WHISTLER, BC, 2014-11-12 — /Travel PR News/ — Whistler Blackcomb has partnered with the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), Gibbons Life, Moe Joe’s Nightclub and the Fairmont Chateau Whistler to launch a pilot project funding free rides on the #7 Staff Housing Whistler Transit Bus Route from 9:03 p.m. to 2:33 a.m. and from 5:40 a.m. to 7:45 a.m., outside of the Excalibur Gondola’s regular hours of operation. During these times a $0.00 bus fare will apply to the 15 scheduled runs on the #7 Staff Housing Route which carries riders between the Gondola Transit Exchange and the Blackcomb Housing turnaround via Glacier Drive.
This pilot project is designed to provide a safe and free transportation alternative between Whistler Blackcomb Staff Housing (HOUSE) at the top of Glacier Drive and Whistler Village during the peak winter season.
The pilot project will launch on December 20, 2014 and continue until March 31, 2015.
The pilot project was spearheaded by Whistler Blackcomb and targets the approximate 1,000 employees who live in HOUSE. Currently, the #7 Staff Housing Route is $2.50 per ride, which Whistler Blackcomb believes may deter some employees living in HOUSE from choosing the safest transportation option home. Whistler Blackcomb has found residents frequently choose to walk along Glacier Drive or the Haulback ski run to get to and from the Village to work, shop and socialize. Both options present a safety hazard, especially during the winter months with snowmaking, grooming and snowmobile traffic on the ski run and vehicle traffic on Glacier Drive with no shoulders or lighting.
“The safety of our employees is of the upmost importance and is one of our core values,” says Joel Chevalier, Director of Employee Experience at Whistler Blackcomb. “We have found when the Excalibur Gondola is not running, HOUSE residents do not always choose the safest methods to get to and from the Village so we decided to launch this free shuttle pilot project to give them a convenient and free alternative. We are very grateful to all of our community partners who have helped make this project a reality and we look forward to seeing how it is received this winter.”
This pilot project required private funding of the #7 Staff Housing Whistler Transit Bus Route to offset fares, equaling approximately $30,000. Whistler Blackcomb contributed $20,000 to the project with Gibbon’s Life, Moe Joe’s Nightclub and the Fairmont Chateau Whistler contributing the remainder.
The $0.00 fare for the #7 Staff Housing Route will apply for nine runs scheduled between 9:03 p.m. and 2:33 a.m. when the Excalibur Gondola is not operational during the night, and then again for six scheduled runs between 5:40 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. before it re-opens in the morning. The regular fare will continue to apply during all other times of the day. A full schedule for the #7 Staff Housing Route, as well as pass and fare options are available at www.bctransit.com/regions/whi.
Guests looking to plan a trip to the consistently rated No. 1 Mountain Resort in North America can visit whistlerblackcomb.com/deals_packages or call 1-888-403-4727.
About Whistler Blackcomb
Whistler Blackcomb, the official alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, is situated in the Resort Municipality of Whistler located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia 125 kilometres (78 miles) from Vancouver, British Columbia. North America’s premier four season mountain resort, Whistler and Blackcomb are two side-by-side mountains which combined offer over 200 marked runs, 8,171 acres of terrain, 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, receives on average over 1,165 centimetres (459 inches) of snow annually, and one of the longest ski seasons in North America. In the summer, Whistler Blackcomb offers a variety of activities, including hiking and biking trails, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and sightseeing on the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola. For more information, visit http://ww1.whistlerblackcomb.com/media
Proud to be a venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
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Please credit – Photographer Listed, Location: Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia.
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