Last fall, the first of TransLink's new double decker buses rolled into revenue service in Metro Vancouver.
Now, as promised, additional double decker buses from TransLink's growing fleet have passed the testing phase and are on the roads serving passengers, bringing the total of active double decker buses to 18.
The buses are assigned to longer-haul suburban Metro Vancouver routes like the 555 (Carvolth Exchange / Lougheed Station), 301 (Newton Exchange / Brighouse Station) and 620 (Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen Ferry).
TransLink says there are 14 more double decker buses going into service in the coming months. Additionally, they have placed an order for 25 more double-deckers, which are expected to be delivered from manufacturere Alexander Dennis by the end of 2020.
That means by 2021, Metro Vancouver will have a fleet of nearly five dozen double decker buses.
The double decker buses were brought into the fleet to help phase out the current highway coaches that are at the end of their useful life to the transit agency, and, in part, to augment TransLink's overall fleet serving Metro Vancouver.
The double-deckers also provide panoramic views from the upper deck, staircases with handrails to maximize safety, and full accessibility with a low floor and boarding ramp. Further, TransLink has installed screens that allow customers to see vacant seats before going upstairs.
With files from Elana Shepert
