Last updated on Mar 26, 2024 - 10:49 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.
SERVICE ALERT UPDATE
Front Street at Esplanade Stop Closure (near the Downtown Nanaimo Exchange)
Please note that the bus stop at Front and Esplanade is closed. To ensure consistency and improve traffic flow, all riders will be dropped-off within the main part of the exchange in bays A-G when arriving on an inbound 1, 5, 6, 7, 20, 30, 50, 70, or 78.
Front Street at Esplanade STOP CLOSURE
Transportation to Warming Centres and Emergency 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
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
6 Harewood
to Downtown
to VIU
DETOUR NOTICE - Route 6 to VIU and 6 to Downtown
Ninth Street Closure March 27 - 6:00 am to 5:00 PM
7 Cinnabar / Downtown
to Downtown
to Cinnabar
Service Alert - Detour 7 Outbound - Bus stop closure
Victoria Road Closure between Needham and Seventh.
8 Cedar 8 VIU
to Cedar
to VIU
30 NRGH
to Downtown
to Woodgrove
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