SEA-BUS UNJAMS VANCOUVER'S TRAFFIC

An innovative high-speed ferry system that links the city of Vancouver to the residential area of North Vancouver to the north across Burrard Inlet is taking motorists off jammed city streets and freeing commuter buses to work in other sections of the metropolitan area. This successful project showed that Canadian consumers would use public conveyances if the services were attractive. The design of the vessels and terminals follows rapid transit principles in order that passengers may board and alight quickly. Because the ferries are faster than the bus for many North Vancouver residents, a certain number of transit vehicles have been reassigned to improve local bus services and provide additional bridge services where needed. The relation of the waterborne system with the bus system and the planned development of the entire Vancouver transportation pattern have been carefully thought out. The integrated bus and ferry transit services were planned by a tripartite group consisting of the British Columbia Hydro, the Municipal Affairs and Housing Department, and the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Based on the one-way trip, present projections for one year after service start-up are for 7,500 passengers to be carried on a typical weekday, at a peak-period frequency of 10 minutes. This represents about one-seventh of the ultimate system capacity. During the two hour peak period, the ferry can transport 1,500 people, the equivalent of 1,000 automobiles carring 1.5 travelers each.

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• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Publication Date: 1977-12

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 5-6
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research News
  • Issue Number: 73
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0738-6826

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus transportation; Ferries; Peak periods; Public transit; Ridership; Traffic congestion; Transportation planning; Urban areas; Water transportation
• Subject Areas: Highways; Marine Transportation; Motor Carriers; Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00168058
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jan 30 1981 12:00AM