R6 RapidBus launches on busiest bus route south of the Fraser

TransLink’s newest RapidBus route is a go, with the R6 connecting Surrey and Delta operational as of Tuesday, Jan. 2.

According to the transit authority, the RapidBus will “speed up bus trips on Scott Road by up to eight minutes in each direction — providing up to 20 per cent more customer capacity on the busiest bus corridor in Surrey and Delta.”

The route is an express service with limited stops between the Scott Road SkyTrain Station and Newton Exchange. The bus runs on the same route as Route 319 — the busiest bus route south of the Fraser River, and the fifth busiest in Metro Vancouver.

“Ridership south of the Fraser has not only bounced back but it has surpassed pre pandemic levels,” TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn said Tuesday.

“Anyone who has taken the bus in Surrey, north Delta, Langley, or White Rock can tell you that transit is overcrowded.”

The R6 was operating on a holiday schedule on New Year’s Day, though the official launch of the line was Tuesday for regular service.

TransLink notes the R6 Scott Road RapidBus is the authority’s sixth in the region.

“Every one of us deserves transportation that is safe and reliable and that is exactly what this project is delivering,” Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said.

“Surrey has the distinction of having four out of five most crowded bus routes in the region. We’re at 120 per cent post-COVID and that is just a real tribute to what we are needing in this region for transit.”

In addition to the R6 launch, TransLink has also made some adjustments on 12 other bus routes, increasing service on seven of them.

“This project connects neighborhoods along Scott Road and 72nd Avenue streamlining commutes for residents and making transportation more accessible,” said Delta city councillor Rod Binder.

“We understand the importance of reliable transportation for a thriving community. Given that Scott Road is one of the busiest corridors south of the Fraser, Delta is enthusiastic about the positive impacts the R6 RapidBus will have on our city’s connectivity and growth.”