Free Roam bus service in Banff during busy summer months is under consideration to help alleviate the tourist town’s traffic troubles.
From late June to mid-September, Banff gets extremely crowded and traffic congestion causes frustration for both residents and visitors who get stuck in traffic in Canada’s flagship national park.
Officials with Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission (BVRTSC) say the projected loss of revenue by offering a free transit service in busy summer months is just shy of $200,000.
Martin Bean, BVRTSC’s chief administrative officer, said the commission has been researching other resort communities offering free transit, including Vail, Colorado.
“The idea behind it is to follow some other resort communities that have offered a free service and have seen increased ridership by making it convenient and affordable for people to leave their vehicles elsewhere,” he said.
“With transit going to a majority of areas in Banff that people need to get to, we want to offer the choice for people to leave cars at their hotel or, even if coming in from Canmore, come in from Canmore and then use the transit here.”
Banff’s threshold for the onset of congestion is considered to be about 24,000 vehicles per day entering and exiting both entrances. It peaked this year at about 31,000 on the busiest days, such as July 2 and Aug. 1 – both statutory holiday long weekends.
The proposal for free transit will go to Banff town council for consideration during upcoming budget deliberations in November. As a member of BVRTSC, the Town of Banff would have to cover the revenue loss.
Mayor Karen Sorensen is supportive of exploring the idea of free transit in summer, saying she would like to see it offered on trial basis next year to see if it does, in fact, increase ridership.
By not charging a bus fare, the mayor said the hope is more residents would leave their cars at home and catch Roam, and that it would give visitors an incentive to leave their vehicles at campgrounds or hotels.
“As far as Roam transit goes, ridership is king. Whatever we can do to encourage ridership is certainly my first priority,” said Sorensen, who sits on BVRTSC.
“If people can leave their vehicles at home or at their accommodation, then we’re hugely reducing the number of vehicles. There’s no reason visitors can’t completely explore the Town of Banff with Roam and free ridership may do that.”
The loss of revenue that comes with offering free summer transit service will be a big consideration for council, Sorensen said.
“It’s about what’s the value versus the cost?” she said. “In terms of trying it and understanding the value of this, I think it’s worth trying on a trial basis for next summer.”
If approved, BVRTSC says a marketing campaign would be required to make residents and visitors aware of the free transit service throughout town, encompassing businesses, hotels, campgrounds and social media.
