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| Parent company | TransLink |
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| Founded | April 1, 1999 |
| Headquarters | 13401 - 108th Avenue Surrey, British Columbia |
| Service area | Metro Vancouver, Canada |
| Service type | transit bus, bus rapid transit, trolley bus, express coach, shuttle bus, passenger ferry |
| Routes | 191 bus routes SeaBus Ferry |
| Chief executive | Denis Clements, President & CEO |
| Web site | coastmountainbus.com |
Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC) is the contract operator for bus transit services in Metro Vancouver and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority known locally as TransLink, the entity responsible for transit. The buses form part of the integrated transit network of the lower mainland.
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Services
The Coast Mountain Bus Company operates the buses throughout Greater Vancouver (except West Vancouver which operates its own Blue Bus system and three contract operators that provide Community Shuttle service):
- 191 bus routes in total
- Regular transit service
- Express Coach Service to suburban municipalities
- Trolley Bus Service - 12 routes primarily in the City of Vancouver
- NightBus - special routes after midnight, 12 routes with plans for expansion
- B-Line express buses (3 routes - see below)
- Community shuttles - routes operating minibuses
- SeaBus - passenger ferry across the Burrard Inlet
The regional transit network including bus routes, service levels and fares are set by TransLink.
Fare-paid zones
Basically the honour system, a fare-paid zone is a clearly marked territory on which passengers must have valid proof of payment. This was only in effect in SkyTrain stations and vehicles until June 25, 2007, when the rules were changed. Now, all buses, including West Vancouver buses, will be designated "Fare Paid Zones", as well as the SkyTrain. Those who fail to pay the fare and retain proof of payment will be removed from the bus and/or fined $173. Random fare inspections are conducted by constables from the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service (SCBCTAPS), and Transit Security.
History
CMBC was created on April 1, 1999. Bus service in Greater Vancouver was formerly provided by BC Transit. (BC Transit now refers only to the provincial government corporation that operates transit outside of the Greater Vancouver Regional District.)
Roster
The following fleet are owned by TransLink and operated and maintained by CMBC.
- New Flyer Industries-Vossloh Kiepe E40LFR standard-length trolley - #2101-2199, 2201-2289 (188 buses total)
- New Flyer Industries-Vossloh Kiepe E60LFR articulated trolley - #2501-2540 (40 buses total)
- New Flyer Industries D60, #3003-3020 (18 articulated buses) Will be scrapped / retired sometime in 2010 then Sent to Peru or Mexico.
- New Flyer Industries D40, #3101-3199, 3201-3257 (156 buses) Will be retired and scrapped sometime in 2010 then Sent to Peru or Mexico.
- New Flyer Industries D40, #3258-3282 (25 buses, previously Natural Gas coaches, since converted to Diesel)
- New Flyer Industries C40LF, #3283-3299, 3301-3308 (25 buses)
- New Flyer Industries C40LFR #3309-3359 (50 buses)
- General Motors Corporation TC-40102N "Classic", #4116-4143 (28 buses)- All Retired or scrapped at Oakridge Transit Centre disposal TBA. No wheelchair lifts.
- Motor Coach Industries TC-40102N "Classic", #4144-4162 (19 buses)- All Retired or scrapped at Oakridge Transit Centre disposal TBA. No wheelchair lifts.
- Motor Coach Industries TC-40102N "Classic", #4163-4191 (29 buses)- All Retired or scrapped at Oakridge Transit Centre disposal TBA. Suburban version with no wheelchair lifts.
- Motor Coach Industries TC-40102N "Classic", #4192-4199, 4201-4268 (76 buses) - Currently being retired or scrapped at Oakridge Transit Centre or being sent to Peru or Mexico. Equipped with wheelchair lifts.
- Motor Coach Industries TC-40102N "Classic", #4269-4278 (10 buses) - All Retired or scrapped at Oakridge Transit Centre disposal TBA. Suburban version with wheelchair lifts.
- New Flyer Industries D40LF, #7101-7243 (243 buses)
- New Flyer Industries H40LF, #7244-7246 (3 buses) - Built as Ballard hydrogen-fuel-cell test buses. 7244 and 7246 were refit into diesel electric hybrid buses. P7245 sold to Chicago
- New Flyer Industries D40LF, #7247-7297 (51 buses)
- New Flyer Industries D40LF, #7301-7399, 7401-7429 (129 buses)
- New Flyer Industries D40LFC, #7430-7446 (17 buses)
- New Flyer Industries D40LFR - #7447-7499, 7501-7504 (57 buses)
- New Flyer Industries D60LF, #8001-8099 (100 articulated buses)
- New Flyer Industries D60LFR articulated diesel coach - #8101-8117 (17 articulated buses)
- Orion Bus Industries Orion V suburban express coach, #9201-9285 (85 buses)
- NovaBus LFS - #9601-9699, 9701-9799, 9801-9858 (258 buses)
- Ford E450 with Polar V body - Community Shuttle Services, S002-S056, S062-S102 (96 buses) All Scrapped
- Ford E450 with Champion CH-251FL body - Community Shuttle Services, S057-S061 (5 buses) All Scraped
- GMC C5500 with Polar V body - Community Shuttle Services, #S200-S236 (37 buses)
- GMC C5500 with El Dorado Aero Elite body - Community Shuttle Services, #S237-S343 (107 buses)
- SeaBus diesel catamarans, "Burrard Beaver" and "Burrard Otter"
Denotes wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
Note: All CMBC diesel vehicles are currently running on bio-diesel.
On order
- Nova Bus - Nova LFS (69 buses; begin arriving mid-2008)
- Nova Bus - Nova LFS HEV hybrid version (213 buses; order 1 (141) begin arriving mid-2009; order 2 (72) begin arriving early-2010)
- New Flyer Industries-Vossloh Kiepe E60LFR articulated trolley - 2500 series (38 buses total on order arrival by mid-2009)
- New Flyer Industries- DE60LFR hybrid articulated buses (11 buses total on order)
- SeaBus- diesel catamaran (2009)
A demonstrator 40ft NFI/Vossloh Kiepe trolley arrived at the Oakridge Transit Centre on July 2, 2005. It is currently in revenue service. The rest of the 40-foot coaches have arrived and are in service, with one on loan to Edmonton Transit System for 2008. The 60-foot articulated coaches started arriving in January 2008 at the Oakridge Transit Centre, and are now being put into revenue service.
It was announced that the original bike racks on the 2006 New Flyer buses can only be used in daylight, as they block the headlights at night. Many of them have now been replaced with a modified "V2W" rack.
Prefixes
Letter prefixes are prepended to the bus numbers on all conventional Coast Mountain buses, except trolleys. Generally, the prefixes are used to identify which garage the bus is operating from.
- V - Vancouver
- B - Burnaby
- P - Port Coquitlam
- R - Richmond
- S - Surrey
- N - North Vancouver
- T - Special training vehicle
Facilities
- Oakridge Transit Centre - In operation since 1948, Oakridge was to be decommissioned and likely sold for re-development beginning in 2007. However with the arrival of several New Flyer and Novabus orders since 2006 it remained an active support facility conducting retrofitting on these vehicles in preparation for revenue service. Additionally, the Oakridge yard was home to many retired coaches, including E901/902 trolleys, New Flyer D40s, and other vehicles. In Spring of 2008, as part of a re-organization and expansion at Burnaby Transit Centre, Oakridge took over many of the tasks formerly located at the other facility. The Community Shuttle Service was one of the groups moved making Oakridge an active transit centre once again.
- Vancouver Transit Centre - New garage for Vancouver bus operations, open effective September 2, 2006. This garage serves the trolley routes, as well as most of Vancouver's buses.
- Burnaby Transit Centre - Base for the 99 B-Line and serving Burnaby and New Westminster, as well as parts of East Vancouver and North Vancouver.
- North Vancouver Transit Centre - Base for most North Shore services not operated by West Vancouver Municipal Transit.
- North Vancouver Seabus Centre
- Port Coquitlam Transit Centre - Base for the 97 B-Line and serves the Tri-Cities, New Westminster, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows areas.
- Richmond Transit Centre - Base for the 98 B-Line, and suburban routes served by Orion V highway coaches and local routes in Richmond and South Delta.
- Surrey Transit Centre - Base for all Surrey, Langley, North Delta and some White Rock and Ladner services.
- Fleet Overhaul (located at Burnaby North) is where the majority of body repair and repainting is carried out as well as engine and component overhaul, while minor repair is most likely carried out at the bus's home garage. Fleet Overhaul is in the process of having a new facility built within the Maple Ridge area.
- BTC North (across the street from Burnaby Transit Centre) provides additional support such as Environmental Services, Trolley Overhead, Facilities Maintenance, Fire Prevention, Non-Revenue Vehicle Maintenance, and a satellite garage to BTC primarily for articulated bus storage and maintenance.
Employees
CMBC's 4300+ employees are spread across the GVRD.
- The 2800 bus operators, represented by CAW Local 111, and the 650 maintenance employees, represented by CAW Local 2200, work out of the six regional depots.
- The SeaBus staff of 80, including marine attendants, deck officers, engineers, coordinators (also represented by CAW Local 2200), and office staff work from their North Vancouver location.
- The 600 staff involved in scheduling, training, operational planning, and administrative services are spread throughout the system, as well as at CMBC’s head office in Surrey are represented by the Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 378.
- Coast Mountain Bus Company also has its own Security Department, commonly known as the Transit Security Department. Transit Security are mobile, ride buses, and patrol TransLink Properties (SkyTrain Stations, SeaBus Terminals, etc...). They are not to be confused with the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service (SCBCTAPS), although they work closely together to ensure a safe transit system. Transit Security are authorised to arrest persons committing criminal offences on or in relation to any Translink Properties per the Criminal Code of Canada. Members of Transit Security are also authorized to enforce Transit Conduct and Safety Regulations, pursuant to the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act, as well as the Transit Tariff.
B-Line services
B-Line is an express, limited-stop bus system with routes 99 and 98 primarily using 60-foot low-floor articulated buses, while route 97 uses 40-foot coaches more often.
Routes
As of November 2006, three B-Line routes are in operation:
- 97 B-Line — Coquitlam Centre/Coquitlam Central Station - Lougheed Town Centre Station
- 98 B-Line — Downtown Vancouver - Richmond Centre with a connection to a bus to the international airport
- 99 B-Line — University of British Columbia (UBC) - Broadway and Commercial Drive stations
There are plans for future service on two more routes:
- 91 B-Line — along 41st Avenue between UBC and Joyce-Collingwood Station (scheduled to start in 2009 with the opening of the Canada Line), and the
- 95 B-Line — along Hastings Street between Downtown Vancouver and Simon Fraser University (scheduled to start in 2009).
98 B-Line
The 98 B-Line is an experiment in bus rapid transit, or BRT. Equipped with GPS receivers, automated stop announcements, and traffic light "sustainers", which hold the stale green light long enough for the bus to pass through the intersection. These technologies were installed by Siemens Inc. and Novax Inc. instead of the conventional two-way Motorola radio system used by most other coaches in the system, Siemens also installed a special computer into these buses for both announcements, radio functions, and schedule information. These computers are for transit personnel only.
With Canada Line construction through the 98 B-Line route in both Vancouver and Richmond, many of the features of the BRT technology are no longer being fully used. Examples include bus stops with no digital "next bus" information, or inactive stop announcements on coaches. The system will not be repaired as the 98 B-Line will discontinue service to and within Richmond with the opening of the Canada Line in 2009, but will likely continue within Vancouver and be combined with a new B-Line service along Hastings Street.
Gallery: Coast Mountain Bus Company fleet
 A 7100 series TransLink bus, at a layover at Richmond Centre. |
 A B-Line bus at Brighouse Station. |
 A regular articulated bus at Production Way-University Station. |
 A 7400 series bus at Sperling-Burnaby Lake Station. |
 A 3300 series bus at Coquitlam Central Station's bus loop. |
 A NovaBUS LFS at Sperling-Burnaby Lake Station. |
 An electric trolley bus, at the Granville Street Bridge in Vancouver. These buses were removed from service in April 2008. |
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 One of the new electric trolley buses on Robson Street in Vancouver. |
 An older high-floor articulated bus. |
 An older regular-length high-floor diesel bus. |
 A GMC Classic high-floor bus at Burrard Station. |
 A SeaBus departing Lonsdale Quay. |
References
External links
- Coast Mountain Bus Company
- CAW Local 111
- TransLink / Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority
- CAW Local 2200
- COPE 378
