A commentary by the ­president of ­Better Island Transit, which advocates for f­requent and affordable public ­transit to ­connect ­communities on ­Vancouver Island and ­throughout British Columbia.

Here’s an old joke: A confused driver asks an old farmer standing by the ­roadside, “How do I get to Sunnydale?” The farmer ponders a moment and replies, “Son, I’m afraid you can’t get there from here.”

That’s funny because we know that motorists can reach virtually any village, town or city, but it is no joke for public transit users who often cannot get where they need to go.

In a typical community, 20% to 40% of travellers cannot, should not or prefer not to drive due to age, disability, lack of a vehicle or driver’s licence, impairment or the stress of driving on busy highways.

During the holidays, many non-drivers want to visit ­families, friends and ­vacation destinations on Vancouver Island but cannot.

The government promised to solve this problem; the NDP/Green governance agreement signed after the last election committed the province to “implement frequent, reliable and affordable regional transit on key interregional routes on Vancouver Island,” but has failed to act. It’s time to hold........

© Times Colonist