Victoria Regional Transit System

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.

Operations

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

* Victoria
* Saanich
* Oak Bay
* Langford
* Esquimalt
* View Royal
* Colwood
* Central Saanich
* North Saanich
* Sidney
* Metchosin
* Highlands
* Sooke
* Parts of the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area

Most bus routes terminate either in downtown Victoria, at the University of Victoria, at the Royal Oak Exchange in Saanich, at Westshore Town Centre in Langford or at Western Exchange in Colwood. Greater Victoria was divided into 2 fare zones, but as of April 2008, these fare zones have being eliminated.

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.

Fleet

* Motor Coach Industries TC40102N "Classic"
* New Flyer Industries D40LF access icon|15px
* New Flyer Industries DE40LF (Diesel-Electric Hybrid) access icon|15px
* Ford E350 Super Duty access icon|15px
* Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton Pointer bodyaccess icon|15px
* Dennis Tridentaccess icon|15px
* Nova Bus LFS access icon|15px

access icon|15px denotes accessible vehicles

Fares

Fares are in Canadian Dollars:

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).

Victoria Regional Transit Commission

The Victoria Regional Transit System is overseen by a the 7 member transit commission. As of 2008, the board members are [ [http://www.busonline.ca/regions/vic/news/commission/default.cfm Victoria Regional Transit Commission] ] :

* Mayor Alan Lowe, City of Victoria
* Mayor Frank Leonard, District of Saanich
* Councillor Jackie Ngai, District of Saanich
* Mayor Don Amos, Town of Sidney (Chairperson)
* Mayor Christopher Causton, District of Oak Bay
* Councillor Bea Holland, City of Victoria
* Mayor Janet Evans, District of Sooke

External links

* [http://www.bctransit.com/regions/vic/news/commission/default.cfm Victoria Regional Transit Systems]

References

* [http://www.transitworkers.novatone.net/PUBLIC/a_brief_history_of_transit.htm A Brief History of Transit in Victoria and the Lower Mainland]