TransLink gets $300M in provincial funding to buy more buses

British Columbia is paying up to $300 million in new capital funding to help TransLink, Metro Vancouver's transit provider, add more buses to its fleet.

Transportation Minister Rob Fleming says the additional buses will reduce overcrowding and wait times throughout the region.

A statement from the province says the money will go toward purchasing buses to increase future services, while TransLink will put remaining funds from $479 million the province provided last year toward immediate improvements.

It says that work will include boosting the frequency of services, extending hours of operation for more than 60 routesand adding late-evening HandyDART services for those with impaired mobility.

Brad West, chair of the mayors' council on regional transportation, says Metro Vancouver needs a transit system that keeps up with record population growth.

West says the current TransLink investment plan aims to address shorter-term challenges, and officials are looking forward to working with the B.C. and federal governments to develop a funding model to support long-term expansion.

CBC News found that overcrowding was one of the most common complaintslisted in two months' worth of TransLink data obtained through a freedom of information request.