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WAVE wins award

Whistler transit system recognized for service during Christmas holidays

The Whistler Valley and Express (WAVE) transit system was recognized today (June 12) in Halifax, Nova Scotia by the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) for its exceptional performance during the 2006-07 holiday period.

During a 14-day holiday period over Christmas, 291,000 passengers rode the WAVE transit system, an average of more than 20,000 passengers per day and more than 78 passengers per hour of service.

Since the most recently published peak month ridership figure in Greater Vancouver (February 2005) was 35.1 for all TransLink modes and the peak month ridership performance (September 2005) was 39.6 passengers per service hour in Greater Victoria, the WAVE operated for a sustained two-week period at double the peak performance level of the two largest transit systems in B.C., using smaller buses.

"This award is for the drivers," Mayor Ken Melamed said in a release. "Whistler Transit drivers and management provide exceptional service day in and out, 23 hours a day, whatever the weather. I take the bus regularly because it provides reliable, friendly service and helps me get around Whistler in a very environmentally friendly way."

The National Transit Corporate Recognition Awards are selected by a national committee of transit professionals from nominations by local employees. Whistler was one of six services recognized for outstanding achievement/exceptional performance, along with Toronto, Windsor, Thunder Bay, Laval and Charlottetown.

The WAVE also won a CUTA award last year for the Squamish-Whistler commuter service.

The  WAVE transit system celebrated its 15-year anniversary Dec. 1, 2006. It operates 67,579 service hours a year, from 5:25 a.m. through 3:15 a.m. every day, year round, serving a full time population of 9,600 and a daytime winter population of 24,000 with 25 small (30- and 35-foot) buses.