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'''West Vancouver Transit''' (commonly known as '''Blue Bus''' and formally and formerly as '''West Vancouver Municipal Transit''' and abbreviated as '''WVMT''') is owned and operated by the District Municipality of West Vancouver under a contract with [[TransLink]]. The system started operating in 1912 and is one of the oldest continually | '''West Vancouver Transit''' (commonly known as '''Blue Bus''' and formally and formerly as '''West Vancouver Municipal Transit''' and abbreviated as '''WVMT''') is owned and operated by the District Municipality of West Vancouver under a contract with [[TransLink]]. The system started operating in 1912 and is one of the oldest continually operated municipal transit systems in North America.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180927232509/https://westvancouver.ca/sites/default/files/dwv/assets/transport-raods/docs/Blue-Bus/BB-schedules/2018/May-Riders-Guide/RidersGuide-web.pdf West Vancouver Transit Rider Guide] Web Archive, retrieved 30-01-2021</ref> | ||
Following the delivery of the first batch of [[West Vancouver Municipal Transit 951-959, 961-968|D40LF]] units in 1995, West Vancouver Transit became the first transit system in Canada to have a completely accessible bus fleet.<ref>[https://archives.westvancouver.ca/PDFs/0230-02.0046.DWV.pdf West Vancouver Report November 1995, vol. 16, no.2] West Vancouver Archives, retrieved 30-01-2021</ref> | West Vancouver Transit provides scheduled transit bus service, school specials and other special services. It also provides Community Shuttle service across the North Shore and Lions Bay. As part of the TransLink network, there are no extra costs to transferring between Blue Bus and other TransLink services. | ||
==History== | |||
Public transportation in West Vancouver began in November 1909 with the establishment of the West Vancouver Transportation Co. Ltd., founded by John Lawson, his brother-in-law W.C. Thompson, Robert MacPherson and John Sinclair. The service ran a single boat ferry service across the Burrard Inlet between the Hollyburn Wharf at 17th Street in West Vancouver and Columbia Street in Vancouver. The fleet grew to two boats in 1910. | |||
When the District of West Vancouver was incorporated in March 1912, the ferry service was bought out and incorporated as the West Vancouver Ferry Co., Ltd., which ran under municipal administration. The West Vancouver pier was moved to a new pier and ferry building at 14th Street. in 1914, a second pier was built at 25th Street in Dundarave but was closed shortly after following the cancellation of the Dundarave ferry service. This resulted in a jitney service running between the 14th and 25th street piers. In 1916, the first bus was purchased by the District of West Vancouver. The 1911 Pierce Arrow touring car was converted into a bus. The following year saw the second purchase of a Thomas "Flyer" which was also converted into a bus. This practice of converting vehicles into buses continued until 1927 when West Vancouver purchased its first bus, the 23-passenger "Yellow Coach" from General Motors, which ran primarily on the Upper Levels route. In 1954, the fleet expanded to 18 Twin Coaches. | |||
Following the completion of the Lions Gate Bridge in 1938, bus service extended into Downtown Vancouver and ferry service ran until 1948. Prior to the cancellation of the ferry service, it was placed on a plebiscite vote on December 14, 1946, among West Vancouver residents.<ref>[https://archives.westvancouver.ca/PDFs/0230-01.2.015.DWV.pdf Transit Topics December 1946 Issue] West Vancouver Archives, retrieved 19-04-2021</ref> There were also talks of a buy-out of the Blue Bus system by the [[British Columbia Electric Railway]] in the same year. The Ferry Building at 14th Street in Ambleside became the bus depot until 1986 when the yard was moved to its current location at 221 Lloyd Avenue in North Vancouver. | |||
By 1945, the Blue Bus was able to proclaim itself as the oldest bus service in British Columbia.<ref>[https://archives.westvancouver.ca/PDFs/0230-01.2.001.DWV.pdf Transit Topics October 1945 Issue] West Vancouver Archives, retrieved 19-04-2021</ref> | |||
On March 1, 1946, a new waiting room for Blue Bus passengers in Downtown Vancouver was completed. Located at Howe & Dunsmuir, the building allowed West Vancouver riders to wait for their buses in comfort with seating accommodation for 25 passengers, heating, washrooms, payphones and parcel checking self-service.<ref>[https://archives.westvancouver.ca/PDFs/0230-01.2.006.DWV.pdf Transit Topics March 1946 Issue] West Vancouver Archives, retrieved 19-04-2021</ref> | |||
Before the Blue Bus service joined the BC Transit network, there were no route numbers and buses ran using route names instead, such as: | |||
* West Bay (now portions of the [[West Vancouver Municipal Transit route 250 'Horseshoe Bay / Dundarave / Vancouver'|250]]) | |||
* Upper Levels (now portions of the [[West Vancouver Municipal Transit route 251 'Queens / Park Royal'|251]] and [[West Vancouver Municipal Transit route 252 'Inglewood / Park Royal'|252]]) | |||
* British Properties (now the [[West Vancouver Municipal Transit route 254 'British Properties / Park Royal / Vancouver'|254]]) | |||
* Horseshoe Bay (now portions of the [[West Vancouver Municipal Transit route 250 'Horseshoe Bay / Dundarave / Vancouver'|250]]) | |||
A Transit Task Force looked into improving Blue Bus service and in a report released in November 1977, it noted the following potential improvements:<ref>[https://archives.westvancouver.ca/PDFs/0999.0099.DWV.pdf West Vancouver Community Plan 1980] West Vancouver Archives, retrieved 19-04-2021</ref> | |||
* Introduction of a transit corridor along Marine Drive east of 25th Street | |||
* There is a need for extra service to West Bay, Altamont, Bayridge, British Properties and Queens | |||
* Demand for bus service to Lions Gate Hospital | |||
* Introduction of rear doors on buses | |||
* New bus stop shelters, park and ride facilities and depot | |||
* Paratransit such as dial-a-bus and shuttles | |||
* Upper Levels Highway express bus | |||
* Possibility of rapid transit along the BC Rail corridor | |||
In 1979, West Vancouver Municipal Transit became a part of the Urban Transit Authority's Greater Vancouver Transit System, later renamed the BC Transit and Vancouver Regional Transit System in 1983. This change saw the authority of transit services shift to BC Transit while West Vancouver continued to operate and maintain the service.<ref>[https://archives.westvancouver.ca/Results.aspx?BU=http://westvancouver.andornot.com/default.aspx&QF0=Provenance&QI0=%22West%20Vancouver%20(B.C.).%20Transit%20department%22&TN=Provnc&RF=WebProvnc&NP=255&MF=GENERICENGWPMSG.INI&AC=QBE_QUERY West Vancouver (B.C.). Transit department] West Vancouver Archives, retrieved 19-04-2021</ref> Although part of UTA/BC Transit, West Vancouver buses maintained the blue livery and branding, allowing for a distinctive and unique look compared to other transit buses in the province. Another distinct feature of West Vancouver buses at the time was their size and specifications. Unlike other buses in the Vancouver region, West Vancouver Blue Buses were eight feet wide as opposed to eight feet, six inches wide. This was because of the narrow and winding roads that Blue Buses navigate through in West Vancouver.<ref>[https://archives.westvancouver.ca/PDFs/0230-11.001.DWV.pdf District of West Vancouver Guide to Municipal Services] West Vancouver Archives, retrieved 19-04-2021</ref> | |||
In the mid-1980s, rear doors were retrofitted on most buses in the fleet. Front and rear doors have been standard on all West Vancouver conventional buses ever since. The last bus without rear doors was retired in October 1993. | |||
During the 1980s and 1990s, Blue Bus service gradually expanded beyond Downtown Vancouver and West Vancouver, such as the [[West Vancouver Municipal Transit route 255 'Dundarave / Capilano University'|255]] to Lynn Valley Centre, [[West Vancouver Municipal Transit route 258 'UBC / West Vancouver'|258]] to UBC and [[West Vancouver Municipal Transit route 259 'Lions Bay / Horseshoe Bay'|259]] to Lions Bay. | |||
The first accessible buses were ordered in 1992 in the form of 9 [[West Vancouver Municipal Transit 921-929|Orion I]] units. These lift-equipped buses replaced some of the [[General Motors Diesel Division|GM]] [[New Look]] units that made up the fleet at the time. The remaining GM units were replaced following the delivery of the first batch of [[West Vancouver Municipal Transit 951-959, 961-968|D40LF]] units in 1995. With the completion of this delivery, West Vancouver Transit became the first transit system in Canada to have a completely accessible bus fleet.<ref>[https://archives.westvancouver.ca/PDFs/0230-02.0046.DWV.pdf West Vancouver Report November 1995, vol. 16, no.2] West Vancouver Archives, retrieved 30-01-2021</ref> | |||
When BC Transit Greater Vancouver operations were transferred to [[TransLink]], so did West Vancouver administration. This resulted in very few changes other than the changing of BC Transit logos to TransLink ones on vehicles. A new livery was also introduced, replacing the red stripe with a gold one. This variation of the West Vancouver Blue Bus livery lasted until 2007 when a new Blue Bus livery was introduced, which was a variation of the TransLink sweep-restyled livery with a darker shade of blue. | |||
All units were equipped with bike racks in June 1999. | |||
In 2002, West Vancouver received its first articulated buses in the form of three [[West Vancouver Municipal Transit 912-914|New Flyer D60]] units transferred from [[Coast Mountain Bus Company]] for operations on the [[Coast Mountain Bus Company route 257 'Horseshoe Bay / Vancouver Express'|257 Express]]. These units were later replaced by three [[West Vancouver Municipal Transit 712-714|New Flyer D60LFR]] units, also transfers from CMBC. In August 2018, articulated bus operations ended and the three D60LFR units were returned to CMBC following the transfer of [[Coast Mountain Bus Company route 257 'Horseshoe Bay / Vancouver Express'|257]] route operations to CMBC. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, one D60LFR unit (one that coincidentally also ran with Blue Bus), was loaned to West Vancouver by CMBC. | |||
Community Shuttles were introduced to West Vancouver in September 2005 with the introduction of its first shuttle route, the [[West Vancouver Municipal Transit route 262 'Lions Bay / Caulfeild'|C12 Lions Bay/Caulfeild]]. More Community Shuttles were introduced as more routes came online. In September 2017, Blue Bus Community Shuttles expanded into North Vancouver. | |||
==Fares== | ==Fares== | ||
| Line 32: | Line 75: | ||
==Current Fleet Roster== | ==Current Fleet Roster== | ||
All active buses are owned by the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority (TransLink). Preserved buses 61 and 995 are owned by the District of West Vancouver. | All active buses are owned by the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority (TransLink). Preserved buses 61 and 995 are owned by the District of West Vancouver. | ||
{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" class=sortable | {| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" class=sortable | ||
| Line 81: | Line 123: | ||
|- align="center" | |- align="center" | ||
|[[Coast Mountain Bus Company 19501-19549|19501–19502, 19536–19537]] | |[[Coast Mountain Bus Company 19501-19549|19501–19502, 19536–19537]] | ||
| | |[[File:West Vancouver Municipal Transit 19502-b.jpg|128px]] | ||
|2019–2020 | |2019–2020 | ||
|[[Chevrolet]] | |[[Chevrolet]] | ||
| Line 106: | Line 148: | ||
|[[Cummins]] [[Cummins ISL|ISL]] | |[[Cummins]] [[Cummins ISL|ISL]] | ||
|[[ZF Group|ZF]] [[ZF Ecomat 4|6HP554C]] | |[[ZF Group|ZF]] [[ZF Ecomat 4|6HP554C]] | ||
|[[Axion]] LED | |[[Axion Technologies|Axion]] LED | ||
|No | |No | ||
| align="left"| | | align="left"| | ||
| Line 118: | Line 160: | ||
|[[Cummins]] [[Cummins ISL|ISL]] | |[[Cummins]] [[Cummins ISL|ISL]] | ||
|[[ZF Group|ZF]] [[ZF Ecomat 4|6HP554C]] | |[[ZF Group|ZF]] [[ZF Ecomat 4|6HP554C]] | ||
|[[Axion]] LED | |[[Axion Technologies|Axion]] LED | ||
|No | |No | ||
| align="left"| | | align="left"| | ||
| Line 363: | Line 405: | ||
| | | | ||
| | | | ||
|[[Hayes Anderson]] | |[[Hayes Manufacturing Company|Hayes Anderson]] | ||
|? | |? | ||
| | | | ||
| Line 778: | Line 820: | ||
|[[Cummins]] [[Cummins ISL|ISL]] | |[[Cummins]] [[Cummins ISL|ISL]] | ||
|[[ZF Group|ZF]] [[ZF Ecomat 4|6HP554C]] | |[[ZF Group|ZF]] [[ZF Ecomat 4|6HP554C]] | ||
|[[Axion]] LED | |[[Axion Technologies|Axion]] LED | ||
| align="left"| | | align="left"| | ||
*Transferred to [[Coast Mountain Bus Company|CMBC]] in August 2018 as 9797–9799. | *Transferred to [[Coast Mountain Bus Company|CMBC]] in August 2018 as 9797–9799. | ||
| Line 850: | Line 892: | ||
|[[New Flyer Industries D40LF|D40LF]] | |[[New Flyer Industries D40LF|D40LF]] | ||
|[[Detroit Diesel]] [[Detroit Diesel Series 50|Series 50]] | |[[Detroit Diesel]] [[Detroit Diesel Series 50|Series 50]] | ||
|990 | |990 – [[Allison]] [[Allison Bus Series|World B400R5]]<br>991–998 – [[Voith]] [[Voith DIWA.3E|D863.3]] | ||
|[[Balios]] Orange LED | |[[Balios]] Orange LED | ||
| align="left"| | | align="left"| | ||
* 990 ex-[[Coast Mountain Bus Company|CMBC]] 7299. | * 990 ex-[[Coast Mountain Bus Company|CMBC]] 7299. | ||
* 993 had [[Axion Technologies]] Orange LED destination sign. | * 993 had [[Axion Technologies|Axion]] Orange LED destination sign. | ||
* 995 being preserved and restored. | * 995 being preserved and restored. | ||
|-align="center" | |-align="center" | ||
| Line 880: | Line 922: | ||
*Ex-[[Coast Mountain Bus Company|CMBC]] 1210; transferred and renumbered 210 in 1999. | *Ex-[[Coast Mountain Bus Company|CMBC]] 1210; transferred and renumbered 210 in 1999. | ||
*Originally [[Community Transit]] 210. | *Originally [[Community Transit]] 210. | ||
|- align="center" | |||
|[[Coast Mountain Bus Company 8102-8117|8103]] | |||
| | |||
|2007 | |||
|[[New Flyer Industries|New Flyer]] | |||
|[[New Flyer Industries D60LFR|D60LFR]] | |||
|[[Cummins]] [[Cummins ISM|ISM]] 330 hp | |||
|[[Allison]] [[Allison Bus Series|World B500R6]] 6 speed | |||
|[[Luminator]] [[Luminator Horizon|Horizon]] | |||
| align="left"| | |||
* Loaned from [[Coast Mountain Bus Company]] March 2020–June 2021 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|[[Coast Mountain Bus Company 9601-9699, 9701-9725|9661, 9665, 9671, 9672, 9683]] | |||
| | |||
|2007 | |||
|[[Nova Bus]] | |||
|[[Nova Bus LFS|LFS]] | |||
|[[Cummins]] [[Cummins ISL|ISL]] 280 hp | |||
|[[ZF Friedrichshafen AG|ZF]] [[ZF Ecomat 4|6HP554C]] 6 speed | |||
|[[Axion Technologies|Axion]] Orange LED | |||
| align="left"| | |||
* Loaned from [[Coast Mountain Bus Company]] | |||
* 9671 and 9683 on loan from December 2017 to June 2018 | |||
* 9672 loaned from December 2017 to January 2018 | |||
* 9661 and 9665 loaned in October 2022 | |||
|- align="center" | |||
|[[Coast Mountain Bus Company 16101-16140|16120, 16125]] | |||
| | |||
|2016 | |||
|[[New Flyer Industries|New Flyer]] | |||
|[[New Flyer Industries XD40|XD40]] | |||
|[[Cummins]] [[Cummins ISL|ISL9]] | |||
|[[ZF]] [[ZF EcoLife|EcoLife 6AP1400B]] | |||
|[[Luminator]] [[Luminator Horizon|Horizon]] | |||
| align="left"| | |||
* Loaned from [[Coast Mountain Bus Company]] in October 2022 | |||
|} | |} | ||
| Line 901: | Line 979: | ||
|[[Allison]] [[Allison V Series|VH9]] | |[[Allison]] [[Allison V Series|VH9]] | ||
| align="left"| | | align="left"| | ||
|- align="center" | |- align="center" bgcolor="dddddd" | ||
|[[West Vancouver Municipal Transit 990-998|995]] | |[[West Vancouver Municipal Transit 990-998|995]] | ||
|[[File:West Vancouver Municipal Transit 995-a.jpg|128px]] | |[[File:West Vancouver Municipal Transit 995-a.jpg|128px]] | ||
| Line 910: | Line 988: | ||
|[[Voith]] [[Voith DIWA.3E|D863.3]] | |[[Voith]] [[Voith DIWA.3E|D863.3]] | ||
| align="left"| | | align="left"| | ||
*Scrapped in January 2023 due to frame rot | |||
|} | |} | ||