Transit Service Alerts

Last updated on Mar 15, 2024 - 10:08 am

During adverse weather, many factors can impact bus routes such as accidents, detours and changing road conditions. To ensure the safety of passengers, drivers and the general public, bus routes are changed as needed. Changes to routes can happen many times over the course of an adverse weather event and every effort is made to update transit users as information comes available. Please visit this webpage for the latest bus route information and impacts to services. These same updates are also shared on our X (formerly Twitter) feed at @RDN_Transit.

Please note: During adverse weather events where routes are heavily impacted and changing, defer to updates posted here on the transit service alerts webpage and not on the NextRide app which will not have the most current information.

Transportation to Warming Centres and Emergecy Shelters in the RDN

Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) Transit provides complimentary rides to the City of Nanaimo and Town of Qualicum Beach funded warming centres to give to individuals needing transportation to get out of the cold. As well, RDN Transit has provided the warming centres with free tickets to provide individuals transportation to and from the warming centres on conventional buses. The three City of Nanaimo funded warming centres are:

  • 520 Prideaux Street operated by Risebridge Society – RDN Transit routes 1, 5, 6, 15, 20, 30, 40 and 50
  • 5 Victoria Road operated by the 7-10 Club Society – RDN Transit routes 15, 30 and 40
  • 2025 Bowen Road operated by Island Crisis Care Society – RDN Transit routes 30 and 40

Other emergency shelters within the City of Nanaimo include: 

  • The Unitarian Shelter, 595 Townsite Rd. – RDN Transit routes 1, 30 and 50
  • Salvation Army, 19 Nicol St. – RDN Transit routes 1, 5, 6, 7, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 70 and 78
  • Samaritan Place, 702 Nicol St. – RDN Transit routes 7
  • St. Peter’s Winter Shelter, 301 Macleary St. – RDN Transit routes 5, 6 and 40

Town of Qualicum Beach funded warming centre:

  • Christian Fellowship Church, 825 Village Way, Qualicum Beach - RDN Transit routes 91 and 97

System-wide Adjustments Starting January 7, 2024

Small adjustments throughout the RDN transit system were made to many routes in order to improve connections at transit exchanges and create better service reliability.

Seat Belt Implementation

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN), has began installing seatbelts on all light-duty buses. This change is at the direction of BC Transit to standardize light-duty buses within the province. 

This change will affect, Routes 88, 97, 98 and, at times, 25.

B.C. Law requires passengers to wear seatbelts if they are provided in a vehicle. 

5 Fairview

to Downtown

to VIU / Westwood

 

 

7 Cinnabar / Downtown

to Downtown

to Cinnabar

Service Alert - Detour 7 Outbound - Bus stop closure

Victoria Road Closure between Needham and Seventh.

DETOUR 7 OUTBOUND

8 Cedar 8 VIU

to Cedar

to VIU

 

 

30 NRGH

to Downtown

Delays Expected.

to Woodgrove

Delays Expected.

Service Alert - Between March 4 to April 2024 some delays are expected on Bowen Rd between Wakesiah Ave and Howard Ave due to on-going roadwork.

70 Nanaimo - Cowichan Express

to Cowichan

to Nanaimo Downtown

Service Alert - BC Transit, the Regional District of Nanaimo, the Cowichan Valley Regional District, and Stz’uminus First Nation, are informing customers of a new bus stop that will serve the Oyster Bay area starting March 31, 2024.

The new bus stop will be located on Oyster Sto’Lo Road at the Trans-Canada Highway 1 and will serve Route 70 NCX Nanaimo – Cowichan Express in both Northbound and Southbound directions. Service levels and scheduled trip times on Route 70 NCX will remain the same.

Rider's Alert - Oyster Bay Stop

88 Parksville

Route 88

Service Alert - Temporary Stop Relocation - Beginning on Monday, March 4 and ending on Friday March 15, 2024 (anticipated)

Temporary Stop Relocation

91 Intercity

To Parksville/Qualicum Beach

to Woodgrove

Service Alert - Temporary Stop Relocation - Beginning on Monday, March 4 and ending on Friday March 15, 2024 (anticipated)

Temporary Stop Relocation