BC Transit testing Chinese transit buses
A Chinese Yangzhou Yaxing JS6830GHDP mini-bus could soon become a workhorse of the Victoria Regional Transit System. Photo © Bill Wong, BC Transit Photo Gallery.
BC Transit was the first transit authority in North America to operate double decker buses and is now on track to become the first to pad its fleet with Chinese transit vehicles.
A 23-seat, 10-meter long Yangzhou Yaxing JS6830GHDP mini-bus has been undergoing trials throughout British Columbia since late 2009 and has recently started rolling along the streets of Victoria.
The Yangzhou Yaxing, if proven to be a good fit for local streets, would become the vehicle of choice for the growing number of community transit routes currently serviced by Ford vans commonly referred to as community buses.
According to an A-Channel News report on April 15th, the Yangzhou Yaxing buses could be rolled out in greater numbers within six months if trials prove successful.
Stay up to date on the latest news and events affecting the Victoria Regional Transit System by following the dedicated transit thread on VibrantVictoria.ca’s discussion forum.
Click here to view a video of the Yangzhou Yaxing operating in Squamish, BC. Click here to view photos of the bus.
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Responses to this Headline or Article
The five most recent replies to VibrantVictoria.ca's discussion forum's BC Transit (Victoria Regional Transit System) news and issues thread, the most relevant thread to the above headline or article:
Bernard
May 03, 2012 at 12:07 pmQuote: We've been saying all along that SNC's ties to Bombardier (maker of the light rail cars and technology) puts the rapid transitconsultant into a perceived conflict of interest position.
No the conflict is that SNC Lavalin builds LRTs and is not a transit consulting company. They recommended the project that would most likely bring them something to bid on and they have the inside track on all the information to make a bid
Coreyburger
May 03, 2012 at 2:53 pmQuote: And how long before our fantasy $1 billion LRT is up and running? 10 years? 20? The E&N makes a LOT more sense at least for the immediate future. :teacher:
Both require some sort of local funding. Neither of them have that secured right now. BC Transit and the CRD are working on local funding options for LRT right now. What is the ICF doing? (this isn't to slam the ICF, just to mention that one of these projects is moving on funding while the other isn't)
Bernard
May 03, 2012 at 3:40 pmThe cost to re-make the E&N line to usefully function as a serious transit option will not be cheap. Running a couple of trains each hour is not going to have any serious impact on traffic, for it to work it needs a lot of rebuilding and a lot of work done on all the level crossings and an extension through to Douglas street.
The E&N as a business should be focusing on where it can succeed the best and that is in the mid island.
G-Man
May 03, 2012 at 8:59 pmQuote: +1. The cart is so far ahead of the horse on this one I am not sure that poor mare can ever catch up.
Oh I would say funding for LRT is about 12 months out.
Nparker
May 03, 2012 at 9:24 pmQuote: Oh I would say funding for LRT is about 12 months out.
You really think so G? The Feds and the Province are going to fund $1 billion for LRT in Victoria in 2013? Even with a likely change in government here in BC next May, I just don't see this as priority for the Federal Conservatives, and I can't imagine the Province coming up with the full ticket price on their own, even if every riding on the Island goes to the
