UBC-West Vancouver express return amongst TransLink service changes | Daily Hive

Return of UBC-West Vancouver express bus amongst TransLink's fall service changes

99 B-Line at SkyTrain Commercial-Broadway Station. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

As usual at the start of every September, expect a ramp-up of bus services reaching post-secondary institutions and major employment centres as a central component for TransLink’s Fall 2023 service changes.

As of Labour Day on Monday, September 4, 18 bus routes across the region will see “service increases,” and another nine bus routes will see “service adjustments,” such as redistributing higher frequency levels to times when there is higher demand.

In total, 54 bus routes are seeing their services modified, which includes seasonal reductions for select bus routes that served popular summer destinations.

You might also like:

The forthcoming changes include the first reinstatement since the pandemic of the express bus route between Dundarave in West Vancouver and the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) campus on weekdays only, which will run as an extension of the existing No. 44 UBC/Downtown express bus. For six select trips, instead of reaching Waterfront Station, the No. 44 will start/end at Dundarave with a connection at Burrard Station.

For trips to UBC, the No. 44 will depart Dundarave at 6:58 am, 7:58 am, and 8:58 am. For the return trip to Dundarave, it will depart UBC at 3:05 pm, 4:05 pm, and 5:05 pm.

Prior to the pandemic, the No. 258 express bus served the route between UBC and West Vancouver, and it was operated by West Vancouver Blue Bus.

The select West Vancouver trips for the No. 44 by TransLink completely replace the No. 258, with key differences that include making stops along the way within Vancouver, and taking a slightly different route through Kitsilano and downtown.

44 express bus ubc west vancouver route translink

Route map of the No. 44 express bus’ select trips between UBC and Dundarave in West Vancouver via Burrard Station. (TransLink)

The No. 4 Downtown/Powell and No. 14 Downtown/Hastings trolley bus routes will reach the UBC trolley bus route once again, instead of short-turning at Blanca Street’s bus loop, as construction along University Boulevard has reached completion. This also means the 99 B-Line will no longer make stops at local bus routes along University Boulevard.

The No. 23 Main Street Station/English Bay bus route serving the downtown Vancouver peninsula — one of the region’s busiest bus routes that use the small community shuttle bus vehicles — will see increased frequencies during its busier periods by reducing frequencies during the slower periods of the day.

In New Westminster, the No. 103 Quayside/Victoria Hill bus route will be split into two routes — the No. 102 and No. 103. The segment of the existing No. 103 bus route east of New Westminster Station will now be numbered the No. 102, while the segment west of New Westminster Station will remain the No. 103. There will be no change in service levels.

For a full list of the Fall 2023 bus service changes, click here.

The next seasonal service change begins in early January 2023.

You might also like: