Double-decker buses ready to hit the road
Two double-decker buses will make their debut on Metro Vancouver streets next week as part of a threemonth pilot project.
“These buses are wrapped and ready to go,” TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond said at a launch event on Thursday.
TransLink has received two buses, supplied free by British bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis. The buses arrived last week and have been outfitted with equipment such as fare boxes and Compass Card readers. Drivers are in the process of being trained.
The buses will be tested on a number of highway routes, including: 301 Newton Exchange/ Brighouse Station; 311 Scottsdale Exchange to Bridgeport Station; 351/354 White Rock/South Surrey to Bridgeport; 555 Carvolth Exchange to Lougheed Station; and 601/620 South Delta/Tsawwassen to Bridgeport.
In preparation for the doubledeckers’ arrival, TransLink ran a test bus fitted with a frame to mimic the profile of a double-decker bus along the routes to identify and deal with any obstructions, like branches or power lines.
“Yes, these buses actually do fit through the Massey Tunnel,” said Dan Savitsky, vice-president of maintenance for Coast Mountain Bus Company.
Desmond said double-decker buses are best suited to highway travel because they’re comfortable and can carry more passengers. They can accommodate more than 80 people with room for four people with mobility devices and have up to 83-per-cent more seating than highway coaches. They are also better for routes with fewer stops, so it’s unlikely they’ll appear on urban routes like the 99 B-Line.
Yes, these buses actually do fit through the Massey Tunnel.
Desmond said overall ridership is booming — through October boardings are up 6.4 per cent and journeys are up six per cent over last year — and buses are crowded.
Double-decker buses are one solution.
“We have to find solutions now and in the future to managing the capacity of our oversubscribed transportation network and that includes our transit system,” Desmond said.