June Service Changes

June 21, 2012

Responding to demand on both sides of the scale
TransLink’s service optimization addresses areas of greatest need

More relief is on the way for transit users across Metro Vancouver, as TransLink continues to re-allocate its resources to deal with high demand and overcrowding. As of June 25, 21 bus routes around the system will offer more frequent service at strategic times of the day and night. At the same time, service on 18 routes will be reduced at times when the volume of customers does not justify the current level of service.

“Service optimization is part of TransLink’s ongoing program to achieve efficiencies and ‘right size’ the system. In doing so, we reduce our services that are in lower demand, and increase our services that are in higher demand,” says Drew Snider, spokesperson on TransLink’s daily services and operations. 

“We are seeing success with this approach. Improvements can be made without additional bus hours or costs. Between 2010 and 2011, TransLink increased system-wide bus productivity by over 3% through service optimization.” 

With more and more people using public transit outside the common “peak period” (i.e. the traditional morning and afternoon rush hours), many of these service improvements are taking place in middays and on weekends, reflecting both the increased usage of transit on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and a developing trend towards commuting outside the traditional peak period.

The improvements benefit services throughout Metro Vancouver. For example:
• #2 – Saturday evenings
• #16 – Weekdays and Saturdays, in the midday and evening periods
• 97 B-Line – improved service throughout the week
• 99 B-Line – more trips in each direction on Saturday mornings
• #319, #345 and #640 – increased service in the morning rush hour.

An example of optimizing service in this way is in Richmond, where frequency on certain routes was increased to integrate with the Canada Line in 2009. The #410 Railway/22nd St. Stn is growing in ridership. In response, rush-hour service is increasing to approximately every 7 minutes from every 9 minutes and one more late-night trip will be extended into the Fraserwood area.

Service will be adjusted at less productive times on routes with lower demand:
• #402 Richmond-Brighouse Stn/Two Road – 12-minute frequency in morning and afternoon rush hours, rather than 10 minutes;
• #403 Bridgeport Stn/Three Road – 12-minute frequency (formerly 10) in morning rush hour and 15 minutes (formerly 12) in afternoons; other adjustments throughout the week;
• #404 Richmond-Brighouse Stn/Ladner Exchange – half-hour frequency in morning and afternoon rush hours (formerly 20 minutes)

Adjustments elsewhere in the system will primarily affect those routes running early in the morning on weekends and holidays, re-investing those under-utilized resources into overcrowded areas.

”TransLink will continue to look at how service optimization can improve system productivity throughout 2012 and beyond,” says Snider. “By re-investing bus hours where there is high demand, TransLink can make ongoing cost-effective improvements to the system. We will continue to look for ways to encourage increased ridership in areas that show potential for future growth.”

Full details of the June service changes can be found online at Transit Service Changes.