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Updated: suspension of Bowen bus service starts Saturday

TransLink said last week that it expected to suspend Bowen's routes
Bus in front of the museum
Bowen has had a public bus system for 20 years and in 2017 received the new shuttle buses that currently criss-cross the island.

Bowen won't have any public transportation as of Saturday. 

All three Bowen bus routes (280, 281 and 282) are suspended beginning May 2 confirmed TransLink spokesperson Lida Palsar Tuesday morning. 

TransLink announced sweeping cutbacks in public transit, including dozens of bus routes, last week as a cost-saving measure to cope with the effects of COVID-19. The company is losing $75 million a month and ridership is down 83 per cent.

TransLink had previously announced that it expected to cut Bowen’s routes but hadn’t specified a date.

TransLink said that it selected routes with low ridership or that duplicate other routes for suspension. Palsar said in an email that there are 20 or fewer bus boardings per day across the Bowen routes.

TransLink said it was working with the province to have the cutbacks reversed in time for fall. “"TransLink and the province of B.C. have been working closely to ensure that funding is available to allow TransLink to reverse layoffs and return to near-regular operations in time for back-to-school in September,” said the press release.

The move comes a day after Bowen council voted to send a letter to TransLink asking that it reconsider cutting Bowen's routes.

Mayor Gary Ander noted that the bus carries essential service workers and people without vehicles and that there are no consistent on-island transportation alternatives.  “We're in a very unique situation and it's not like shutting down Bowen Island is going to save TransLink a lot of money,” said Ander.

“It is an essential service for us, there’s no question about that,” he said.

One alternative councillors proposed was reviving last summer’s TapRide on-demand bus service, so as to cut down on buses and costs.