Transit rider ranks Vancouver bus routes and one in UBC felt like the 'Twilight Zone'
An avid transit user recently ranked nearly every Vancouver bus route, sharing her thoughts about which she considers the best.
Vancouver’s transit system is pretty robust compared to other Western cities. Two years ago, Yahoo Finance ranked it fourth best in North America. It scored higher than Toronto but couldn’t outshine Chicago, San Francisco, or, obviously, New York.
Sam Smart is a writer who gave her thoughts on what she considers the best, with some fascinating insights along the way, including the fact that one particular route felt sinister and a little bit like The Twilight Zone.
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Smart began riding the bus with her mom when she was a little girl, before her mom had a car. She began riding transit on her own in her teens to do “regular teenage stuff,” like going to the mall and school.
“It was around the time the Canada Line was completed, so I was really excited about taking the train downtown. From there, I became a frequent and avid transit user.”
The bus routes Smart ranks include all bus routes in Vancouver proper except for the No. 26 Joyce Station/29th Avenue Station, No. 27 Kootenay Loop/Joyce Station, No. 28 Phibbs Exchange/Joyce Station, No. 29 Elliott/29th Avenue Station, No. 31 Metrotown Station/River District and the No. 80 Marine Drive Station/River District because she either hasn’t taken those or hasn’t taken them enough to form an opinion.
Good morning, Metro Vancouver! 🌞 The sun is shining, the cherry blossoms are showing off, and it’s a perfect day to get out and explore. 🌸🚶♀️🚌 Wherever you’re headed, we’ve got your ride covered.#HelloSpring #RideTransit #CherryBlossomSeason ^dd pic.twitter.com/Lp9lLsVF1E
— TransLink BC (@TransLink) April 13, 2025
In her ranking, Smart named the 99 B-Line the number one route.
“I love the 99. It takes me everywhere. It comes so often. I frequently fare evade on it. It’s basically free. I know when and where fare checks usually have happened while I’ve been on it, so I make sure to pay when I’m travelling around then,” Smart said.
“The 99 is my chariot, and I would do anything for it,” she added.
It should be noted that individuals caught without paying their fare or without proof of payment in a fare-paid zone are subject to a fine of $173.00, which increases over time if it is not paid. If an individual does not pay the fare infraction ticket, the ticket may be sent to a collection agency, the individual may not be able to obtain or renew their driver’s licence or vehicle insurance. Over time, if left unpaid, the fine escalates.
Since last summer, TransLink has been conducting a fare enforcement blitz with exponentially increased fare checks.
The No. 14 Hastings/UBC and the R5 Hastings Street RapidBus rounded out the top three. Smart calls the No. 14 an “ideal bus.”
“The 14 is a beautiful thing. First of all, I LOVE a trolley bus. It takes you from UBC all the way to the Kootenay Loop near the PNE, as long as it’s peak hours. It goes through a bunch of major shopping areas, through Greektown to 4th Avenue, up Granville and through Gastown and the DTES, and then through Hastings-Sunrise.”
The Vancouver bus route that gave Smart Twilight Zone vibes was the No. 68, the UBC Exchange/Westbrook Village route.
“UBC is a weird, somewhat haunted-feeling place,” Smart reflected.
“When I took the No. 68, it was fully dark out, and I was trying to get from one side of campus to the other, but it felt like I was passing the same places over and over again,” she recalled.
“Plus, the way community shuttle drivers often have the radio playing is so bizarre but also kind of endearing. It makes complete sense because it’s a small shuttle, and it makes everything a bit more cozy, in theory, but hearing radio static on Lower Mall at 11 p.m. feels more sinister than anything.”
She also gave a shoutout to the No. 480 UBC/Bridgeport, a Vancouver bus route she misses that was suspended due to low ridership. She’s not the only one who misses it.
We asked the avid Vancouver bus rider if there was anything she’d change about the system. One of her ideal changes would likely resonate with many transit riders in Metro Vancouver: the desire to see routes running later, as “some lines have limited routes after peak hours.”
We also asked about transit affordability.
“My main thing is that I strongly believe public transit should be free for everyone. I think making transit free for kids 12 and under was a great step in that direction, because people can see that fare for public transit can be subsidized very easily,” Smart added.
“Nobody likes to think about getting taxed more, but if everyone paid the smallest bit more in tax, and if the provincial and federal governments allotted more money towards public transport in their budgets, it could very easily be done.”
Do you have a favourite bus route or one that speaks to you for whatever reason? Let us know in the comments.