99 B-Line - History

History

The 99 B-Line was created originally to connect UBC to Lougheed Mall in Burnaby via 10th Avenue, Broadway and Lougheed Highway. Then under the jurisdiction of BC Transit, it was launched in September 1996 and started out using a few high-floor articulated buses and regular-sized buses, but it was soon apparent that the regular buses could not handle the demand as this route soon became the most popular route in the system. 60-foot low-floor articulated buses were soon introduced in the summer of 1998, dedicated to this route and with a distinctive B-Line paint scheme. During rush hours, the B-Line uses curb lanes designated as bus lanes on Broadway from Commercial–Broadway Station to Arbutus Street.

To get a sense of what a success this route was, an estimated total of 12,000 passengers per day used the route daily during its first two years of operation, 30% higher than originally estimated. Of that number, 20% of the passengers used to drive to their destination rather than take public transit. Service had to be extended to late-nights, Sundays and holidays.

Services levels were initially 10-minute headway between UBC and Broadway Station, 10-20 minute headway between UBC and Brentwood Mall, and 30 minute headway between UBC and Lougheed Mall. Increased demand saw a corresponding increase in frequency, but only in the UBC to Broadway Station section, with 7.5 minute headway. Soon the Lougheed Mall section was improved to 15 minute headway. Today the 99 B-Line operates on a 2 minute headway in the AM peak direction, with a 4.5 minute day base headway.

In the late 1990s, the British Columbia government approved a new SkyTrain line to be built, called the Millennium Line. This new line replaced the eastern portion of the 99 B-Line, from Broadway Station to its old terminus at Lougheed Mall. It opened in 2002, with the 99 B-Line now terminating at Commercial–Broadway Station (combined Broadway Station of the Expo Line and Commercial Drive Station of the Millennium Line).

As the fair bulk of the route's riders are students at UBC, the introduction of the U-Pass in 2003, a discounted bus pass for university students, put even more strain on the route's resources. A peak-hour B-Line route called the #99 Special was introduced in 2004, featuring non-stop service to UBC during the morning rush hours and to Broadway Station during evening rush hours. This route's "non-stop" moniker was revoked in 2005 to supply more stops along the corridor, and was discontinued completely in January 2006 to make way for a new route that is about as fast as the #99 Special, the #84, which operates from UBC to the new VCC–Clark Station. This new route is supposed to take some pressure off the 99 B-Line. Additionally, curb lanes on Broadway have been converted into bus lanes for rush-hour periods.

On June 25, 2007, the 99 B-Line route became the first route in the TransLink system to allow passengers with valid proof of payment to board using any of the three doors at any stop. To facilitate this, the bus driver controls the operation of all three doors at each of the stops. Passengers who are paying cash or validating FareSavers must board through the front door. Fare Enforcement is carried out by Transit Security Officers. Transit Security Officers may board the bus at anytime to conduct a Fare Inspection. Passengers without valid fare could be removed from the bus or fined.

With the new Canada Line, it is likely that the Millennium Line will be extended to meet the Canada Line's Broadway – City Hall Station at the intersection of Cambie Street and Broadway. If this happens, it is probable that the 99 B-Line's eastern terminus will be moved to this new station. There have also been talks about extending the Millennium Line all the way to UBC in the future, effectively replacing the 99 B-Line.