Metrobus Transit

Metrobus Transit
Slogan Get on. Be moved.
Founded 1958
Headquarters 245 Freshwater Road, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Service area St. John's and Mount Pearl
Service type Public transit
Routes 18
Stops 778
Stations 2
Fleet 53
Annual ridership 3.1 million[1]
Fuel type Diesel
Operator St. John's Transportation Commission (City of St. John's)
General Manager Judy Powell
Website www.metrobustransit.ca

Metrobus Transit is a public transport system owned by the City of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It operates a fleet of diesel buses. A total of 23 bus routes serve St. John's and Mount Pearl, carrying approximately 3.1 million passengers in 2009.

History

Metrobus Transit was established in 1958, and is operated by the St. John's Transportation Commission, a board consisting of six members from various areas of the region.

Metrobus Transit currently operates 18 routes. Routes travel around the cities of St. John's and Mount Pearl and service major destinations including the Avalon Mall, Village Shopping Centre, Memorial University, Confederation Building, College of the North Atlantic, Marine Institute, Mile One Centre, and downtown St. John's.

In 2012, Metrobus Transit acquired nine new fully accessible Nova LFS Smart Buses and plan to purchase twenty-one additional buses by 2017. The Smart Bus technology on these buses can improve fuel economy by up to 18% and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. From the outside, the new buses look very similar to the other 23 low-floor buses already in its fleet, however, are fully accessible and include a wheelchair ramp and other related equipment.[2]

Fares

Category Cash Fare 30-Day Pass 10 rides
Adult $2.25 $70.00 $20.00
Child $1.75 $45.00 $15.00
Senior $2.25 $45.00 $15.00

In addition, Student Semester Passes are available for Memorial University, Marine Institute and College of the North Atlantic students, at a cost of $245 for four months.[3] In 2006, Metrobus Transit upgraded its fare system to use a smart card system called the m-Card, which replaces tickets and monthly passes with a reloadable card and offers a points and rewards loyalty program.[4]

Bus fleet

Metrobus Transit currently operates a fleet of 57 buses:

Total Builder Model Numbers
25 MCI TC40-102N Classic Bus 9030, 9131 - 9133, 9234 - 9238
5 OBI Orion 05.501 9339 - 9343
31 Nova Bus LFS-40102 9844 - 9846, 0147 - 0152, 0753 - 0756, 0857 - 0861, 0962 - 0965, 1066, 1201 - 1209 1310-1314 1415-1419[5]

Routes

Metrobus operates most routes year-round, with the exception of Routes 13, 17, 24 and 26 not operating during the summer (July-September) schedules. Primary and base routes usually operate at a 30-minute frequency on weekdays, with 60-minute frequency during the evenings and on weekends. Routes 1, 2, 3 and 10 operate at a 15-minute frequency during peak periods at between key points.

Route # Route Name Class Description
1 Village - Institutes Primary Begins in west end at Village Mall, services Memorial University, College of the North Atlantic and the Marine Institute.
2 Village - Pleasantville - Avalon Primary U-shaped line between servicing the LeMarchant Road corridor between the Village Mall and PLeasantville, in addition to the Elizabeth Avenue corridor between Pleasantville and the Avalon Mall.
3 Village - Downtown - Stavanger Primary Begins in west end at Village Mall, services Downtown St. John's and continues north along the Torbay Road corridor to Stavanger Drive.
5 Avalon - Pleasantville Local Evening only service between the Avalon Mall and Pleasantville, along Elizabeth Avenue.
6 Village - Sesame Park Local Begins in west end at Village Mall, services the Sesame Park - Waterford Valley subdivision and looping at Water Street downtown.
9 MUN - Torbay Road Local Interlined with Route 16, daytime only service between Memorial University, the Marine Institute area, and Torbay Road.
10 Downtown - MUN - Avalon Mall - Kelsey Drive Primary Well-traveled route from Downtown St. John's to Memorial University (via Merrymeeting Road), continuing to the Avalon Mall and Kelsey Drive shopping centres. Runs at 15-minute frequency in weekday evening rush hour during the school year in the area surrounding Memorial University.
11 Avalon Mall - Downtown - Shea Heights Local Runs weekdays and Saturdays between the Avalon Mall, Downtown St. John's at the corner of Water Street and Waldegrave Street, continuing west on Water Street into Shea Heights.
12 Village - Blackmarsh/Freshwater - Avalon Local Connects the Village Mall and Avalon Mall via Blackmarsh Road and Freshwater Road. Services the Mundy Pond and Ropewalk Lane area.
13 Village - Institutes (Express) Local Runs weekday mornings only, from the Village Mall along the Parkway to Memorial University. Services the Marine Institute and College of the North Atlantic. No return trips to the west end.
14 Memorial University - Airport Heights Local Runs daytime Monday to Friday between MUN and Airport Heights. For evening service, Route 20 is available.
15 Avalon Mall - MUN - Georgestown - Forest Road Primary Begins the Avalon Mall, servicing Memorial University via the Baird Place subdivision. East of MUN, it serves Georgestown via Bonaventure Avenue and the downtown corridor at Military Road, ending near Quidi Vidi Lake on Forest Road.
16 Kenmount Terrace - Avalon Mall - MUN Local Interlined with Route 9, but with evening and weekend service introduced in 2012, services Kenmount Terrace and Old Pennywell Road subdivisions, via Kenmount Road, the Avalon Mall and the Parkway.
17 MUN - Institutes - Torbay Road Mall Local Rush hour only route servicing the east end of St. John's via Torbay Road Mall and Memorial University.
18 Village - Kilbride - Goulds Local Services the rural St. John's neighborhoods of Kilbride and Goulds, with the main transfer point at the Village Mall.
19 Village - Cowan Heights - Avalon Mall Local Connects the Avalon Mall and the Village Mall through the west-end neighborhood of Cowan Heights.
20 Avalon Mall - MUN - Airport Heights Local Evening-only service from the Avalon Mall to Airport Heights, via Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN). See Route 14 for daytime service between MUN and Airport Heights.
21 Village - Mount Pearl Local Services the city of Mount Pearl and the Topsail Road corridor of west-end St. John's, connecting at the Village Mall.
22 Village - Mount Pearl Local Weekday morning and evening rush hour only route between Mount Pearl and the Village Mall, servicing much of Donovan's Industrial Park and Topsail Road.
23 Avalon Mall - Stavanger Drive Local Evening and Saturday route servicing the Avalon Mall, Memorial University of Newfoundland, the Higgins Line-Bells Turn neighborhood and Stavanger Drive (via Torbay Road and Newfoundland Drive)
24 Airport Heights - MUN (Express) Local Express weekday morning one way service from Airport Heights to Memorial University.
25 Village - Petty Harbour Road Local Rush hour only service to Kilbride and the Goulds from the Village Mall. See Route 18 for service to much of this area during other times.
26 Kenmount Terrace - MUN (Express) Local Express weekday morning one way service from Kenmount Terrace to Memorial University, servicing Kelsey Drive, Grovesdale Park and Thorburn Road.

References

  1. Metrobus ridership dips despite best efforts CBC News July 14, 2010
  2. Metrobus Transit takes delivery of nine new fully accessible low-floor buses February 24, 2012
  3. Metrobus Transit Fares Metrobus Transit November 7, 2010
  4. m-Card November 7, 2010
  5. Metrobus unveils nine new fully accessible busses February 23, 2012

External links