Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion II - Page 133

idunno · #**2641** Posted **Aug 27, 2026, 4:22 PM**

Really exciting about the R2! I wonder how the extension will impact ridership on the North Shore segment.

I assume there'll be a bit of a redistribution of articulated buses once Broadway Subway opens and the B-Line shortens by quite a bit.

RedArbutus · #**2642** Posted **Aug 27, 2026, 5:22 PM**

Good question. Maybe they'll put some back on the R3 route, but I suppose they're going to be monitoring the R2 over the next year to see what happens. If the Broadway Extension opens when they say it will (next fall), that'll give them exactly 1 year to see what the R2 ridership patterns are in the real-world.

officedweller · #**2643** Posted **Aug 27, 2026, 8:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninjakafi_81

Not mentioned in the article but in order for the R2 to be extended to Metrotown they had to downsize the R3.

Starting in September, the R3 will being using standard 40ft buses with no changes to the frequency. I guess that shows how poor the ridership numbers is for the R3.

I guess that means there won't be much incentive to extend SkyTrain to PoCo in the near term (via the branch at Coquitlam Central)?

chowhou · #**2644** Posted **Aug 27, 2026, 8:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by officedweller

I guess that means there won't be much incentive to extend SkyTrain to PoCo in the near term (via the branch at Coquitlam Central)?

PoCo is a very different beast from Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge. I wouldn't immediately count out PoCo but I would immediately count out Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge. PoCo has a pretty well developed bus network all radiating from PoCo Station. The other two do not.

officedweller · #**2645** Posted **Aug 27, 2026, 8:49 PM**

I wonder if a short 1 or 2 station extension only to Shaughnessy St might be built?

Vantage · #**2646** Posted **Aug 27, 2026, 9:29 PM**

As a PoCo resident, bus service to Coquitlam Central from Downtown Poco is very frequent and runs late into the night and starts early, thanks to the 160. Then there's the overlap with the 159. And the two community shuttles 174 and 173. I don't really check the bus times when I catch a bus to Coquitlam central because they come so frequently, you rarely have to wait more than ~8 minutes during the day.

idunno · #**2647** Posted **Aug 27, 2026, 10:17 PM**

I wonder what the projected ridership is for a 1-stop PoCo extension. Like would it even be worthwhile?

MIPS · #**2648** Posted **Aug 27, 2026, 10:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollyburger

The plushie is still for sale.

https://translinkstore.ca/

Okay the plushie cute but the AI graphic Captain Canuck cards are insultingly bad.

madog222 · #**2649** Posted **Aug 27, 2026, 11:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIPS

Okay the plushie cute but the AI graphic Captain Canuck cards are insultingly bad.

It's not AI, this is the artist. https://www.levgleason.com/captain-canuck

chowhou · #**2650** Posted **Aug 27, 2026, 11:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by madog222

It's not AI, this is the artist. https://www.levgleason.com/captain-canuck

Lev Gleason is a company, not a person (well he was but he died over 50 years ago), and they only own the rights to Captain Canuck.

The Compass Cards were apparently illustrated by John Gallagher.

https://www.translink.ca/news/2026/febru...ith%20captain%20canuck%20compass%20cards

MIPS · #**2651** Posted **Aug 28, 2026, 4:25 AM**

The illustration is hand drawn but it's been composited over an AI generation of a MK I because they couldn't afford to secure a proper photo??

This is $40. I just said limited edition merch is lucrative, but this is garbage.

Glow Fun City · #**2652** Posted **Aug 28, 2026, 3:10 PM**

Front window isn’t even the right size or in the right place!

aberdeen5698 · #**2653** Posted **Aug 28, 2026, 4:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIPS

The illustration is hand drawn but it's been composited over an AI generation of a MK I because they couldn't afford to secure a proper photo??

Just because it's inaccurate doesn't mean it's AI generated. Human artists that aren't familiar with the material they're rendering take liberties like this all the time. Especially, perhaps, comic book artists.

It may be AI generated, but I'm not going to assume it is based on what I can see.

logicbomb · #**2654** Posted **Aug 28, 2026, 7:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

Just because it's inaccurate doesn't mean it's AI generated. Human artists that aren't familiar with the material they're rendering take liberties like this all the time. Especially, perhaps, comic book artists.

It may be AI generated, but I'm not going to assume it is based on what I can see.

Not sure what happened here because the entire thing is likely AI generated.

jollyburger · #**2655** Posted **Aug 28, 2026, 8:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedArbutus

Good question. Maybe they'll put some back on the R3 route, but I suppose they're going to be monitoring the R2 over the next year to see what happens. If the Broadway Extension opens when they say it will (next fall), that'll give them exactly 1 year to see what the R2 ridership patterns are in the real-world.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chowhou

Lev Gleason is a company, not a person (well he was but he died over 50 years ago), and they only own the rights to Captain Canuck.

The Compass Cards were apparently illustrated by John Gallagher.

https://www.translink.ca/news/2026/febru...ith%20captain%20canuck%20compass%20cards

The article says John Gallagher just did the Mark V card.

And the other card in the article does say "Mark I-inspired car". Might have to do with licensing reasons?

ssiguy · #**2656** Posted **Aug 28, 2026, 9:11 PM**

This is an excellent route and well designed. It connects the North Shore to itself but also the key interchange points of the Kootenay Loop, Brentwood, & Metrotown. I think the route will be very successful and is an exceptionally good investment in transit infrastructure.

cganuelas1995 · #**2657** Posted **Yesterday, 2:27 PM**

I feel like the IWMB might be a chokepoint for it. Have provisions been installed to mitigate that?

Tvisforme · #**2658** Posted **Today, 7:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

I feel like the IWMB might be a chokepoint for it. Have provisions been installed to mitigate that?

The bridge will impact service reliability, no doubt, and there's no capacity (or political will, for that matter) available to dedicate lanes to transit. That being said, the North Shore already has dedicated bus lanes along much of the route to get the R2 to Phibbs and Park Royal faster. It is far from complete, but they have done quite a bit in a constrained road network. There's also a separate exit out of Phibbs Exchange to get buses onto the bridge deck faster. I am not aware of any plans to add these features on the south side.

nname · #**2659** Posted **Today, 9:01 AM**

There is a queue jump when exit Phibbs for the bus to directly go into the outermost lane bypass all onramp traffic. After that, then it's general traffic lane.

Most of the time congestion from North Van is on the ramp and approach to the bridge, so the bus is able to bypass that. But if the traffic jam is on the Vancouver side, then there will be a problem...

And yes, the south side is probably a bigger issue...

Migrant_Coconut · #**2660** Posted **Today, 12:06 PM**

TBF the actual bridge is fairly smooth sailing, bus lanes or not - it's getting on and off that's the pain in the ass.