Starting Jan. 5, 2023, HandyDART riders in Squamish will have more options to get where they need to go, with extended hours and added holiday service.
BC Transit and the District of Squamish announced changes in a press release on Dec. 23.
HandyDART will provide additional service hours, with extra rides in the morning and afternoon.
The service will also extend to evenings until 5:30 p.m.
For the first time, HandyDART will also run on holidays, following the same hours as weekends.
HandyDART is a door-to-door transit service for people with disabilities who cannot use regular buses without help. It picks riders up from their door and drops them off at the door of their destination.
To use HandyDART, one must register, but registration is free.
According to the release, the expansion is made possible through increased funding from local government and the provincial operating grant outlined in the 2024-25 provincial budget.
In Budget 2024, the province provided funding to support the implementation of approximately 100,000 new annual service hours and 38 buses.
This is the highest level of expansion funding for one year in BC Transit’s history, according to their website.
Current HandyDART Hours:
- Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Holidays: No service (until the changes take effect).
For further details on HandyDART services in Squamish, visit bctransit.com/squamish/riderinfoh/handydart.
Bhagyashree Chatterjee is The Squamish Chief’s Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
