The City of Kamloops is set to sign off on a new public transit operating agreement with its new service provider.

And with it, City staff intends to advance the goal of getting people out of their cars.

"In order to achieve the ambitious goals within the Sustainable Kamloops plan, it's necessary to continue to support the transit system," stated Marvin Kwiatkowski, Kamloops director of Development and Engineering Service, in his report to council.

On Tuesday, City council will consider a transit service master operating agreement with First Canada.

In July, a nine-year contract with First Canada came into effect. The master operating plan transfers risk and accountability to the operating company.

The agreement also highlights the sustainability goals for 2020, such as increasing bus ridership by half, increasing walking, cycling and carpooling by a third, reducing vehicle ownership to about one for every two residents and reducing fossil fuels for transportation by 20 per cent.

The deal also adds two transit supervisor positions that should improve customer service by following up on customer complaints, making sure buses are running on time and redirecting buses that are caught up in traffic, according to City transit planner Erin Felker.

Transit is a $15.5-million operation in Kamloops, including regular and HandyDart service.

Anticipated increases in future costs include $17,000 this year, $115,000 next year and $300,000 in 2014 due to some compounded expenses.

Felker said they were tied in with various increased costs.