A Kitimat-based company will be taking over as the public transit system contractor in the Fraser Valley in April.

B.C. Transit announced it has awarded a seven-year contract to Farwest Transit Services Inc. to deliver transit for Chilliwack and the Agassiz-Harrison area as well as the Abbotsford area.

B.C. Transit says there will be no changes for riders to their regular service as a result of the new contractor.

"That's job number one right now--to make sure the change is as smooth as possible," said Steve New, senior vice-president of municipal systems for B.C. Transit.

Requests for Proposals (RFP) were issued last September for a management company to operate conventional, custom and paratransit systems between April 1, 2008 and March 31, 2015. Companies could submit proposals to run the Central Fraser Valley (Abbotsford) system, the Chilliwack and Agassiz-Harrison one, or both systems.

Farwest was one of four bidders, including longtime contractor Township Transit Service Inc., to run the combined Fraser Valley Service.

"They're a company with resources and experience," New said. A Chilliwack applicant, Frontier Transit Services Inc., also sent in a bid.

Farwest Coach Inc. was awarded 7-year BC Transit contracts for Vernon Regional, Shuswap and North Okanagan transit systems in August 2007.