If we are to ask our transit system to take on new importance, a thorough review of the way we organize the routes is needed. A review of the system must analyse, route by route, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, the strengths and weaknesses of the current system. Such an arrangement would equip the City with a better understanding of residents' transit needs. Small buses for small communities On the whole, most of Vancouver's bus routes are well used, and most of the city is covered in one way or another. Apart from wheelchair buses, BC Transit buses in Vancouver come in one size only.
Light demand is met by less frequent service rather than by smaller buses.
A major reason for this is that the drivers' wages are by far the largest part of the operating cost. However, residents have expressed great interest in smaller community buses or van pools to provide short, frequent circuits in and around neighbourhoods and to connect with major bus routes. Mini-bus operations have been highly successfulin other cities. To overcome the problem of high labour costs, community buses would have to operate on a smaller scale. Perhaps they could be based in neighborhoods, at local gas stations.