This November, let's ride the bus

Whistler’s Climate Action BIG MOVES Strategy identifies the six most impactful action areas we need to focus on as a community to reduce emissions and make Whistler a more climate resilient community. We all have a role to play! The RMOW, in partnership with Whistler’s environmental charity AWARE, has created Small Steps for BIG MOVES: 12 months of climate actions that each of us can take to support Whistler’s six BIG MOVES.

TAKE ACTION! This November, let’s:

Ride The Bus

Hopping on public transport accelerates success on BIG MOVE #1: Move beyond the car.

As temperatures drop in autumn, the number of great reasons to ride the bus just increases. If changing weather makes cycling and walking less appealing, Whistler’s public transit offers a reliable, affordable, accessible alternative to the car.

This is good news for those of us who want to make an impact, because 67 per cent of Whistler residents still make most of their trips to work in cars. In fact, switching to riding the bus will make a direct impact to reduce Whistler’s largest source of GHG emissions, personal vehicles.

Ready to take action? Let’s try one (or some) of these Small Steps for BIG MOVES:

1. Swap one car ride for a bus trip each week.

Just getting started? Try switching out the car one day a week and it could become a regular routine.

Start by finding your route: whistler.ca/transit

2. Take the school run onto transit.

Younger generations will be those most impacted by a changing climate and in the hopes of encouraging changing patterns in bus usage, BC Transit is now offering lots of options for young people to ride free. Consider:

For kids under 12 transit is entirely free, so start a “transit school run collective” with friends to trade cars for transit. Share the school run with other parents by taking turns accompanying young kids to school on Whistler Transit.
For Whistler Secondary students there is also the option of the complimentary high school transit pass for the Whistler Transit System paid for through the Community Transportation Initiative Fund (parking fees from Day Lots 1 to 5). Learn more at whistler.ca/transit

3. Use trip planning to make your trips more efficient.

Know where you want to go and see how transit can work with your timelines. Pick up a copy of the Riders Guide to see how easy and convenient it is to get around Whistler. Also try the Trip Planner to chart your course. In the case of bad weather, detours or delays, the Whistler Transit website is the best source for the most up-to- date information.

View maps, schedules and route information at bctransit.com/whistler.

4. Track your ride to see your bus in real time.

Ditch the bus stop guess work. Travel better, faster and more efficiently. Follow your bus on the map in real time using NextRide, so you know when your bus is approaching and can kiss misses goodbye.

Get real-time tracking and updates at Next Ride via BC Transit

5. Find out which transit fare option works best for you.

From 10 ride tickets, to monthly and annual passes that offer savings to regular users, you can find out what fare fits your budget. Plus access savings for seniors 65+ and students.

Learn more about:

BC Transit Whistler Fares
Part of the Whistler Experience Program? You can get a discounted 12- or 6-month transit pass with your Whistler Experience number. Stay tuned, discounted monthly passes will be coming later this year. View details.

What We Heard ~ Stories Shared

Thank you for sharing your stories!

Check out these small steps for BIG MOVES that some of our community members have taken:

Jorge's family has decided to catch the bus to mountain base every weekend instead of driving to the ski hill for family ski days. They've even downloaded the ever-helpful Next Ride app to help them coordinate their timing!
Annie has committed to a new approach to local travel. If she has to go somewhere that is 3km or closer, she will walk or bike. She is trying hard to take the bus unless she has to carry big loads or has her dog in tow. Good luck, Annie - you've got this!

We invite you to share your stories about your small steps for BIG MOVES every month. There's a chance to win some great prizes if you submit a story! Have a look at our December theme: whistler.ca/GreenOurGifting.

Quick facts

1. In 2019, 54% of Whistler’s emissions came from personal vehicles.

Consistently Whistler’s biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions, personal vehicle travel is measured by tracking vehicle use within the Whistler boundary.

2. 67% of Whistler residents still make most of their trips to work in cars.

This statistic is derived from the 2019 RMOW Community Life Survey. Posing consistent questions and informing many of Whistler’s Community Performance Indicators, this annual survey allows the community to see how trends change over time.

3. Switching a daily commute of 16 km each way would save 2,506 pounds of C02 per year.

That means commuting to the village five days a week:

An Alpine resident would save 688 lbs of CO2/year
A Creekside resident would save 719.5 lbs of CO2/year
A Cheakamus resident would save 1,407.8 lbs of CO2/year
A Pemberton resident would save 5,005.7 lbs of CO2/year
A Squamish resident would save 9,229 lbs of CO2/year

4. Riding the bus rather than owning a vehicle can save between $8,000 to $11,400 a year.

According to the Canadian Automobile Association the average cost of vehicle ownership in Canada is $8,600 for a compact car and up to $13,000 for SUVs and pickup trucks. The average cost of a Whistler transit pass for a year is $600, providing an affordable alternative to car (or second car) ownership.

5. In BC, kids 12 and under ride transit for free.

In addition, specifically in Whistler, all Whistler Secondary School students are offered a complimentary high school transit pass for the Whistler Transit System paid for through the Community Transportation Initiative Fund (parking fees from Day Lots 1 to 5).