Route 70 NCX Fare REDUCTION!
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Transit General
Physical Address
175 Ingram Street
Duncan, BC V9L 1N8
Phone 250.746.2637
Transit Division Hours
Monday to Friday
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Service suspension facing customers in the Cowichan Valley - February 8, 2025
COWICHAN VALLEY – BC Transit is notifying its riders that Unifor locals 114 and 333 operating under Transdev Canada have indicated increasing job action and will cease service in the Cowichan Valley Regional Transit System. The service suspension will take effect as of the start of the scheduled service on Saturday, February 8. handyDART service has been deemed essential for customers with appointments related to renal dialysis, cancer treatment and multiple sclerosis and will continue to operate during this service disruption. Other pre-booked trips will be notified of cancellation. Service will also be suspended for the Route 66 CVX Cowichan-Victoria Express and Route 99 SVX Shawnigan Lake-Victoria Express that provide interregional service between the Cowichan Valley and Victoria. While the Nanaimo Cowichan Express (NCX) is not affected by this service suspension, BC Transit advises customers using the NCX to reach the Cowichan Valley that there will be no local fixed-route service beyond the NCX drop off locations, and no ability to travel to and from Victoria. The labour dispute is between BC Transit’s contractor – Transdev Canada – and their unionized employees. Our organization is closely monitoring the situation and sincerely apologizes to customers for the inconvenience caused by this matter. We understand the frustration felt by customers, and that the job action is difficult for everyone involved in the region. BC Transit is the Provincial Crown Agency responsible for the delivery of transit services outside of Greater Vancouver. We contract the services of private operating companies to deliver these transit services. These companies hire and manage their own workforces. BC Transit will update customers as more information becomes available. We encourage customers to sign up to receive alerts at alerts.bctransit.com. Customers may also follow @BCTransit on X for updates.
Umo Digital Fare Payments
BC Transit launched the Umo (pronouced "you-mo") electronic fare system in the Cowichan Valley Regional Transit System in November 2023. Umo introduces contactless payment methods and new fare products that improve the transit experience by allowing riders to pick the best options for their lifestyle and travel habits. New payment methods include the Umo Mobility app and a reloadable Umo card, both now accepted on Cowichan Valley local and interregional transit routes. Cash and tickets in circulation will continue to be accepted. At a future date, BC Transit plans to provincially enable onboard payments with debit and credit cards. BC Transit UMO fare vendors in the Cowichan Valley can be found at bctransit.com/cowichan-valley/fares/wheretobuy. For more information on Umo, including video tutorials and frequently asked questions, please visit bctransit.com/umo.
Route 70 NCX Nanaimo-Cowichan Express
To accommodate an increase in demand, new trip times have been added to Route 70 Nanaimo-Cowichan Express (NCX). Two return trips have been added to Friday evenings and one return trip on Saturday morning with another return trip on Saturday evening. For more information about trip planning, schedules and to sign up for customer alerts, please visit bctransit.com.
South Cowichan Transit Service
BC Transit, in partnership with the Cowichan Valley Regional District, has developed a Local Area Transit Plan for Cowichan communities located South of Duncan. The LATP will be used for future transit development in the South Cowichan. Thank you for helping shape transit in our South Cowichan communities.
Transit Future Action Plan
Thank you for your feedback on transit in the Cowichan Valley! The 2023 Transit Future Action Plan will guide service and infrastructure improvements for the next 5 years. Let us know what you think!
- Conventional Fixed-Route
- Custom handyDART
- Victoria Express
- Nanaimo-Cowichan Express
- Youbou and Honeymoon Bay Flex-Routing
Cowichan Valley Regional Transit Services are offered in partnership with BC Transit, the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) and the local operating company (Transdev).
Scheduled local transit service is available throughout the CVRD with the exception of Electoral Areas G (Saltair / Gulf Islands) and H (North Oyster / Diamond) which do not currently participate.
handyDART service offering convenient door-to-door shared transportation in the Cowichan Valley is available for people who cannot use scheduled bus routes because of a disability, and have been registered to receive the service. This service is available within 1.5 km of conventional fixed-routes in the Cowichan Valley not including the commuter.
Registration and more information including the application form can be found at BC Transit - handyDART
Weekday commuter transit service is available between the Cowichan Valley and Greater Victoria via Routes 66 (CVX Cowichan-Victoria Express) and 99 (SVX Shawnigan-Victoria Express), Monday to Friday (except statutory holidays), with 5 daily trips departing the Cowichan Valley early in the morning. Trips return from Victoria in the late afternoon and early evening.
Route 66 (CVX Cowichan-Victoria Express) also provides inter-regional travel on 1 mid-day round trip Monday to Friday and 3 round trips on Saturdays.
As these are express trips, bus stop locations are limited. Click here for more information on the Victoria inter-regional services including a list of bus stops.
Route 70 NCX Nanaimo-Cowichan Express provides seven round trips per day Monday through Thursday, nine round trips on Fridays and eight trips on Saturdays.
As determined by the Regional District of Nanaimo and the Cowichan Valley Regional District, a one-way fare for this route costs $7.50. Monthly passes are also available at participating vendor locations.
Click here to access the Rider's Guide for more information on Route 70 NCX stop locations, maps, schedule, ticket vendors and fees.
On-request service is available within 1.5 km of the Route 20 (Youbou) and 21 (Honeymoon Bay) fixed-routes. Riders can request to be dropped off or picked up at their residence or other location by calling ahead and booking on-request service. On-request service is limited to two additional stops per trip, on a first-come first-served basis and must be booked 24 hours in advance. Click here for more information on routes and schedules. Call 250.746-9899 to book your trip.