BC Transit received the Marketing and Communications Award at the 2023 CUTA Awards Ceremony.

In September 2021, the Province of British Columbia launched ‘Get on Board,’ enabling children 12 and under to ride for free (FTU12). From this initiative, BC Transit introduced BusReady, a youth-focused brand, offering resources to empower children to use public transit. BusReady provides online tools and in-school educational programs, making learning about BC’s buses enjoyable for kids. It emphasizes the role of a robust transit system in fostering a healthy community, aligning with CUTA’s Transit Vision 2040 to educate individuals at a young age, transforming how communities engage with transit.

BusReady has three key objectives: educating children about transit, delivering province-wide programs, and cultivating long-term ridership. It comprises a website and an Ambassador Program. The website targets youth, offering transit skill-building resources. The Ambassador Program, integrated with the BC educational curriculum, includes classroom presentations and bus tours. Direct engagement with children fosters early rider development, building trust and confidence, positively impacting future ridership and brand perception. BusReady utilizes seasonal campaigns across digital, print, radio, social media, and out-of-home marketing to stay relevant to youth, families, and educators. These campaigns have generated over 5 million impressions each. Community outreach and engagement further embed BusReady as a valuable family-friendly resource, operating within FTU12 funding guidelines. The program revolutionizes how young British Columbians interact with and learn about transit.

Since its Fall 2022 launch, the BusReady website has attracted over 16,000 visitors, with child-friendly videos amassing 380,000 views. Seasonal campaigns have generated millions of impressions, driving website traffic and increasing demand for the BusReady Ambassador Program. The program has reached 385 classrooms, engaging over 10,400 children, earning a perfect 100% expertise rating. Educators laud it as “exciting” and “amazing,” emphasizing its role in educating children on safe and sustainable transit use, laying a foundation for lifelong transit riders.