New Langley-New West express bus running half full
Posted February 1, 2013 10:29 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – It was unveiled with much fanfare in early December.
But whether people living in Langley are clamouring aboard the new No. 555 bus – the coach that takes commuters over the Port Mann Bridge – is a different story.
The express bus is capable of carrying 46 passengers, and during rush hour runs every 10 minutes. It takes passengers between Langley’s Carvolth Exchange and New Westminster’s Braid SkyTrain station.
According to TransLink, the bus is only half full during rush hour, but the transit authority’s Derek Zabel is confident ridership will increase over time.
“It does take a little bit of time for those routes to build as you’re going through new neighbourhoods and people have to discover the service for themselves,” he explains.
Plus, he says the route will have added significance once it goes to Lougheed Mall.
“Eventually the bus will connect to Lougheed SkyTrain station and that station will eventually have a connection to the Evergreen Line. The bus will go to Lougheed once all the highway ramps are built,” Zabel points out.
“I’ve ridden it now 15 times, and I think it’s a phenomenal service,” says City of Langley Mayor Peter Fassbender.
He says the coach-style seating is a selling point. “People love it. You can sit and read. You can check your emails.”
For the next few months, parking at the Carvolth Park and Ride is free.
Talks are still underway to explore ways to add a stop in Surrey.
