Metrobus Transit
{{short description|Public bus in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada}}
{{Infobox bus company
| name = Metrobus
| logo = Metrobus NL logo.png
| logo_size =
| image = Route 19, Avalon Mall.jpg
| image_size = 300
| image_caption = 1418; 2014 Nova Bus LFS, Avalon Mall
| company_slogan = Get on. Be moved.
| parent =
| founded = 1958
| headquarters = 25 Messenger Drive, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
| locale =
| service_area = St. John's, Mount Pearl, and Paradise
| service_type = Public transit
| alliance =
| routes = 24
| destinations =
| stops = 833
| hubs = 2
| lounge =
| fleet = 55
| annual ridership (2013) = 3 millionMUN Area Traffic Study http://www.stjohns.ca/sites/default/files/files/publication/MUN%20Area%20Traffic%20Study_2016.pdf,
| fuel_type = Diesel
| operator = St. John's Transportation Commission (City of St. John's)
| leader_type = Transportation Commission Chair
| leader = Paul Walsh
| website = {{URL|www.metrobus.com}}
| logo_alt =
|Annual Ridership (2023)=4,759,834}}
Metrobus is a public transport system owned by the city of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It operates a fleet of diesel buses. A total of 24 bus routes serve St. John's and its western suburbs of Mount Pearl and Paradise, carrying 2.9m passengers in 2016 and 4,759,834 in 2023.[http://www.metrobus.com/statistics.asp Metrobus Statistics]
History
St. John's Transportation Commission], a board consisting of six members and a chair, appointed by St John's City Council.{{cite web |url=http://www.stjohns.ca/bylaws.nsf/nwByLawNum/1308 |title = City of St. John's, By-Law 1308, TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION BY-LAW}}
Metrobus Transit currently operates 24 routes. Routes travel around the cities of St. John's, Mount Pearl, and Paradise; and service major destinations including the Avalon Mall, Village Shopping Centre, Memorial University, Confederation Building, College of the North Atlantic, Marine Institute, Paradise Double Ice Complex arena, Shoppes at Galway, Mile One Centre, and downtown St. John's.
In recent years, Metrobus was plagued by two strikes in 2004 and 2010 respectively. The first of those strikes lasted roughly two weeks, and wages were the key issue in that dispute; while the introduction of a 50/50 cost-sharing health benefit system was the key issue in the 2010 dispute. The latter dispute lasted about three months, and was settled with a modest pay hike on January 27, 2011.
In 2006, Metrobus Transit upgraded its fare system to use a smart card system called the m-Card, which replaces tickets and monthly passes with a reloadable card and offers a points and rewards loyalty program.[http://mcard.metrobus.com/ m-Card] November 7, 2010
In 2012, Metrobus Transit acquired nine new fully accessible Nova LFS Smart Buses and plan to purchase twenty-one additional buses by 2017. The Smart Bus technology on these buses can improve fuel economy by up to 18% and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. From the outside, the new buses look very similar to the other low-floor buses already in its fleet, however, are fully accessible and include a wheelchair ramp and other related equipment.[http://www.metrobus.com/reader.asp?guid=80 Metrobus Transit takes delivery of nine new fully accessible low-floor buses] February 24, 2012. In 2017 St John's and the Federal government jointly funded 18 accessible replacement buses and 39 additional bus shelters.[https://theovercast.ca/will-federal-funds-build-st-johns-a-better-transit-system/ Will Federal Funds Build St John’s a Better Transit System?]
In 2018, Metrobus introduced three brand-new Grande West Vicinity {{cvt|30|ft}} buses, which are 10 ft shorter than the previous model purchased over the years to operate on smaller routes and offer a more fuel-efficient and quiet ride.[https://www.thetelegram.com/news/new-metrobuses-circulating-st-johns-area-are-smaller-and-wheelchair-accessible-195897/ New Metrobuses circulating St. John's area are smaller and wheelchair-accessible]
Bus fleet
Metrobus Transit currently operates a fleet of 50 Nova LFS buses (0147-1630),
File:Buses_at_the_Avalon_Mall.jpg
4 Grande West Vicinity buses (1831-1833 and 2134),
File:Grand_West_Vicinity_Bus.jpg
1 Chevrolet 4500 Arboc Spirit of freedom (Community Bus).
Routes
Metrobus operates most routes year-round, with the exception of Routes 13, 24 and 26 not operating during the summer (late June - September) schedules. Primary and base routes usually operate at a 30-minute frequency on weekdays, with 60-minute frequency during the evenings and on weekends. Routes 1, 2, 3 and 10 operate at a 15-minute frequency during peak periods at between key points.
Route 28, also known as the Community Bus, is an accessible door to door route that connects select senior apartment complexes in the St. John's area with major shopping attractions.{{cite web |url=https://www.metrobus.com/communitybus/html |title=Community Bus |work=Metrobus |accessdate=20 June 2022}}
Route 30 entered service on June 27, 2016, during the Metrobus summer schedule's period of operation, serving 55 new bus stops within the Town of Paradise.
Metrobus also offers an accessible door to door on demand service called [https://www.metrobus.com/ALF/gobus_info.asp GoBus] which its operations is currently contracted out to MV Transportation.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.metrobus.com/ Metrobus Transit]
{{St. John's landmarks}}
{{Public transit systems in Canada}}
Category:Transit agencies in Newfoundland and Labrador