To commemorate Remembrance Day and to thank retired and active military personnel, BC Transit, BC Ferries and TransLink will offer free fares for veterans on Nov. 11, according to a joint media release.
BC Ferries said it will offer complimentary passenger fares for customers presenting official Canadian military identification or travelling in uniform. Two minutes of silence will occur at 11 a.m. on ships and at terminals.
In addition, BC Ferries said it will provide free travel for seniors on Remembrance Day with the presentation of a BC Services Card, BC driver’s license, BC identification card or birth certificate.
BC Ferries said the free fares are not applicable on the Inside Passage, Haida Gwaii and Central Coast Connector routes.
TransLink will offer free transit on all services, including HandyDART, to veterans, members of the Canadian Armed Forces, police and fire departments, Coast Guard and BC Ambulance on Remembrance Day. These service members will need present their badge, military ID, record of service card or appear in uniform to receive free transit.
TransLink also encouraged customers and staff to observe a moment of silence at or near 11 a.m. across the system on Nov. 11. Buses will display “Lest We Forget” on the destination screen.
For BC Transit, all scheduled routes and handyDART services in the Victoria Regional Transit System will be free for all riders in uniform, active, retired and cadets, as well as those with Army, Navy or Air Force Association cards.
BC Transit said it supports those bus drivers who choose to stop their bus, if it is safe to do so, at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, to observe the traditional minute of silence in memory of those who gave their lives and service in times of war. Bus destination signs will also display “Lest We Forget.”
