R6 RapidBus speeding up commutes by up to ten minutes in each direction

January 2, 2024

SURREY, BC – The R6 Scott Road RapidBus launched today, providing faster and more frequent bus service for Surrey and Delta residents, as well as Kwantlen Polytechnic University students.

The R6 will provide space for 20 per cent more riders on the busiest bus corridor south of the Fraser River. Customer travel time is now up to ten minutes faster in each direction between Scott Road Station and Newton Exchange, due to bus speed and reliability improvements.

Surrey and Delta’s transit ridership is part of the fastest growing area in Metro Vancouver, where bus boardings are exceeding 2019 ridership levels by 16 per cent. The R6 Scott Road RapidBus will help accommodate strong demand in Metro Vancouver’s fastest growing area for transit ridership, while we continue to seek funding for the Access for Everyone plan, to substantially address overcrowding issues.

The R6 is TransLink’s largest service expansion since 2020 and is the sixth RapidBus throughout Metro Vancouver. It features:

• Fewer stops and all-door boarding
• Articulated buses with more capacity
• Bus priority lanes along the corridor to keep buses separated from congestion
• A centre-median bus boarding area at Scott Road and 72^nd Avenue to speed up boardings and bus travel times
• Improved bus stops with live next-bus digital signage and audio information available for customers who are blind or partially-sighted
  • These signs will finish installing in the coming months. Temporary bus stop signs are in place in the interim.

Community art has been installed throughout the corridors by three local artists. This includes a mosaic for the median centre-island bus boarding area, as well as bus shelter art at the stops located outside of Kwantlen Polytechnic University and at Scott Road and 72^nd Avenue.

Street changes have also been implemented to enhance safety. This includes adding new crosswalks, protected left turn lanes, signal improvements, and allowance for making U-turns at selected locations.

Route 319 will continue to run alongside the R6, serving each local bus stop between Newton Exchange and Scott Road Station. The R6 will operate between 5 a.m. and 1 a.m. every day of the week, and both the R6 and the 319 will maintain 15-minute service or better all day. During peak hours, the R6 will arrive every seven and a half minutes and the 319 will arrive every ten minutes.

This $33 million investment was delivered jointly by TransLink, the City of Surrey, and the City of Delta. It was paid for through the Mayors’ 10-Year Vision, of which the Government of British Columbia contributed 40 per cent of all capital costs. TransLink plans to upgrade this route to bus rapid transit (BRT) and will continue to alleviate overcrowding through the Access for Everyone ten-year plan, should the plan receive funding.

Quotes:

Kevin Quinn, CEO, TransLink –

“The R6 RapidBus will save Surrey and Delta customers up to 20 minutes and provide much-needed relief on the busiest bus route south of the Fraser River. Ridership in places like Surrey and Delta is growing faster than any other part of the region and it’s essential that transit services keep up as Metro Vancouver’s population grows.”

Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Government of British Columbia–

“The people of Surrey need a transit network that can keep up with their fast growing city. Connecting customers from Scott Road Station to Newton Exchange, this bus service will help lower wait times and get people to work, school, home and everything in between.”  

Dan Coulter, Minister of State for Transportation and Infrastructure –

“Transit is the backbone of a city’s infrastructure. The new RapidBus service on the Scott Road corridor in Surrey and Delta is a significant step towards providing more convenient, reliable and faster transit options for the residents of these growing communities.”

Brenda Locke, Mayor, City of Surrey –

“The R6 Scott Road RapidBus will provide a fast, reliable transit option along one of the City’s busiest corridors, saving residents up to 20 minutes of travel time. With 4 out of 5 of the regions most overcrowded bus routes in Surrey, increased transit service is critical to support continued growth and housing needs in Surrey. I thank TransLink for its investment in the R6 RapidBus to speed up bus service for our community”

George Harvie, Mayor, City of Delta –

“The R6 RapidBus will be a welcome change to our transit landscape for residents and businesses in the City of Delta and surrounding communities. This new infrastructure will not only connect our commuters with where they need to go but propel us forward to match the future growth of our community. I want to thank TransLink for their work on this transformative project and I look forward to keeping our community moving.”

Jasmine Kaur Kochar, VP External Affairs, Kwantlen Student Association –

“In the current scenario where time is so crucial, it becomes more hectic for students to juggle jobs and academics. So this initiative taken is incredible as it would assist students and employers to manage their schedules. As an International Student myself, I know it's really hard to manage everything parallelly and moreover we tend to rely on public transit. With fewer stops R6 can be really helpful for everyone and can assist in making their lives smooth.”

More information:
R6 RapidBus webpage
Access for Everyone Plan
BRT webpage
Service change and scheduling information                                                    

Media downloads:
Media can download visuals here

Media contact: 
TransLink Media Relations
E: media@translink.ca