We sincerely hope that a bus strike in the Cowichan Valley can be avoided.
It’s not just a matter of inconveniencing people, it’s a matter of people who have no other way of travelling not being able to get where they need to go.
Bus ridership in the Cowichan Valley, while still not as robust as it is in a larger city, has been growing, particularly on some routes.
People have come to depend on the bus to get to medical appointments, the grocery store, work, and recreational activities.
For many it’s not a choice, it’s their only means of transportation.
They take the bus because they cannot afford cab rides and owning and maintaining a vehicle of their own (insurance alone can be prohibitive for many) is outside of their budgets.
Others ride the bus because they are no longer able to drive, because they are elderly or for other reasons.
It’s not a simple matter for such folks to dust off the old bicycle and hit the road, two-wheel style. Nor are they able to walk the distances they may need to travel. Particularly in January.
Then there’s the matter of the commuter bus to Victoria.
This service has been so successful that they’ve had to add more runs just to keep up with demand.
That’s a lot of people who need to get over the Malahat, many on a daily basis.
What happens to them if they system shuts down for a strike?
Some have cars of their own, but we’ve been trying our best to get people to onto public transit, not discouraging them from bus ridership. More cars on the Malahat is not what anyone wants.
Then there are those who don’t have easy access to a vehicle they can use for the commute. Perhaps their spouse uses it for their job, or perhaps they took a job in Victoria counting on that commuter, not having a car of their own.
For many bus riders a strike would be disastrous, and the worst effects would be felt by the least affluent.
We hope the sides keep talking and can strike a deal, instead.
