An expansion to BC Transit service in Kamloops is in limbo because of the pandemic.

The expansion of 4,500 hours, which was supposed to start in September, would’ve cost Kamloops taxpayers $82,000 this year and $200,000 in 2021.

It was part of a series of budget items deferred by city council.

Finance Director Kathy Humphrey says BC Transit had already postponed its expansion plan before that decision.

“[BC] Transit does not want to entertain hours at all this year. My thought were that potentially all our increases would basically just bump out a year, in terms of opportunity, but I don’t know. From Transit’s position, nor from the city’s position, whether or not those are needed or would even be available.”

The expansion of 4,500 hours was scheduled after a record 2019 in Kamloops where four million rides were recorded on local buses.

Humphrey says that expansion may happen next year, but says it will be up to BC Transit as well to decide.

BC Transit has not collected bus fares in Kamloops or any other B.C. community since mid-March, because of efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, the Crown corporation is bringing in a new safety feature for drivers and will be collecting fares again as of June 1.

Spokesperson Jonathan Dyck says BC Transit typically collects about $6 million in revenue per month in normal times; by the time the fare boxes are back online it will have been two-and-a-half months of operating with no revenue coming in.