New bus service will make it easier for Fraser Valley commuters to reach SkyTrain, B.C. Transit says

B.C. Transit says a new expanded bus route in the Fraser Valley will give people in Chilliwack and Abbotsford an easier connection to SkyTrain.

Starting March 27, the Fraser Valley Express bus line will run from downtown Chilliwack all the way to Lougheed Town Centre in Burnaby.

The route, as it stands, only goes as far west as Carvolth Exchange in Langley. That means Abbotsford and Chilliwack riders hopping onSkyTrain need to take a connecting bus.

Rob Rigma, a B.C. Transit manager for the Fraser Valley, says the new route will eliminate the need for that extra connecting bus.

"Increasing frequency and convenience in transit are key motivators to get people to shift from travelling in cars to taking public transit," Rigma said.

"By removing that extra step in the process and providing a seamless route all the way to Lougheed for those connections and SkyTrain hopefully [commuters] will choose to take transit."

Rigma said the Fraser Valley Express is about a 90-minute ride for someone going from downtown Chilliwack all the way to Lougheed.

As part of the expansion of the route, Rigma said, additional trips will be added during peak commute times and on weekends.