Since the Route 95 Langford/Downtown RapidBus launched on April 10th, 2023, BC Transit has seen a continuous increase in ridership along this new West Shore-Downtown route. Route 95 Blink has been the top performer in the Victoria Regional Transit System, serving nearly 10,000 daily passengers on weekdays. The introduction of Route 95 marked an important milestone in terms of achieving the RapidBus vision, which is to outperform personal automobiles in speed and reliability, especially during the peak hours.
The RapidBus now offers increased service levels along the new West Shore-Downtown routes, ensuring a bus arrives approximately every 7.5 minutes during peak hours and every 10-15 minutes during off-peak hours. This service expansion builds upon previous initiatives to prioritize rapid transit in the region, including integrating bus lanes along Douglas Street and the Trans-Canada Highway.
RapidBus Implementation Strategy
BC Transit has collaborated with municipal, regional, and provincial partners to develop the Victoria Regional RapidBus Implementation Strategy. This strategy builds on the momentum of the South Island Transportation Strategy and provides the strategic and technical foundation needed to accelerate the implementation of RapidBus throughout the Victoria region.
The implementation of RapidBus services in the Victoria Region has the potential to significantly increase transit mode share by:
Rapid transit is aimed at enhancing travel time, reliability, passenger comfort, and convenience along an exclusive right-of-way. This system offers frequent, high-capacity service that operates continuously throughout the day.
Next Steps
Phase 1: Implementation of the Route 95 Langford/Downtown RapidBus (completed April 2023).
Phase 2: Seek to implement RapidBus on both the Peninsula and McKenzie to UVic corridors, which would be followed by restructuring local routes in the Victoria Regional Transit System to best integrate into these changes.
Phase 3: Explore opportunities to expand the RapidBus network to other parts of the Victoria region.
These phases are expected to progress concurrently. We are now at Phase 2, with the Public Engagement of the McKenzie Rapid Bus Line (Route 96 Blink) launched in July 2024.
