Victoria Regional Transit System
Encyclopedia
Greater Victoria, British Columbia
Greater Victoria is located in British Columbia, Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It is a cultural rather than political entity, usually defined as the thirteen easternmost municipalities of the Capital Regional District on Vancouver Island but also includes adjoining areas and...
region of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Its operations are governed by the Victoria Regional Transit Commission in association with BC Transit. There were more than 25 million riders in 2010.
History
Transit service began in 1890 by the National Electric Tramway and Light Company with four street cars. On May 26, 1896 a packed streetcar crashed through the Point Ellice BridgePoint Ellice Bridge Disaster
On May 26, 1896 in Victoria, British Columbia, a streetcar crowded with 143 holidaymakers on their way to attend celebrations of Queen Victoria’s birthday, crashed through Point Ellice Bridge into the Upper Harbour. 55 men, women and children were killed in the accident, making this one of the...
and 55 people were killed. The Consolidated Electric Railway Company was forced into receivership by the disaster and emerged reorganized as the British Columbia Electric Railway
British Columbia Electric Railway
The British Columbia Electric Railway was a historic Canadian railway which operated in southwestern British Columbia.Originally the parent company, and later a division, of BC Electric, the BCER operated public transportation in southwestern British Columbia from its establishment in the...
on April 15, 1897.
The use of buses started in 1923 for outlying routes. Although trolley buses were tried in 1945, the transit system was completely converted to motor buses in 1948. In 1961 BC Electric became part of BC Hydro
BC Hydro
The BC Hydro and Power Authority is a Canadian electric utility in the province of British Columbia generally known simply as BC Hydro. It is the main electric distributor, serving 1.8 million customers in most areas, with the exception of the Kootenay region, where FortisBC, a subsidiary of Fortis...
, a Crown corporation, before the transit system was moved to the crown agency that would become BC Transit. In 2000 Victoria became the first city in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
to use double decker buses
Double-decker bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. Global usage of this type of bus is more common in outer touring than in its intra-urban transportion role. Double-decker buses are also commonly found in certain parts of Europe, Asia, and former British colonies and protectorates...
in regular public transit service as well as the first city to use hybrid
Hybrid electric bus
A hybrid electric bus combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. These type of buses normally use a diesel-electric powertrain and are also known as hybrid diesel-electric buses....
double-decker buses.
Operations
The transit system has 260 buses on 37 conventional routes and 18 community bus routes covering Greater Victoria including:Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, Saanich
Saanich, British Columbia
The District of Saanich is a municipality on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. It is located north of the provincial capital, Victoria. It has a population of 108,265 people, making it the most populous municipality on Vancouver Island, and the seventh most populous in the province...
, Oak Bay
Oak Bay, British Columbia
Oak Bay is a municipality located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian Province of British Columbia, Canada. A member municipality of the Capital Regional District, it is a community east of and adjacent to the City of Victoria...
, Langford
Langford, British Columbia
Langford is a city of 22,459 residents on southern Vancouver Island, within the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is considered one of Greater Victoria's Western Communities...
, Esquimalt
Esquimalt, British Columbia
The Township of Esquimalt is a municipality at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. It is bordered to the east by the provincial capital, Victoria, to the south by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, to the west by Esquimalt Harbour and Royal Roads, to the northwest by the...
, View Royal
View Royal, British Columbia
View Royal is a town in Greater Victoria and a member municipality of the Capital Regional District of British Columbia, Canada. View Royal has a population of approximately 8000 residents and was incorporated as a municipality in December 1988....
, Colwood
Colwood, British Columbia
Colwood is a city located on Vancouver Island to the southwest of Victoria, capital of British Columbia. Colwood was incorporated in 1985 and has a population of approximately 15,000 people. Colwood lies within the boundaries of the Victoria Census Metropolitan area or Capital Regional District,...
, Central Saanich
Central Saanich, British Columbia
Central Saanich is a district municipality in Greater Victoria and a member municipality of the Capital Regional District. It is located on the Saanich Peninsula. The district began as a farming community, and many hobby farms, along with a handful of small working farms and vineyards, still exist...
, North Saanich
North Saanich, British Columbia
North Saanich is located on the Saanich Peninsula, approximately 25 km north of Victoria, British Columbia on southern Vancouver Island...
, Sidney
Sidney, British Columbia
Sidney is a town located at the northern end of the Saanich Peninsula, on Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is one of the 13 Greater Victoria municipalities. It has a population of approximately 11,300. Sidney is located just east of Victoria International Airport,...
, Metchosin
Metchosin, British Columbia
The District of Metchosin is a small, coastal community in the metro Greater Victoria region of British Columbia. It is part of the Western Communities and one of the 13 regional municipalities. Many Metchosinites are small farmers . Most are retired or work outside the community...
, Highlands, and Sooke
Sooke, British Columbia
Sooke is a district municipality situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada. About a 45 minute drive from the city of Victoria , Sooke is considered the westernmost of the Greater Victoria region's "Western Communities." It is situated to the north and west of the Sooke...
.
Primary bus route destinations are: downtown Victoria, the University of Victoria
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
, the Royal Oak Exchange in Saanich, Westshore Town Centre
Westshore Town Centre
Westshore Town Centre is a shopping centre in Langford, British Columbia, near Victoria. The centre is bounded on the west by Jacklin Road, Langford Parkway to the north, Brittany Drive to the east, and Kelly Road to the south...
in Langford, and the Western Exchange in Colwood.
Routes
Routes are named for the direction of travel, thus each route has two names, indicating direction. Some routes also change in the evening or on weekends, which changes the route name again. Many routes are still known by their older, fixed names when buses used non-electronic signs, such as the 26 Crosstown, now Dockyard/UVic.- 1- Richardson/Downtown
- 2/2A- Oak Bay/Willows/Downtown
- 3- Gonzales/Downtown/Beacon Hill
- 4- UVic/Downtown
- 6- Royal Oak Exchange/Esquimalt
- 7- UVic/Gonzales/Downtown
- 8- Interurban/Tillicum Mall/Oak Bay
- 10- Jubilee/Dockyard
- 11- Tillicum Mall/UVic
- 12- University Heights/UVic
- 13- Cadboro Bay/UVic
- 14- Vic General/UVic
- 15- UVic Express/Downtown Express
- 16- UVic Express/Uptown Express
- 17- Cedar Hill School Special (Christmas Hill)
- 18- Cedar Hill School Special (Cloverdale)
- 19- Hillside Mall
- 21- Interurban/Downtown
- 22- Vic General/Hillside Mall
- 24- Cedar Hill/Admirals Walk
- 25- Maplewood/Admirals Walk/Western Exchange
- 26- Dockyard/UVic
- 27- Gordon Head/Downtown/Beacon Hill
- 28- Majestic/Downtown/Beacon Hill
- 29- UVic (from Gordon Head)
- 30- Royal Oak via Carey/James Bay/Beacon Hill
- 31- Royal Oak via Glanford/James Bay
- 32- Cordova Bay
- 33- UVic (from James Bay)
- 35- Ridge
- 39- Royal Roads/Camosun College/UVic
- 50- Langford/Downtown
- 51- UVic/Langford
- 52- Wishart/Langford/Western Exchange
- 53- Atkins
- 54- Metchosin
- 55- Happy Valley
- 56- Spencer
- 57- Millstream
- 58- Langford Meadows
- 59- Triangle Mountain
- 61- Sooke/Downtown
- 63- Otter Point
- 64- East Sooke
- 66- Duncan Connector to Victoria - operated by the Cowichan Valley Commuter Transit System
- 70- Swartz Bay/Downtown Express
- 72- Swartz Bay/Downtown via Fifth
- 75- Saanichton/Royal Oak/Downtown
- 76- UVic/Swartz Bay Express
- 81- Brentwood/Swartz Bay/Butchart Gardens
- 83- Royal Oak/Sidney via West Saanich/Airport
- 85- North Saanich
- 86- Deep Cove/McTavish Interchange
- 88- Sidney/Airport
- 99- Shawnigan Lake Connector to Victoria - operated by the Cowichan Valley Commuter Transit System
Fares
| Fare type | |
| Adult/College | $2.50 |
| Senior/Youth | $1.65 |
Child under age six: no charge.
Day pass are available for $7.00 for adults and college students. Youth and seniors are $5.00.
Monthly passes are: Adult $80, College $ 72, and Senior/Youth $46.
Students at the University of Victoria
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
, Royal Roads University
Royal Roads University
Royal Roads University is a public university located in Colwood, Greater Victoria, British Columbia, that describes itself as "Canada's University for Working Professionals".-Overview:...
, and Camosun College
Camosun College
Camosun College is located in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. As of 2009 it had over 12,500 full-time and part-time students between its Lansdowne and Interurban campuses. The Lansdowne campus provides university transfer and access programs, as well as career, technical and vocational...
are part of the U-PASS
Universal Transit Pass
In North America,Universal Transit Pass is a program that gives students enrolled in participating post-secondary institutions unlimited access to local transit. Programs are typically funded through mandatory fees that eligible students pay in each term in which they are registered. Fees are...
program. All students pay for subsidized bus passes as part of their fees ($69.25 for four months).
Only one fare zone exists for the Victoria network, as in April 2008 the system eliminated the then $3 two zone fare.
Transfer time allowed is 60 minutes, and allow for one-way travel only. On June 27, 2011, allowable transfer time was reduced from 90 minutes, and the transfer policy also changed from providing two-way travel.
Accessibility
Victoria's transit fleet is fully accessible, with either ramps or lifts providing access. Some bus stops are considered inaccessible due to their design, with inadequate space to accommodate wheelchairs or operation of vehicle ramps/lifts.Paratransit
Paratransit
Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules. Typically mini-buses are used to provide paratransit service, but also share taxis and jitneys are important providers....
services, called handyDART
HandyDART
HandyDART is an accessible transit service in British Columbia that uses vans or small buses to transport disabled or elderly passengers who cannot use the normal transit system...
, are also available. Unlike the regular bus system HandyDART is contracted out. The system currently has 48 vans with door-to-door service for people who cannot ride the conventional buses. Booking is required and restrictions on who can use the system apply.
Fleet
- New Flyer IndustriesNew Flyer IndustriesNew Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:...
D40LF - New Flyer IndustriesNew Flyer IndustriesNew Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:...
DE40LF (Diesel-Electric Hybrid) - FordFord Motor CompanyFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
E350 Super Duty - Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton PointerPlaxton PointerThe Plaxton Pointer is a successful single-decker bus body manufactured during the 1990s by Plaxton and latterly built by Alexander Dennis.With the launch of the Dennis Dart in 1989, Plaxton's subsidiary Reeve Burgess made the Pointer body on the short 8.5 m...
body - Dennis TridentDennis Trident 3Dennis Trident 3 is the first low floor double-decker bus chassis built by Dennis in the United Kingdom, with a large number purchased by bus companies in Hong Kong, Singapore, the United States and Canada.-Design:...
- Alexander DennisAlexander DennisAlexander Dennis Limited is the largest bus builder in the United Kingdom. It incorporated the three last surviving bus manufacturers which started bus production before World War II: Dennis, Alexander and Plaxton.- History :Alexander Dennis was formed as TransBus on 1 January 2001, after the...
Enviro500 - Nova BusNova BusNova Bus is a Canadian bus manufacturer in North America, owned by Volvo Buses, and headquartered in Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada.- History :The factory was originally a General Motors plant for building city transit buses intended for the Canadian market...
LFS
Light Rail Transit (LRT)
A proposal exists to build a light railLight rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
line from downtown Victoria, routing along Douglas Street to Uptown, beside the Trans Canada Highway and the Galloping Goose bike path to Six Mile, then along the Old Island Highway through Colwood to Langford. Several options have been offered for LRT phased implementation, with all variations starting in downtown Victoria, and initially providing service to either Six Mile, Colwood Exchange or all the way to Langford Exchange. While the E&N rail corridor was considered as a potential route under this proposal, it wasn't selected as the ideal candidate. Full implementation of the line between downtown and Langford for initial opening is projected to cost $950 million.
Long term transit network plans outline potential rapid transit corridors for the future, including two that span from Uptown, with a corridor north to the Saanich Peninsula and Sidney, and a corridor east following McKenzie to UVic.
E&N rail corridor
The E&N rail tracks from up island provide access into Vic West, across the inlet from downtown Victoria. The E&N tracks used to run into downtown via the Johnson Street bridge, but as the bridge is being slated for replacement due to old age, the railway component of the bridge was permanently closed in 2011. Rail will not be installed on the new bridge initially, but will have provision to allow tracks to be installed in the future.BC Transit has studied the E&N rail corridor as a commuter rail link from West Shore to Victoria. A bike path is being built beside the E&N tracks, while allowing rail service to continue. No formal plans have been announced for commuter rail on this corridor.
Board of Directors
The Victoria Regional Transit System is overseen by a 7 member transit commission. As of 2009, the board members are:- Mayor Christopher Causton - Chair District of Oak BayOak Bay, British ColumbiaOak Bay is a municipality located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian Province of British Columbia, Canada. A member municipality of the Capital Regional District, it is a community east of and adjacent to the City of Victoria...
- Mayor Frank Leonard, District of SaanichSaanich, British ColumbiaThe District of Saanich is a municipality on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. It is located north of the provincial capital, Victoria. It has a population of 108,265 people, making it the most populous municipality on Vancouver Island, and the seventh most populous in the province...
- Mayor Janet Evans, District of SookeSooke, British ColumbiaSooke is a district municipality situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada. About a 45 minute drive from the city of Victoria , Sooke is considered the westernmost of the Greater Victoria region's "Western Communities." It is situated to the north and west of the Sooke...
- Mayor Jack Mar, District of Central Saanich
- Mayor Dean Fortin, City of VictoriaVictoria, British ColumbiaVictoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
- Councillor Susan Brice - Saanich
Following the 2008 British Columbia municipal election
British Columbia municipal elections, 2008
Municipal elections were held in the Canadian province of British Columbia on November 15, 2008.The following is a list of mayoral races in selected municipalities.-Abbotsford:-Burnaby:-Campbell River:-Castlegar:-Central Saanich:-Chilliwack:...
several members changed due to retirement and the election. As of February 2010, there is one empty seat that is to be filled by a City of Victoria councillor.