Victoria Regional Transit System

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Service to the University of Victoria
Service to the University of Victoria
An Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 equipped with bike rack, one of the double deckers servicing Victoria.
An Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 equipped with bike rack, one of the double deckers servicing Victoria.

Victoria Regional Transit System is a transportation organization which services transportation needs of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is a part of BC Transit.

Transit service began in 1890 by the National Electric Tramway and Light Company with four street cars. After 55 people were killed when a streetcar crashed through the Point Ellice Bridge in 1896, the service was continued by the British Columbia Electric Railway Company. 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 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 to use double decker buses in regular public transit service.

Contents

[edit] Operations

The transit system has over 230 buses on 36 conventional routes and 17 community bus routes covering Greater Victoria including:

Most bus routes terminate either in downtown Victoria, at the University of Victoria, at the Royal Oak Exchange in Saanich, at the Western Exchange in Langford and at the Colwood Exchange. Victoria, Oak Bay, Saanich and Esquimalt form one fare zone while the Saanich Peninsula and the Western Communities form the other.

[edit] Accessible Transit

The transit system operates HandyDART 48 vans with door-to-door service for people who cannot ride the conventional buses. Booking is required and restrictions on whom can use the system apply.

[edit] Fleet

Handicapped/disabled access denotes accessible vehicles

[edit] Fares

Fares are in Canadian Dollars:

Fare type
Adult/College $2.25
Senior/Youth $1.40

Child under age six: no charge.

Day pass are available for $7.00 for adults and college students. Youth and seniors are $5.00.

Transfers are valid for travel in both directions.

Monthly passes are:

  • Adult $73.25
  • College $ 65.25
  • Senior/Youth $42.00

Students at the University of Victoria and at Camosun College are part of the U-PASS program. All students pay for subsidized bus passes as part of their fees ($69.25 for four months).

[edit] Victoria Regional Transit System board

The board is made up of 7 members appointed under the BC Transit Act. The members are mayors and councillors of the communities of Greater Victoria:

  • District of Saanich
  • District of Oak Bay
  • Victoria
  • Colwood
  • Town of Sidney

[edit] External links

[edit] References


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