To: Mayor Skeels and Council From: Emma Chow, Island Community Planner 1, Planning Date: June 9, 2017 Meeting Date: June 12, 2017 Subject: 257 Bus Schedule Changes PURPOSE The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of key changes to the 257 bus schedule that may impact Bowen Island users. BACKGROUND The 257 bus is an express service that runs between Horseshoe Bay and downtown Vancouver. In fall of 2016, TransLink announced it will increase 257 frequency during peak times as part of the 10- Year Vision service improvements. The increase in service frequency for 257 is scheduled for June 26th and the new bus schedule is planned for public release on June 12th. A draft of the schedule has been shared with staff for review before this release date. The following are the key service changes that may affect Bowen Island during. 257 SERVICE CHANGES The 2016 summer schedule for 257 had two poor connections with the Bowen ferry, and two potential long waits. The new 2017 summer schedule for 257 appears to have six poor connections and one potential long wait. This is based on a transfer time of 10 minutes from the ferry to the bus. Wait times in excess of 10 minutes for the bus and 20 minutes for the ferry (to account for the 10- minute ticket cutoff time) was considered a poor connection. SAILINGS WITH POOR CONNECTIONS (Snug Cove – Horseshoe Bay) Old Schedule New Schedule 9:35 AM 11:40 PM SAILINGS WITH POOR CONNECTIONS (Horseshoe Bay – Snug Cove) Old Schedule New Schedule 2:35 PM 2:30 PM 6:50 PM 3:45 PM 6:50 PM June 9th, 2017 Mayor Murray Skeels Bowen Island Municipal Council 981 Artisan Lane Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2 Dear Mayor Skeels, Re: Summer Service Changes 2017 On May 31st, 2017, TransLink staff provided an information update to Bowen Island elected officials regarding the upcoming Summer Service Changes to be implemented in June, as the second in a series of bus service improvements included in Phase One of the 10‐Year Vision. This letter provides specific details on improvements to the #257 bus (Horseshoe Bay/Downtown Express), with our understanding that this issue will be discussed at your upcoming council meeting to be held June 12th, 2017. As part of the Summer Service Changes, the following improvements to the #257 bus schedule are being implemented: Weekday: improving service to 3‐5 trips per hour (from the previous 2‐4 trips per hour) between 9am‐12pm and 4pm‐7pm; and Saturday and Sunday/Holiday: improving service by 1 additional trip per hour during peak demand periods. The new schedule (attached) will be effective as of Saturday June 24th, and will be available online from Monday June 12th. The attached poster is available for your use, and is also being made available to BC Ferries for use in the terminals and ferries. When building the schedules, West Vancouver Transit takes into consideration a number of factors, including: Arrival/Departure times of all ferries from Bowen, Langdale and Nanaimo Anticipated passenger loads coming off of each of the ferries Appropriate buffer times between the buses and the ferries to allow passengers to transfer. This is considered to be about 10 minutes for buses departing Horseshoe Bay and 15‐17 minutes for buses arriving at Horseshoe Bay Sufficient time in the bus schedules to allow for some delay, particularly on the Lions Gate Bridge Bowen Island Municipal Council June 9th, 2017 Re: Summer Service Changes 2017 Required turn‐around times so that the buses can back to downtown to be on time for their return trip back to Horseshoe Bay Focusing on morning peak services from Horseshoe Bay and evening peak services to Horseshoe Bay the following tables highlights the timing gap between scheduled Bowen Island ferry times, and their nearest compatible bus service: Table 1: AM peak period to downtown Bowen Island Ferry Arrival Time between ferry and bus Bus Departure Time Bus Number Time at Horseshoe Bay (mins) 5:50am 10 6:00am 257 13 6:03am 250 6:50am 13 7:03am 250 21 7:11am 257 7:50am 10 8:00am 257 13 8:03am 250 8:55am 8 9:03am 250 20 9:15am 257 Table 2: PM peak period to Horseshoe Bay Bus number Bus arrival time at Horseshoe Time between bus Bowen Island ferry Bay and ferry (mins) departure time 257 3:16pm 29 250 3:17pm 28 3:45pm 250 4:28pm 15 257 4:32pm 13 4:45pm 257 5:29pm 21 250 5:30pm 20 5:50pm 257 6:17pm 33 250 6:28pm 22 257 6:43pm 7 6:50pm I acknowledge that there are times where the gap between the #257 and the Bowen ferry is outside the target buffer times described above. In the morning, while the 5:30am and the 7:30am ferry are well timed to the 257, the 6:30am and the 8:30am ferries are not. In the afternoon, the #257 provides a possible but very tight connection to the 4:45pm ferry and a slightly long connection to the 5:50pm ferry. When scheduling the #257 there are competing customer needs of the various ferry service users to balance, in addition to operational constraints, where buses needs to depart at a certain time to ensure they can provide the return scheduled service. Noting that Bowen Island Page 2 of 3 Bowen Island Municipal Council June 9th, 2017 Re: Summer Service Changes 2017 ferry services do not always arrive on time, the need for the buses to meet their downtown return connection can be a key reason why the bus cannot always wait. It’s also important to note that the BC Ferries shift change on the Bowen ferry makes it operationally challenging to align more closely between the 3:16pm arrival of the #257 in Horseshoe Bay and the 3:45pm departure of the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Bowen. Recognition that the transit service cannot perfectly meet the needs of Bowen customers has been part of our rationale for recommending the TransLink Board approve the Bowen Island Express Bus. Acknowledging the ongoing concerns that Bowen Island residents and Bowen Island Municipal Council have expressed regarding coordination of the #257 bus schedule and the Bowen Island ferry schedule, West Vancouver Transit and TransLink will undertake a more detailed review of the schedule to see whether there are any opportunities for improved connections to Bowen Island without undermining the other factors that must be accounted for. Thank you again for your interest in the upcoming Summer Service Changes. If you have any questions, please contact me, Gareth Rowlands or Shirley Samujh‐Dayal. Sincerely, Sarah Ross Director, System Planning cc: Gareth Rowlands, Transit Manager, West Vancouver Transit Shirley Samujh‐Dayal, Manager, Government and Community Engagement Page 3 of 3 More express buses coming to Horseshoe Bay. Travelling between Horseshoe Bay and Vancouver? Great news! Starting June 24, we’re adding more service on weekdays in the late morning and evening peak hours, Saturday afternoons and evenings, and Sunday evenings. This improvement will help reduce wait times and overcrowding to and from the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal. It’s all part of the biggest transportation expansion in nearly a decade. Find exact schedules at translink.ca/servicechanges. WESTBOUND – TO HORSESHOE BAY EASTBOUND – TO VANCOUVER MONDAY TO FRIDAY Dunsmuir at Park Royal Horseshoe Bay Horseshoe Bay Park Royal Dunsmuir at Cambie North Terminus Terminus North Cambie 620 638 600 619 638 707 727 746 711 732 752 732 752 811 711 732 752 802 822 841 800 820 840 820 840 859 825 845 905 848 908 927 900 920 940 902 922 941 915 935 955 932 952 1011 945 1005 1024 948 1008 1027 1000 1020 1040 1002 1022 1041 1025 1045 1105 1020 1040 1059 1040 1100 1119 1048 1108 1127 1100 1120 1140 1102 1122 1141 1115 1135 1155 1132 1152 1211 1145 1205 1224 1202 1222 1241 1200 1220 1240 1220 1240 1259 1225 1245 1305 1302 1322 1341 1300 1320 1340 1332 1352 1411 1315 1335 1355 1357 1417 1436 1400 1420 1440 1420 1440 1459 1425 1445 1505 1437 1457 1516 1500 1520 1540 1502 1522 1541 1515 1535 1555 1520 1540 1559 1530 1550 1610 1538 1558 1617 1600 1620 1640 1553 1613 1632 1610 1630 1650 1607 1627 1646 1630 1650 1710 1627 1647 1706 1655 1715 1735 1637 1657 1716 1715 1735 1755 1650 1710 1729 1745 1805 1825 1708 1728 1747 1805 1825 1844 1715 1735 1754 1830 1850 1909 1727 1747 1806 1855 1915 1935 1738 1758 1817 1925 1945 2005 1804 1824 1843 2055 2115 2134 1823 1843 1902 2125 2145 2204 1837 1857 1916 1918 1938 1957 2008 2026 2045 WESTBOUND – TO HORSESHOE BAY EASTBOUND – TO VANCOUVER SATURDAY Dunsmuir at Park Royal Horseshoe Bay Horseshoe Bay Park Royal Dunsmuir at Cambie North Terminus Terminus North Cambie 704 722 741 711 731 751 734 752 811 808 828 848 802 820 839 825 845 905 818 828 849 900 920 940 902 920 939 915 935 955 932 950 1009 945 1005 1024 952 1010 1029 1000 1020 1040 1020 1038 1057 1025 1045 1105 1048 1108 1127 1100 1120 1140 1102 1122 1141 1115 1135 1155 1132 1152 1211 1140 1200 1220 1202 1222 1241 1200 1220 1240 1220 1240 1259 1225 1245 1305 1248 1308 1328 1300 1320 1340 1302 1322 1341 1315 1335 1355 1332 1352 1411 1400 1420 1440 1357 1417 1436 1425 1445 1505 1432 1452 1511 1500 1520 1540 1452 1512 1531 1530 1550 1610 1520 1540 1559 1600 1620 1640 1553 1613 1632 1630 1650 1710 1627 1647 1706 1655 1715 1735 1650 1710 1740 1725 1745 1808 1738 1758 1817 1815 1835 1855 1804 1824 1843 1830 1850 1910 1823 1843 1902 1855 1915 1935 2008 2026 2045 1925 1945 2005 2035 2053 2113 2055 2115 2134 2125 2145 2203 WESTBOUND – TO HORSESHOE BAY EASTBOUND – TO VANCOUVER SUNDAY & HOLIDAYS Dunsmuir at Park Royal Horseshoe Bay Horseshoe Bay Park Royal Dunsmuir at Cambie North Terminus Terminus North Cambie 704 722 741 711 731 751 734 752 811 808 828 848 802 820 839 825 845 905 818 828 849 900 920 940 902 920 939 915 935 955 932 950 1009 930 950 1010 952 1010 1029 1000 1020 1040 1020 1038 1057 1025 1045 1105 1102 1122 1141 1100 1120 1140 1132 1152 1211 1115 1135 1155 1202 1222 1241 1140 1200 1220 1220 1240 1259 1200 1220 1240 1248 1308 1328 1225 1245 1305 1302 1322 1341 1300 1320 1340 1332 1352 1411 1315 1335 1355 1357 1417 1436 1400 1420 1440 1432 1452 1511 1425 1445 1505 1452 1512 1531 1500 1520 1540 1520 1540 1559 1530 1550 1610 1553 16163 1632 1600 1620 1640 1627 1647 1706 1630 1650 1710 1650 1710 1740 1655 1715 1735 1738 1758 1817 1725 1745 1805 1804 1824 1843 1815 1835 1855 1823 1843 1902 1830 1850 1910 2008 2026 2045 1925 1945 2005 2035 2053 2113 2055 2115 2134 2125 2145 2203 .