BC Transit's new state-of-the-art transit center opened in Kamloops to meet the growing demand for public transportation in the city.

The newly built Transit Centre will better meet the needs of the increasing number of users in the Kamloops area. BC Transit had outgrown its former facility, which included four service bays and was designed for 30-foot buses. The new transit center is equipped with seven service bays and is able to accommodate today's conventional fleet of 40-foot buses.

The time-consuming, manual bus cleaning method has been replaced with a 90-second automated bus wash. Eighty percent of the water used is recycled, reducing environmental impact.

The new location has double the capacity for bus parking with 85 spaces. The old yard could only accommodate 40 buses.

The $15.6-million Transit Centre was funded by the Government of Canada through the Building Canada Fund, BC's Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and the City of Kamloops.

Demolition of a portion of the former transit depot is expected to be complete in September 2012. That site will be redeveloped as a City of Kamloops satellite municipal public works yard.