Zunga Bus
Powell River Taxi
Public on-demand service funded by fares, occasional grants, City revenues and the City’s Climate Action Reserve Fund. Administered by the City, but unfunded from now through March. Advantage: Cheap taxi-like service. For $2.25, Zunga offers door-to-door service via a booking system. You can call or use the app to arrange a ride. Disadvantage: Extremely limited availability. Zunga Bus runs from 11 am to 6:30 pm, seven days a week – only in Westview. And with Council’s decision on Dec. 21, the pilot project is cancelled at least through March. Learn more: zungabus.ca
Private taxi service owned and operated locally. Advantage: You can call for a ride anywhere on the mainland of the Upper Sunshine Coast. PR Taxi has recently extended its hours to 1 am weekends. Disadvantage: Service has been limited over the last few years as this company – like many others – struggles to find enough drivers. Learn more: powellrivertaxi.ca
Sunshine Coast Connector Private bus service between Earl’s Cove and Langdale ferry terminals. Funded by fares and the occasional government grant. Based in Sechelt. Advantage: This is the only ground service that will get qathet humans to Vancouver. The only other options are private car, flights, or boats. A non-refundable, one-way ticket is $60 (plus the cost of the ferry, and potentially connecting public buses on either end). As of 2021, BC Transit has permanently extended the link between Saltery Bay and Powell River, so you can take connecting buses all the way from Lund to Downtown Vancouver. Disadvantage: Service is extremely limited. The Connector ran for eight days over the holidays in December, with one trip in each direction per day. The bus doesn’t run when there’s snow or ice on the roads. Learn more: sunshinecoastconnector.ca
Coastal Rides A private, on-demand, Uber-like service based in Sechelt. Currently serves the Lower Coast, Comox Valley, Campbell River and Fort St. John, with limited service in qathet. Advantage: Door-to-door service. Book a ride through the website. Offers private, shared, group, and accessible rides. Disadvantage: The operator hasn’t been able to find drivers here who have been willing to provide consistent service. Learn more: coastalrides.ca.
FILLING HOLES IN THE SYSTEM: Coastal Rides owner Ryan Staley with one of his vehicles, at BC Ferries Langdale terminal. On his first trip to Sechelt, Ryan spent hours at this terminal, with other stranded travellers, waiting for the public bus to arrive. Bus service, he said, has improved since then.
Driver shortage stalls service BY PIETA WOOLLEY
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER
W
hen Ryan Staley started Coastal Rides back in early 2020, he was the main driver. Like a local Uber, he used his own vehicle and a ride-hailing app to drive folks A locally-owned and operated pri- around the Lower Coast at possibly the vate charter company offering rides worst time to start a company ever: the into the backcountry and – newly – beginning of COVID. But the former Vancouverite and around the City and the region. transit user was determined to make it Advantage: This service will get work. And it has. Coastal Rides has exyou, your buddies, and your bikes just panded on the Lower Coast, the Comox about anywhere. They will also re-supValley, Campbell River, Fort St. John, ply you when you’re in the backcounand in a limited way, here in qathet. try, and more. What’s holding it up here? Finding Disadvantage: Cost-prohibitive as a gig drivers who are willing to put in replacement for a private vehicle. the time to develop a customer base. Learn more: sunshinecoastshuttle.ca
Sunshine Coast Shuttle
“It takes someone who can be patient and provide the trips when it’s not busy enough for it to be worthwhile – yet,” said Ryan. “But they need to be consistent for the service to take off. Once it’s busy, it’s great for the drivers. They get paid really well.” Currently, the one qathet driver will take on longer trips – for example, downtown to Lund. The driver on Texada provided service for two years, Ryan said. Now they’re looking for drivers on Texada again. Ryan is watching the City’s Zunga Bus closely, and has reached out for possible collaborations. Ride-hailing, he believes, is a critical piece of the future of rural transportation.
Check out our new
Wine Up
On Sale
$9.95 a bottle
* While quantities last
www.shinglemill.ca
at Duncan & Joyce 604 485-9343 9 am -10 pm Sun-Thurs 9 am-11 pm Fri & Sat Holiday hours may vary
includes tax and deposit
604 483-3545 reservations@shinglemill.ca Proud Member of the PR Chamber of Commerce
Great Prices • Cold Beer • Huge Selection Real Estate Commercial Law Wills & Estates
Our goal is to provide quick, responsive services, creative solutions and sophisticated strategies for our clients
Divorce Family Mediation Rob Villani
Stacey Fletcher
Katya Buck
Brandon Henderson
Warren Peters
Local Lawyers - where the coffee is always on and we answer your phone calls.
Criminal Law Civil Disputes
Phoenix Plaza • 604 485-6188 • villaniandco.com
qathet Living • January 2024 • 25
