RapidBus (TransLink)

RapidBus
Overview
System	TransLink
Operator	Coast Mountain Bus Company
Began service	January 6, 2020 [1]
Routes	6
Stops	75
Route map RapidBus highlighted in green ← {{{previous_line}}}  {{{system_nav}}}  {{{next_line}}} →

RapidBus is an express bus network with bus rapid transit elements in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

History

On November 23, 2016, the Mayors' Council and TransLink's board of directors approved the first phase of the 10-Year Vision, which included provisions for new B-Line routes (later rebranded as RapidBus) which began service in January 2020. ^[2] In July 2019, TransLink announced that all future B-Line routes would officially be launched under new "RapidBus" branding and that the 95 and 96 B-Lines would also transition to that branding, leaving route 99 as the only remaining B-Line. ^[3]

The first wave of routes using the RapidBus branding –consisting of the R1 King George Blvd (the former 96 B-Line), the new R3 Lougheed Hwy, the new R4 41st Ave (replacing the 43 express service along 41st Avenue), and the R5 Hastings St (the former 95 B-Line) –launched on January 6, 2020. ^{[4] [1]}

The R2 Marine Drive launched on April 6, 2020, after construction delays, replacing the former 239. ^[5] The R6 Scott Rd launched on January 2, 2024, for service in Surrey and Delta. ^{[6] [7]}

Features

Bus stop with real-time arrival information near Waterfront station

• All-door boarding
• Shelters and benches at stops
• Tactile pads
• Real-time information
• Information panels at stops
• On-board route diagrams
• Transit priority measures on streets to improve travel times
• Custom exterior bus livery
• Frequent service

RapidBus routes

Phase 1

Route	Launch date	Termini		Connections	Stops
R1 King George Blvd	September 2, 2013 (as 96 B-Line)	Guildford Exchange	Newton Exchange	Newton Exchange Surrey Central King George Guildford Exchange	12
R2 Marine Dr	April 6, 2020 [5]	Park Royal Exchange	Phibbs Exchange	Park Royal Shopping Centre Lonsdale Quay Phibbs Exchange	10
R3 Lougheed Hwy	January 6, 2020	Coquitlam Central station	Haney Place Exchange	Coquitlam Central Haney Place	8
R4 41st Ave	September 4, 2000 (as 43 Express)	UBC Exchange	Joyce–Collingwood station	Joyce–Collingwood Oakridge–41st Avenue Dunbar Loop UBC Exchange	17
R5 Hastings St	December 19, 2016 (as 95 B-Line)	Burrard station	SFU Exchange	Burrard Waterfront Kootenay Loop SFU Exchange	16

Phase 2

Route	Launch date	Termini		Connections	Stops
R6 Scott Rd	January 2, 2024 [7]	Scott Road station	Newton Exchange	Scott Road Scottsdale Exchange Newton Exchange	13

Future phases

Route	Launch date	Termini		Connections	Stops
Lions Gate	TBD	Stadium–Chinatown station	Lynn Valley Centre	Stadium–Chinatown Granville Vancouver City Centre Burrard Lonsdale Quay
Victoria Drive	TBD	Downtown	Harrison Loop	Commercial–Broadway
White Rock	TBD	Newton Exchange	White Rock Centre	Newton Exchange South Surrey Park and Ride White Rock Centre
Coquitlam to Langley	TBD	Coquitlam Central station	Langley Centre	Coquitlam Central Maple Meadows Carvolth Exchange Langley Centre
R2 Extension to Metrotown [8]	TBD	Metrotown station	Park Royal Exchange	Park Royal Shopping Centre Lonsdale Quay Phibbs Exchange Brentwood Town Centre Metrotown

Cancelled RapidBus routes

Fraser Highway

Proposals for a Fraser Highway B-Line were made in 2018 along with what would become the Marine Drive, Lougheed Highway, and 41st Avenue RapidBus routes. ^[9] However, a decision was made in December of that year to cancel the proposed route (which would have been rebranded as RapidBus) ^[3] in favour of a revision of service on routes 502 and 503 in the short term, and an extension of the Expo Line from Surrey to Langley Centre in the long term. ^[10]

R7 Richmond – Metrotown station

This line was cancelled in October 2023 following the rejection of a proposed route by Richmond's city council. The R7 route would have roughly followed the existing 430 route via Bridgeport Road, the Knight Street Bridge, and 49th Avenue. ^[11]

Bus rapid transit lines

TransLink intends to implement 9 bus rapid transit (BRT) lines in the coming decade, including 3 that will be upgraded from RapidBus, contingent on funding from senior levels of government. ^[12] The lines will feature all-day frequent service with limited stops, near-continuous dedicated lanes and signal priority at major intersections, high-capacity buses with all-door boarding. ^[13] The lines will have "rail-like" stations with next-bus departure screens, transit maps and weather protection. ^[13]

Future phases

Route	Launch date	Termini		Connection	Stops
King George Boulevard [14]	TBD	Guildford Exchange	White Rock	Guilford Exchange Surrey Central Newton Exchange South Surrey Park and Ride White Rock Centre
Langley to Haney Place [14]	TBD	Haney Place Exchange	Langley Centre	Haney Place Exchange Carvolth Exchange Langley Centre

Possible BRT lines

Metrotown to North Shore

On November 16, 2023, TransLink made an announcement detailing three priority rapid transit corridors, including the Metrotown to North Shore corridor. The announcement called for an "immediate" extension of the R2 RapidBus past Phibbs Exchange to Metrotown station, as well as the prioritization of a BRT line. ^[15] However, several sources, including a page on TransLink's website, indicate that BRT on this corridor is only a possibility and that other rail-based modes are also being considered. ^[14]

See also

• List of bus routes in Metro Vancouver

References

1. "RapidBus is Coming!". YouTube. TransLink. July 23, 2019. Archived from the original on September 14, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
2. "Phase One of the 10-Year Vision Backgrounder" (PDF). tenyearvision.translink.ca. TransLink. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 1, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
3. Saltman, Jennifer (July 24, 2019). "TransLink unveils new RapidBus service to replace B-Lines". The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on June 30, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
4. "RapidBus Program". translink.ca. TransLink. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
5. "R2: Marine Dr". translink.ca. TransLink. Archived from the original on February 8, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
6. "TransLink unveils new RapidBus service for Surrey and Delta". CBC News. Archived from the original on January 2, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
7. "R6 Scott Road RapidBus". TransLink.ca. TransLink. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
8. "RapidBus Projects | R2 Extension to Metrotown". translink.ca. TransLink. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
9. "TransLink to add 4 new B-Line bus routes by end of 2019". CTV Vancouver. March 7, 2018. Archived from the original on March 7, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
10. "Mayor's Council On Regional Transportation Public Meeting Agenda Revised: December 11, 2018" (PDF). TransLink. December 13, 2018. p. 83. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 19, 2019. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
11. Chan, Kenneth (October 16, 2023). "No BRT, no RapidBus: Richmond City Council rejects TransLink's proposed route to Metrotown". Daily Hive Vancouver. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
12. Chan, Kenneth (April 20, 2022). "TransLink to double bus service, including 9 new Bus Rapid Transit lines | Urbanized". dailyhive.com. Archived from the original on April 20, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
13. "BRT Attributes for Metro Vancouver" (PDF). Translink. November 16, 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 17, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
14. "Bus Rapid Transit". www.translink.ca. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
15. Announcing new rapid transit corridors 🚌, November 17, 2023, retrieved November 17, 2023

External links

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• TransLink