Steve Earle
Gabriola Community Bus Foundation
For the last eleven years, the Gabriola Community Bus Foundation (GCBF) has been operating GERTIE (Gabriola Environmentally Responsible Trans Island Express). This non-profit, run by dedicated volunteers and a few paid staff, has made getting around Gabriola a convenient and environmentally friendly option and can now boast over 200,000 riders!
GERTIE is not just a bus service; it’s a community effort. Our team works tirelessly to keep GERTIE rolling. Funded mainly through the RDN property tax, GERTIE is truly a service by the community, for the community.
Like many, GERTIE faced tough times during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ridership dropped, and costs went up, especially for fuel and maintenance on our trusty old buses. But the GCBF team didn’t give up. They continue looking for ways to keep costs down and ensure GERTIE can continue to serve us well into the future.
Now, GCBF is reaching out to this wonderful community, for help to shape the future of GERTIE service. With funding from the Age-Friendly Communities Program and the BC Healthy Communities Society (BCHC), GCBF is embarking on a new project to make our transit service even better, especially for seniors. Did you know that over 44% of our population is over 65? GCBF wants to know how GERTIE can meet the needs of this demographic and all Gabriolans.
We invite everyone to share ideas on how GERTIE can be a reliable and responsive service for all.
Join the Conversation!
Do the survey: at www.gertie.ca and be eligible to win prizes! Visit us: at this Saturday and Sunday markets. Attend our Information Event: June 11 at Ground Up. Doors open at 6:30 PM, presentation at 7 PM. Coffee, tea, and desserts provided. Let’s make GERTIE the best it can be for our community!
The 200,000th GERTIE rider, Daryl Jackson – seen here with GERTIE driver Craig Tuohy – gets a handsome GERTIE t-shirt and a free one-month pass for being the 200,000th person to board the bus on Gabriola. This milestone was passed on Thursday May 30, just two weeks shy of GERTIE’s 11th anniversary. Dinah D Photo
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