Victoria fleet the installation process is taking a little more time than anticipated.”
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McConnell said that every time the equipment is installed on a bus it needs to be taken off the road and out of service, so BC Transit has to plan carefully.
The largest issue is with double decker buses, which take two days. BC Transit has 69 double decker buses in its fleet.
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McConnell also noted that the NextRide app can’t go online until all of the buses are included in the system.
The live GPS tracking system is part of a$27 million smart bus upgrade program from the federal government, which fits into the $136 million joint funding put forward by federal, provincial and local governments to upgrade 790 buses across the province.
A total of $6 million is going towards NextRide.
The system will also be installed in Nanaimo, the Comox Valley, Kamloops, Kelowna, Squamish and Whistler.
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