No fares required for Fraser Valley buses when service resumes following strike
A city bus is seen in an image from the B.C. Transit website.
Transit in the Fraser Valley will be free for a limited time once bus service resumes following a months-long strike.
The labour dispute came to an end earlier this month when the union ratified a mediated settlement with their employer, ending a 124-day strike that stranded commuters.
HandyDart service will be back up to its normal capacity by July 31, according to BC Transit, with all other buses resuming their regular schedules on Aug 6.
Passengers will not have to pay a fare to board until Sept. 1.
"BC Transit and our local government partners want to thank everyone for their patience during the service disruption and look forward to welcoming customers onboard again for free in the month of August," an online update says.
In the meantime, maintenance checks are being done on the fleet of more than 100 buses to make sure they're ready to get back on the road safely.
BC Transit drivers serving the communities of Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Hope – as well as points in between them – walked off the job on March 20 and remained on strike for four months.
In June, the B.C. government appointed veteran mediator Vince Ready to help resolve the strike, which it called "incredibly challenging."
The strike officially ended July 21.
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