The 55 bus from Langley to New Westminster is the ninth busiest in the TransLink network of routes.
That means lots of overcrowding lots of the time.
“While it’s fantastic to see so many customers using the route, we recognize overcrowding is a problem,” said TransLink spokesperson Jill Drews. “We have been steadily adding service to try and keep up with the demand. The 555 has benefited from additional service hours as part of Phase One of the 10-Year Vision. Service hours were added for the morning rush in February and again for the morning and afternoon peak periods in April.”
In 2014, four per cent of the buses were overcrowded. As of 2016, that stood at 30 per cent, despite increases in frequency made by TransLink.
One factor is the addition of BC Transit service from communities to the east. Those commuters then take the 555 west.
At the TransLink board meeting on Sept. 21, the most recent stats revealed that year to date, there’s been 270.5 million boardings on all TransLink conveyances, including 164.3 million bus boardings. Ridership is up 7.3 per cent across the system in August and 6.2 per cent in the period from January to August.
“We are embarking on a double decker bus pilot project later this year and into 2018, testing vehicles,” Drews said. “The 555 would be a good candidate route.”
Buses are the quickest fix when ridership jumps but the long-term vision is rail from Surrey into Langley City and connected to the rail systems north of the Fraser River.
Township Mayor Jack Froese is just back from Rail~Volution, an international conference on transportation. It was held in Detroit.
“I was there on behalf of Metro Vancouver,” he explained.
He noted that communities around the world are struggling to efficiently transport the public.
“It all boils down to funding,” he said. “There is not an unlimited amount of money.”
The Mayors Council continues to work on funding for transit expansion and Lower Mainland transportation issues. The council is working with various levels of government on funding options.
He said funding has to provide service throughout the TransLink region, allocated based on density of population and congestion/ridership.
He noted that there have been increases in services in Langley, such as the new bus up and down 208th Street and new routes for the Clayton/Willoughby area.
TransLink is watching the 555 route and relies on the Regional Growth Strategy to help with planning, he noted.
The strategy sets out expected growth over the next three decades.
“They are very aware of the growth,” Froese said. “I don’t think they anticipated BC transit connecting to it.”