Translink is testing out some low-floor shuttle buses in West Vancouver that aim to make transit more accessible for customers.
These new buses make travel easier for all customers, and are especially designed to make travel better for people with mobility challenges. They do not have any stairs, and have a lower ramp at the front that makes it easier to board. The current shuttles board wheelchairs at the rear of the vehicle, and they have to be secured before the ramp is raised up.
Anyone with a walker, wheelchair, stroller, shopping cart, or simply someone that has difficulty boarding the higher ramp buses will find the low-rise ramp a much more suitable option.
[sjnow-ad-large-leaderboard]
They are also testing double decker buses in downtown Vancouver to see if they are a viable option for the city’s growing population. They will also add 56 new skytrain cars to various routes in an attempt to ease congestion during peak travel times.
Translink Tests New “Low-Rise” Community Shuttles
They are piloting the new additions on five North Shore routes that include the C12 Lions Bay/Caulfield and the 251 Queens/Park Royal.
The new shuttles will seat 20 people and have room for two wheelchairs and four standees. In addition, they made the general seating more comfortable, with more space and larger passenger windows.
The buses also run on low-emission gas engines, and are already used across the continent, including in Victoria.
If the pilot is a success Translink will purchase nine of the shuttles for a launch in 2018 and an additional 49 in 2019.
