Capilano University excluded from direct RapidBus benefits: student union | Daily Hive

TransLink's No. 245 bus route reaching Capilano University. (Capilano University Students' Union)

There is a desire amongst students for more direct bus services linking Capilano University’s main campus in the Lynnmour area of North Vancouver to the rest of the region, according to the post-secondary institution’s students’ union.

More specifically, the students’ union says they are disappointed that the existing R2 RapidBus service will not be further extended to reach the campus.

Instead, TransLink now has plans in the relatively near future to move the easternmost terminus of the R2 RapidBus from Phibbs bus exchange to Metrotown in Burnaby, as part of the strategy to consider the eventual conversion of this RapidBus route to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) or a rail-based service.

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“Despite years of hard work advocating for the launch of the original R2 Marine Drive RapidBus, we were all shocked to find out that the route would not even reach campus,” says Karandeep Singh Sanghera, the president of the students’ union, in a statement Wednesday.

“Students are forced to make an additional transfer at Phibbs Exchange, which just adds more time to their journey.”

When the R2 RapidBus was first launched in early 2020, there were some changes to the North Shore’s bus network, most significantly the cancellation of the No. 239 route between Park Royal and Capilano University. The No. 239 was replaced by the R2 RapidBus between Park Royal and Phibbs bus exchange, and a new short bus route was created to fill the remaining leg between Phibbs bus exchange and Capilano University — the No. 245.

Additionally, since the pandemic, the peak period route extensions reaching the campus for two other bus routes from the south side of Burrard Inlet have been moved to Phibbs bus exchange, including the No. 28 from SkyTrain Joyce-Collingwood Station and No. 130 from Metrotown Station. Instead, passengers on the No. 28 and No. 130 need to access the campus using the No. 245.

According to the students’ union, the increased dependence on the No. 245 bus has led to long waits of up to three buses at Phibbs bus exchange during the morning peak period, and overcrowding in the afternoon when students leave campus. The transfer between the No. 245 and other bus routes at Phibbs bus exchange adds to the travel time of students.

They also cited a survey conducted during the 2022/23 academic year that indicated about 50% of students who use public transit spent over two hours commuting daily, including a quarter who spend over three hours daily.

The students’ union is urging TransLink to increase capacity on the four-km-long No. 245 route between the campus and Phibbs bus exchange, and bring the R2 RapidBus route to the campus.

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R2 RapidBus serving the North Shore. (TransLink)

In response to the concerns and desires raised by the students’ union, TransLink states that if the future proposed R2 RapidBus route extension were to make a stop at the Capilano University campus along the way Metrotown, it would add about 30 minutes in travel time for passengers travelling from the North Shore to connect with SkyTrain at Brentwood Town Centre Station, as it would effectively be a major detour away from the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge.

“TransLink is committed to ensuring residents of the North Shore and Capilano University students are able to travel efficiently on transit,” a TransLink spokesperson told Daily Hive Urbanized.

“Rapid transit and express bus services need to be direct, so that they are attractive options for the entire community, and the additional time added to commutes would make the routes less convenient for many customers. The extension of the R2 [reaching Metrotown] will also allow Capilano Students to have faster, more frequent transit service between Phibbs Exchange and Burnaby.

The public transit authority notes that it is monitoring crowding conditions on the bus routes serving Capilano University to make service adjustments as necessary. No. 245’s frequencies were last increased starting in September 2023 during the peak times when students are traveling to/from campus.

Currently, during optimal traffic conditions, the end-to-end travel time of the No. 245 is about 10 minutes, with frequencies of every four to seven minutes during peak periods, and at least every 15 minutes during non-peak periods.

As for its previous decisions impacting Capilano University, TransLink indicates the existing R2 RapidBus route terminates at Phibbs bus exchange because an extension to the campus similarly adds about 30 minutes of additional travel time, which would limit the service frequency provided.

TransLink’s 2022 ridership data shows the No. 245 was the 109th busiest bus route in Metro Vancouver out of over 200 bus routes, with annual boardings reaching 421,000. It saw averages of 1,580 boardings per weekday, 270 per Saturday, and 170 per Sunday/holiday.

Ridership is high during weekday peak hours when classes are in session, but very low at all other times outside of the weekday peak class times. According to TransLink, the R2 RapidBus running between Phibbs bus exchange and the campus at these times would be “empty.”

In 2022, the R2 RapidBus was the 38th busiest bus route in the region, with 1.68 million annual boardings and averages of 4,900 on weekdays, 4,300 on Saturdays, and 3,500 on Sundays/holidays. The R2 RapidBus was also the fifth busiest out of six RapidBus/B-Line routes in the region.

Ironworkers Memorial Bridge. (Shutterstock)

As for the cancellations of the two bus routes originating from the south side of Burrard Inlet, there are no plans to reinstate the peak period route extensions reaching the campus for No. 28 and No. 130 due to the unreliability of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge, which is frequently congested and therefore unable to provide frequent service.

Last week, TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn indicated there are no plans to remove any general vehicle lanes on the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge to accommodate the future R2 RapidBus extension or the potential upgrade to BRT.

TransLink adds that its previous public consultation suggests a majority of the university community is in support of the bus network changes made to date.

Capilano University has an enrolment of about 13,000 students, with the vast majority receiving their education at the main campus in North Vancouver. Earlier this year, with the assistant of provincial funding, the post-secondary institution acquired the former Quest University campus in Squamish for a satellite campus expansion.

By Summer 2024, Capilano University students and faculty and other North Shore public transit riders will benefit from the completion and opening of the newly reconstructed Phibbs bus exchange. The $32 million project will provide a new layout for improved capacity and efficiency, and added passenger amenities and features, including better signage and nighttime lighting, new bus shelters, and a snack concession.

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2022 artistic rendering of the revised design of the new Phibbs bus exchange. (TransLink)

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2022 artistic rendering of the revised design of the new Phibbs bus exchange. (TransLink)

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2022 artistic rendering of the revised design of the new Phibbs bus exchange. (TransLink)

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