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99 B-Line
A 99 B-Line bus
Overview
SystemTransLink
OperatorCoast Mountain Bus Company
Began serviceSeptember 3, 1996
Route
StartUBC Exchange
EndCommercial–Broadway station
Length14.3 km (8.9 mi)[1]
Stops13[2][3]
Service
Ridership35,900 (avg. weekday 2023)[4]
Route map
Map 99 B-Line highlighted in orange; limited service segment in red
Legend
UBC Exchange
Allison
Sasamat
Alma / W 10th
Macdonald
Arbutus
Granville
Heather / Willow
Left arrow
to YVR–Airport &
Richmond–Brighouse
Right arrow
Canada Line
to Waterfront
Cambie
Broadway–City Hall
Main
Fraser
Clark
Up arrow
Millennium Line
to VCC–Clark
UpperRight arrow
Expo Line
to Waterfront
Commercial–Broadway
Expo Line
Left arrow
to King George &
Production Way–University
Down arrow
Millennium Line
to Lafarge Lake–Douglas
Key
Bus
SkyTrain
99 B-Line
Expo Line
Entire route is
Millennium Line
in Fare Zone 1
Canada Line
Handicapped/disabled access All stations are accessible
This diagram:
← {{{previous_line}}}  {{{system_nav}}}  {{{next_line}}} →

The 99 B-Line is an express bus line with bus rapid transit elements in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It travels along Broadway, a major east–west thoroughfare, and connects the University of British Columbia (UBC) to Commercial–Broadway station on the SkyTrain system. It is operated by Coast Mountain Bus Company and funded by TransLink.

It is the first and the most popular of the B-Line routes in the regional system. The other B-Lines that followed are based on the 99 B-Line in terms of the use of articulated buses (which can carry 120 passengers) and frequent arrivals for buses. The waiting time for a bus during peak hours on a weekday is 1.5–3 minutes. All of the buses on this route are built by New Flyer Industries of Winnipeg, Manitoba. On average it takes 42 minutes to complete the entire route, or half an hour near the last runs at the end of the night.[citation needed]

The 99 B-Line was the busiest bus route in Canada and the United States in 2018,[5][6][7] with an average weekday ridership of 55,900 passengers.[1] This number had increased from approximately 45,000 passengers per day in 2007.[8] The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent demand and service changes lowered the ridership of the line; by 2024, it saw around 34,160 trips per weekday, about 60 percent of its peak levels of 57,240 in 2019.[9] Ridership across the overall TransLink network returned to 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels during the same time period.[10]

History

[edit]

The 99 B-Line was created to connect UBC to Lougheed Mall in Burnaby via 10th Avenue, Broadway and Lougheed Highway. Then under the jurisdiction of BC Transit, it was launched on September 3, 1996 and started out using a few high-floor articulated buses and regular-sized buses.[11] It became apparent that the regular buses could not handle the demand as this route soon became the most popular route in the system. By September 1998, 60-foot low-floor articulated buses were used for all trips, adorned with a distinctive B-Line livery.[12] During rush hours, the B-Line uses curb lanes designated as bus lanes on Broadway from Commercial–Broadway station to Arbutus Street.

An estimated 12,000 passengers per day used the route daily during its first two years of operation, 30% more than had been estimated. Of that number, 20% of the passengers used to drive to their destination rather than take public transit. Service had to be extended to late-nights, Sundays and holidays.[13]

Service began with a 10-minute headway between UBC and Broadway station, 10–20 minute headway between UBC and Brentwood Mall, and 30 minute headway between UBC and Lougheed Mall. Frequency was increased as demand increased, but only in the UBC to Broadway station section, with 7.5 minute headway. Soon the Lougheed Mall section was improved to 15-minute headway. Today the 99 B-Line operates on a 2-minute headway in the morning peak direction, with a 4.5 minute day base headway.

In the late 1990s, the British Columbia government approved the construction of a new SkyTrain line called the Millennium Line. This new line replaced the eastern portion of the 99 B-Line, from Broadway station to its old terminus at Lougheed Mall. It opened in 2002, with the 99 B-Line terminating at then-Broadway station (now Commercial–Broadway station as a result of the 2009 combining of the Expo Line's Broadway station and the Millennium Line's Commercial station).

As the fair bulk of the route's riders are students at UBC, the introduction of the U-Pass in 2003, a discounted bus pass for university students, put even more strain on the route's resources. A peak-hour B-Line route called the #99 Special was introduced in 2004, featuring non-stop service to UBC during the morning rush hours and to Broadway station during evening rush hours. This route's "non-stop" moniker was revoked in 2005 when the service began serving more stops along the corridor and was discontinued completely in January 2006 to make way for a new route that was expected to be about as fast as the #99, the #84, which operates from UBC to the new VCC–Clark station. This new route was designed to take pressure off the 99 B-Line. Additionally, curb lanes on Broadway were converted into bus lanes for rush-hour periods.

On June 25, 2007, the 99 B-Line route became the first route in the TransLink system to allow passengers with valid proof of payment to board using any of the three doors at any stop. To facilitate this, the bus driver controls the operation of all three doors at each of the stops. Passengers who are paying cash must board through the front door. Fare Enforcement is carried out by Transit Security Officers. Transit Security Officers may board the bus at any time to conduct a Fare Inspection. Passengers without valid fare could be removed from the bus or fined.

With the rest of the B-Line routes having been rebranded as RapidBus in January 2020, it was decided to keep the 99 B-Line unchanged instead of including it in the rebranding as the Millennium Line Broadway extension will be replacing the eastern section of the 99 B-Line. The extension will include six stations running from VCC–Clark station to Arbutus Street, where the truncated service will continue from a new bus loop. These changes left the 99 B-Line as the only B-Line still in service.[14]

The 99 B-Line was the busiest bus route in Translink's network in 2024, with over 10 million total boardings.[15]

Stops and transfer points

[edit]
  • UBC Exchange – The western terminus of the line, serving UBC's campus centre; transfer point for services to other Vancouver-area neighbourhoods, Richmond and Burnaby.
  • Allison – The easternmost stop in the University Endowment Lands before the route enters the city of Vancouver. Serves the University Marketplace shopping area[16] as well as the residents around it.
  • Sasamat – The westernmost stop in Vancouver before entering the University Endowment Lands. Serves the West Point Grey neighbourhood.
  • Alma/W 10th – Connects to trolley bus routes serving the Dunbar corridor.
  • Macdonald – Transfer point for the #2 bus, which travels into downtown Vancouver.
  • Arbutus – This stop was added on December 14, 2009. Serves the Kitsilano neighbourhood and provides connections to the #16 Arbutus bus.
  • Granville – Connects to the #10 bus, which runs along Granville Street and into downtown. Other connections are the #14 UBC/Hastings, #16 Arbutus/29th Avenue station, and the N9/N10 Night Bus routes.
  • Heather/Willow – Serves Vancouver General Hospital and the southern False Creek area. Also a transfer point for route #17 Oak.
  • Cambie – Transfer point for the Canada Line (Broadway–City Hall station) to downtown, Richmond and Vancouver International Airport. Provides service to Vancouver City Hall and connects to the #15 bus that runs along Cambie Street.
  • Main – Transfer point for the #3 bus that operates along Main Street. Transfer point for the #19 bus that operates between Stanley Park and Metrotown station.
  • Fraser – This stop was added on December 14, 2009; provides connections to the #8 Fraser bus.
  • Clark – Serves Vancouver Community College. Also a short walk from the VCC–Clark SkyTrain station. Transfer point for the #22 bus operating down Knight Street. The stop at Clark was added on April 14, 1997.[17]
  • Commercial–Broadway station – Eastern terminus of the 99 B-Line. Serves the Commercial–Broadway SkyTrain station. Also a transfer point for the #20 bus operating along Commercial Drive and Victoria Drive.

Beyond Commercial–Broadway station

[edit]

Before SkyTrain's Millennium Line was opened, the 99 B-Line served these stops in addition to the ones above.

  • Boundary Road – Served the area at the Burnaby–Vancouver border. Was also a transfer point for the #9 bus. It was just prior to this stop that the route leaves Broadway, which turns into Lougheed Highway. Some runs of the current 99 B-Line service Boundary when going to and from the Burnaby bus depot.
  • Brentwood Mall – Served the Brentwood Town Centre shopping mall and was the first stop in Burnaby (excluding Boundary, because it straddled city limits). Brentwood still is a popular transfer point for North Burnaby bus routes to this day. Replaced by Brentwood Town Centre station on the SkyTrain.
  • Austin – Stopped at Government during peak hours. It was one of the first stops servicing Lougheed Mall and was also close to bus connections to Simon Fraser University.
  • Lougheed Mall – Served the Lougheed Town Centre shopping mall and was the eastern terminus of the 99 B-Line. It is still home to many routes going to Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge. The stop was replaced by Lougheed Town Centre station on the SkyTrain.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

99 B-Line

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The 99 B-Line is an express bus route in Metro , , , operated by the on behalf of TransLink, providing limited-stop service with (BRT) elements along the Broadway corridor from the (UBC) Loop to Commercial–Broadway station. Spanning approximately 12 kilometres with 13 major stops, it serves as a vital east-west link for commuters, students, and residents, utilizing high-capacity articulated buses equipped with all-door boarding to handle peak-hour demand. Introduced on September 3, 1996, by as 's first B-Line service, the route originally extended 27 kilometres from UBC to Lougheed Mall in , offering faster travel times through limited stops spaced about 1.9 kilometres apart and initial frequencies of every 4 minutes during peak periods. Following the 2002 opening of the SkyTrain extension, the eastern terminus was shortened to Commercial–Broadway station, reducing the route length while maintaining its role as a high-frequency corridor; early ridership grew rapidly from 8,000 daily passengers in 1996 to 26,000 by 2002, with travel times shortened by 20-40% compared to local buses. Key features include bus priority infrastructure such as queue jumpers and traffic signal pre-emption to minimize delays, along with distinctive B-Line branding and low-floor vehicles for . As of 2024, the route remains the busiest in Metro , recording 10,624,000 annual boardings despite post-pandemic recovery, with peak frequencies of 3-4 minutes and service operating from early morning to late evening. Currently operating at for much of the day, it is one of North America's most heavily used bus services and serves as a precursor to the planned Broadway Subway extension, which will provide along the same corridor starting in the late 2020s.

Route Description

B-Line Segment

The 99 B-Line segment serves as the core rapid transit portion of the route, operating along the Broadway corridor from UBC Exchange in the west to Commercial-Broadway Station in the east, spanning approximately 13.4 kilometers. This limited-stop service prioritizes speed and efficiency by bypassing numerous local bus stops, with major halts spaced roughly 1 kilometer apart to facilitate quicker travel through Vancouver's densely populated neighborhoods. The path begins at UBC Exchange, proceeds east along University Boulevard and West 10th Avenue, then joins Broadway, passing key landmarks such as the University Endowment Lands and residential areas in the Kitsilano district before reaching the station. Key stops along this segment include UBC Exchange as the western terminus, West 10th Avenue at Sasamat Street for access to nearby residential and campus-adjacent areas, Broadway at Alma Street serving the West Side commercial nodes, and Broadway at Macdonald Street near local amenities. Further east, stops at Broadway at Arbutus Street provide connections to secondary feeders, while Broadway at Heather Street (adjacent to ) accommodates hospital visitors and transfer passengers. These select locations emphasize major destinations, including educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and retail hubs, while omitting minor intersections to maintain express characteristics. Most trips follow this full segment, though select weekday morning westbound trips short-turn at Alma Street; overall, the service ensures primarily end-to-end operations between the termini. Express elements enhance reliability and speed, including skipping local stops to reduce dwell times, transit signal priority at select intersections along Broadway for fewer delays, and all-door boarding implemented at all B-Line stops since to streamline passenger flow. These features, combined with dedicated where available, allow the service to function as an overlay to regular routes like the 9, offering a faster alternative for longer-distance commuters. Typical end-to-end travel time during peak hours ranges from 25 to 45 minutes, varying with traffic conditions but generally averaging around 30 minutes under normal operations. At Commercial-Broadway Station, passengers can briefly connect to the eastern extension for continued service along Broadway.

Eastern Extension

The Eastern Extension of the 99 B-Line operates as a local bus service from Commercial-Broadway Station eastward along East Broadway to Boundary Loop at the intersection with Lougheed Highway, covering approximately 8 km and serving residential and commercial areas in and western . This segment features frequent local stops to enhance , contrasting with the limited-stop rapid service of the B-Line portion to the west. Key stops include East Broadway at Clark Drive (serving local neighborhoods), Street (with connections to the Expo Line at Nanaimo Station), Penticton Street (near local amenities), Renfrew Street, and Rupert Street, before reaching the terminus at Boundary Loop. Passengers can also transfer to the SkyTrain Expo and Millennium Lines at Commercial-Broadway Station. Service on the extension runs as standard operations, making all stops along the route, with headways typically shorter during off-peak hours to accommodate ; peak-period alignment with the B-Line segment ensures through service for riders continuing eastward. Many trips short-turn at Commercial-Broadway Station, while select trips extend to Boundary Loop, primarily to support operations from the nearby Transit Centre. When combined with the western B-Line segment, the full route spans approximately 21 km.

History

Introduction

The 99 B-Line was developed in the mid-1990s by (now part of TransLink) as a response to increasing transit demand along the Broadway corridor, connecting the (UBC) in the west to eastern suburbs including Lougheed Mall in . This planning effort was influenced by the regional Transport 2021 strategy, which prioritized enhanced express bus services on major corridors to address overcrowding on existing routes like the #9 and #31. The Broadway , formed in mid-1993, specifically recommended improved limited-stop service between UBC and Lougheed Mall to boost capacity and efficiency without immediate investment in rail infrastructure. The service launched on September 3, 1996, marking 's first B-Line route and providing express connections from Lougheed Mall to UBC. Initially, it operated Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., with limited stops focused on the Broadway alignment to reduce travel times compared to local buses. The route served as an early form of (BRT), emphasizing speed and reliability along this high-demand east-west thoroughfare. Operations began with a fleet of articulated, wheelchair-accessible diesel buses designed for higher capacity, operating at headways of 7-10 minutes during peak periods between UBC and Broadway Station, and 10-15 minutes to Lougheed Mall. The service featured distinct "B-Line" branding, including a unique and that positioned it as a alternative, serving as a precursor to future developments in the corridor. This branding helped differentiate it from standard routes and promoted it as a faster, more reliable option for commuters. The 99 B-Line achieved immediate success, with initial daily ridership starting at approximately 8,000 passengers and quickly surpassing projections by 30% within the first two years, demonstrating strong demand and justifying subsequent expansions. By 1999, ridership had grown to 20,000 daily passengers, highlighting the route's role in alleviating congestion on the Broadway corridor and influencing long-term transit planning in the region.

Service Changes and Expansions

In 1998, the 99 B-Line underwent significant expansions to enhance accessibility and coverage. Full weekday service was supplemented with the addition of and operations, extending service hours to on evenings and weekends. These changes also included routing adjustments, such as evening and trips serving Brentwood Mall and the relocation of the eastern terminus inside Lougheed Mall Exchange, alongside the introduction of bike racks to accommodate growing demand. The route experienced a major truncation in 2002 following the opening of the Millennium Line SkyTrain. The eastern end was shortened from Lougheed Mall to Commercial–Broadway station, integrating the bus service with the new rail line to optimize regional connectivity and reduce duplication. This adjustment improved frequencies, with peak-hour service reaching every 3.5 minutes, while maintaining the core Broadway corridor focus. Adjustments in 2009 coincided with the Canada Line's opening, facilitating better system-wide transfers. Minor stop optimizations were implemented, including new stops at Arbutus Street and Fraser Street, to streamline connections at key interchanges like Broadway-City Hall Station. The eastern terminus was officially renamed Commercial-Broadway Station, reflecting updated SkyTrain nomenclature and enhancing navigational clarity for riders. The prompted temporary frequency reductions on the 99 B-Line from 2020 to 2022 to align with decreased ridership and operational constraints, though provincial funding helped mitigate deeper cuts. By January 2022, specific adjustments included midday service every 6-8 minutes and service every 7-15 minutes. Partial recovery occurred in 2023, with service levels gradually restored amid improving demand. By spring 2025, amid a ridership rebound that saw boardings approach pre-pandemic levels, peak service was restored to 3-minute headways, marking a return to higher reliability. In fall 2025, further service increases were added, shortening wait times on weekdays and Sunday mornings to every 4 minutes in certain periods. By the 2010s, the route had stabilized at approximately 12 km in length following the truncation, with ongoing emphasis on operational reliability through measures such as strategic queue jumps at intersections to minimize delays. These enhancements prioritized consistent travel times without altering the core path.

Operations

Fleet

The 99 B-Line primarily utilizes 40-foot standard low-floor buses for select trips and 60-foot articulated low-floor buses for the majority of service, with the latter optimized for the route's high demand. The core of the fleet consists of XDE60 diesel-electric hybrid articulated buses, which have been deployed since the mid-2010s to enhance efficiency and reduce emissions. These vehicles feature a length of 18.5 meters, a width of 2.6 meters (excluding mirrors), and a height of 3.4 meters, allowing them to navigate urban corridors while accommodating substantial passenger loads. Articulated buses on the 99 B-Line typically seat 50 to 60 passengers, with standing room for an additional 60 or more, providing a total capacity of up to 120 passengers under peak conditions. This design supports the route's role as one of North America's busiest, enabling rapid loading and unloading to maintain schedule adherence. Occasional trips, such as late-night services or during shortages, may use 40-foot buses like the or models, while articulated hybrids dominate the B-Line core. The fleet's evolution began with the route's launch in 1996 under , using a mix of high-floor articulated and standard diesel buses to establish limited-stop service. By , low-floor articulated D60LF diesel buses were introduced, marking a shift to accessible, higher-capacity vehicles with a dedicated initial allocation supporting frequent operations. Further transitions occurred in the late toward low-emission diesel models compliant with evolving environmental standards, followed by the integration of hybrid in the to align with TransLink's goals. The current dedicated fleet exceeds 50 units, many featuring distinctive B-Line branding in blue and green for route identification. Key features include all-door boarding capability, implemented route-wide since 2007 to expedite dwell times at high-volume stops, and front-mounted bike racks accommodating up to two bicycles per bus, a standard since the late 1990s. Automated vehicle location (AVL) systems are standard across the fleet, enabling real-time tracking via TransLink's Transit App and website for passenger information. These enhancements prioritize operational reliability and user convenience on the busy corridor. All 99 B-Line vehicles are operated and maintained by , TransLink's primary bus operator, from the Burnaby Transit Centre depot, which handles routine inspections, fueling, and repairs to ensure fleet availability.

Schedule and Frequency

The 99 B-Line operates daily from approximately 5:00 AM to 1:30 AM, providing extensive coverage for commuters along the Broadway corridor in . This schedule aligns with typical TransLink bus service patterns, ensuring availability during standard work and school hours while extending into late evenings. For late-night travel beyond 1:30 AM on select nights, passengers can connect to the N9 NightBus, which maintains 24-hour service on the route via related paths. During peak periods, the route achieves high-frequency service to accommodate heavy , particularly for UBC-bound commuters. Eastbound from UBC, buses run every 3 minutes during morning peak hours of 7:00–9:00 AM, equating to 20 buses per hour; westbound frequencies are every 4 minutes during the same window, yielding 15 buses per hour. In the afternoon peak from 4:00–6:00 PM, similar headways apply, with eastbound service at 3–4 minutes and westbound at 4 minutes toward Commercial-Broadway Station. These intervals were restored to pre-COVID levels in spring 2025 to address overcrowding. Off-peak service maintains reliable intervals to support midday and evening travel. headways range from 4–6 minutes toward UBC between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM, with specific boosts such as every 4 minutes from 10:00–10:15 AM and every 5 minutes from 10:25 AM–10:45 AM following fall 2025 adjustments. Evenings see frequencies of 7–10 minutes until around 10:00 PM, transitioning to 15–20 minutes for late-night service. School days receive targeted boosts for UBC commuters, enhancing peak and midday reliability without altering base hours. Weekend operations feature reduced frequencies compared to weekdays, reflecting lower demand. Peak weekend headways are every 5–7 minutes during morning and afternoon rushes, with off-peak intervals extending to 8–10 minutes midday and 10–15 minutes in evenings. and mornings toward UBC operate every 8–9 minutes from 9:00–10:00 AM, an improvement implemented in fall 2025. Overall, the route delivers approximately 500– trips daily, with adjustments for seasonal variations such as increased service during academic terms; real-time tracking is available via the TransLink app and website for precise arrival updates.

Infrastructure and Features

Bus Lanes and Stops

The 99 B-Line operates along a 13.1 km corridor primarily on Broadway, supported by peak-hour curb lanes east of and west of Street. These lanes were added progressively starting in 2006 between Street and Commercial Drive to prioritize transit movement and restrict parking during peak periods. Among these, a western segment features two-way priority lanes between UBC and Granville Street, allowing buses to use the corridor more efficiently in both directions. As of 2023, bus lanes between and Street have been removed to accommodate Broadway Subway construction, with temporary adjustments and relocations implemented in 2024 to maintain service; further disruptions, including a full closure near in October 2025, are ongoing. The route includes 13 dedicated B-Line stops equipped with concrete pads for level boarding, weather-protected shelters, and real-time arrival displays to enhance passenger experience and reliability. East of Commercial-Broadway, additional local stops feature basic signage without full amenities, serving the extended segment to Boundary Road. Key enhancements include queue jump signals at several intersections, enabling buses to bypass vehicle queues and proceed on a dedicated phase, as seen in designs for major crossings along Broadway. Integration with bike lanes incorporates floating bus stops, where platforms are positioned behind bike channels to maintain cyclist priority while allowing safe bus access. All major stops provide accessibility ramps compliant with standards for wheelchair and users. Maintenance of bus lanes and stops is a joint responsibility between the City of and TransLink, with ongoing coordination for repairs and operations. These bus lanes cover a substantial portion—estimated at around 70%—of the core B-Line segment prior to recent construction removals, contributing to delay reductions of 20-30% based on evaluations of similar priority infrastructure on 's B-Line network.

Transfer Points

The 99 B-Line features several key transfer points that facilitate connections to other TransLink bus routes and SkyTrain lines, enhancing regional mobility along the Broadway corridor. At the western terminus, UBC Exchange serves as a major hub integrated with the campus, providing pedestrian links to key facilities such as the Student Union Building, Aquatic Centre, and University Boulevard. This exchange connects to multiple bus routes, including the 4 Powell from Bay 14, 9 Boundary from Bay 9 (limited service), 14 Hastings from Bay 10, 25 Brentwood Station from Bay 3, 44 Downtown/Dundarave from Bay 12, 84 VCC-Clark Station from Bay 1, and R4 41st Ave RapidBus to Joyce Station from Bay 7; additionally, the 258 to operates select trips from the exchange. The 99 B-Line primarily uses Bay 5 for unloading and Bay 4 for departures, supporting efficient passenger flow for those continuing to campus destinations. Commercial-Broadway Station represents the central interchange for the 99 B-Line, offering direct access to both platforms of the Expo Line and SkyTrain services. Bus connections include the 9 to Alma or Boundary from Bay 4 and the R5 RapidBus, with the 99 B-Line assigned to Bay 5 for departures to UBC, enabling coordinated schedules and bay layouts that minimize wait times for cross-platform transfers. The station incorporates fare gates and wayfinding signage to streamline movement between bus bays and SkyTrain platforms, handling a significant portion of the route's passenger interchanges. Other notable transfer points along the route include King Edward Station on the , where passengers can connect to buses such as the 15 Cambie, 25 Brentwood Station, and 33 UBC, with the 99 B-Line stopping nearby at and Oak Street for convenient access. Similarly, Broadway-City Hall Station provides connectivity, linking to the 9 Boundary, 15 Cambie, 17 UBC, and N9/N15 night services, directly adjacent to a designated 99 B-Line stop that supports quick transfers via pedestrian pathways. At the eastern end, Boundary Loop facilitates interchanges with the 9 Boundary and N9 night bus, serving as a loop for turnaround and connections to local services in and . These points collectively account for a substantial share of the 99 B-Line's boardings and alightings, with integrated designs promoting efficient user flow.

Ridership and Impact

Usage Statistics

The 99 B-Line achieved its peak ridership in , recording an average of 55,900 weekday passengers, making it the busiest bus route in and the at the time. This figure represented a significant increase from the route's launch in 1996, with ridership growing approximately 300% over the subsequent two decades due to expanding demand from UBC and commuters. Ridership experienced a sharp decline during the , dropping by about 50% in 2020 and 2021 compared to pre-pandemic levels, with average weekday boardings falling to nearly 30,000 by fall 2021. Recovery began in 2022, driven by returning students and healthcare workers, with annual boardings reaching 9.72 million that year—still down 45% from 2019's 17.79 million but showing steady improvement. By 2023, annual boardings rebounded to 11.31 million, reflecting approximately 40,000-45,000 average weekday passengers, while 2024 saw 10.62 million total boardings amid a 3% overall system growth. As of 2025, the route continues its recovery trajectory, supported by and sustained UBC demand. The 99 B-Line accounts for about 44% of westbound passengers destined for UBC and 47% for Central Broadway stops including , comprising a substantial portion—around 24%—of all transit trips to UBC. Approximately 60% of travel on Broadway segments occurs during morning rush hours, with overall peak usage (7-10 a.m. and 3-7 p.m.) handling the majority of daily volume. Annual ridership totals have historically hovered around 17-20 million in peak pre-pandemic years, with recent figures from TransLink's Transit Service Performance Reviews and annual accountability reports providing segment breakdowns showing 60% of boardings concentrated on the core B-Line corridor between Commercial-Broadway and UBC.

Economic and Social Effects

The 99 B-Line plays a significant role in supporting 's economy by facilitating essential commutes to key institutions and commercial areas along the Broadway corridor, including the (UBC), where 44% of westbound passengers disembark, and (VGH), serving 47% of such trips. This corridor generates approximately 10% of Metro Vancouver's economic activity, contributing $9.2 billion to the regional GDP annually through enhanced connectivity that bolsters sectors like healthcare, , and retail. By shifting commuters from private vehicles to transit, the route has helped reduce road congestion on Broadway, with similar B-Line services achieving up to a 17% mode shift from single-occupant automobiles. On the social front, the 99 B-Line promotes equity by providing affordable access for low-income residents and students, supported by programs like U-Pass BC, which subsidizes unlimited transit for over 140,000 post-secondary students across the region. A substantial portion of users, particularly those under 30, benefit from this high-frequency service, which enhances connectivity for approximately 80,000-85,000 residents (as of 2021) in the densely populated corridor by linking diverse neighborhoods to employment and services. These improvements foster social inclusion, with TransLink's equity initiatives ensuring better accessibility for underserved groups along the route. Environmentally, the 99 B-Line contributes to lower compared to private vehicle use, as switching to transit can reduce an individual's CO2 output by over four times per trip. This effect is amplified by the route's capacity to replace diesel bus operations in future integrations and reduce overall vehicle kilometers traveled in the corridor, effectively equivalent to removing thousands of cars from roads daily through mode shift incentives. Despite these benefits, the route has faced challenges, including severe overcrowding before the that compromised reliability and passenger comfort, leading to pass-ups and delays. Service cutbacks implemented in early further exacerbated wait times for non-peak users, though partial restorations in aimed to address these issues. As a pioneering express bus service developed in the , the 99 B-Line has served as a precursor to the broader B-Line network, shaping regional transit planning by demonstrating the viability of limited-stop, high-capacity routes since its rebranding in 1996.

Future Developments

Broadway Subway Integration

The Broadway Subway project entails a 5.7-kilometer extension of the SkyTrain from Great Northern Way–VCC–Clark Station eastward to Street, featuring six new underground stations designed to enhance capacity along the busy Broadway corridor. Tunnel boring for the twin tunnels was fully completed in April 2024, marking a key milestone ahead of station fit-out and track installation. The extension is structured in phases, with Phase 1 delivering service to the terminus in late 2027, while a future phase could extend further westward to the . Upon partial opening, the subway line will provide more than three times the passenger capacity of the existing 99 B-Line, enabling it to transport more than three times the passenger capacity of the existing 99 B-Line, with automated train service every 3 to 4 minutes during peak periods. At the Arbutus Station, integration with the 99 B-Line is achieved via a dedicated at-grade bus loop adjacent to the station entrance, allowing buses to serve as a direct continuation to UBC while passengers transfer seamlessly via accessible pathways and platform-level connections. This design minimizes walking distances and supports efficient intermodal movement, with the station incorporating features like sheltered waiting areas and real-time transit information displays. The subway's introduction will relieve pressure on the central Broadway segment by absorbing high-volume loads currently borne by the 99 B-Line, thereby repositioning the bus route primarily as a feeder service for UBC-bound passengers and improving overall corridor reliability. Construction activities, including excavation, utility relocations, and traffic deck installations, have resulted in ongoing disruptions to Broadway traffic, such as lane closures and periodic full road segments, with temporary operational adjustments to the 99 B-Line—including stop relocations and minor rerouting around work zones—anticipated to persist through 2027. As of November 2025, construction focuses on station build-out, track installation, and tunnel completion, with a full closure of Broadway near occurring in October-November 2025 to remove temporary traffic decks, and surface rebuilding beginning in January 2026.

Planned Service Adjustments

Following the opening of the Broadway Subway extension to Station in late , the 99 B-Line will be truncated to operate exclusively as a feeder service between Station and UBC, with passengers transferring to the SkyTrain for eastward travel beyond Arbutus. This adjustment aims to alleviate overcrowding on the existing full-route service by integrating the bus with the higher-capacity subway, while maintaining direct connectivity to UBC. The shortened route will leverage the new bus loop at Station for efficient transfers. These changes are projected to reduce the fleet requirements for the 99 B-Line, allowing reallocation of resources to other network needs. Service frequencies on the feeder route are planned to align with demand, potentially achieving peak headways of 4-6 minutes to support ongoing ridership levels west of . Complementary enhancements, such as increased service on the parallel Route 9 to UBC, will help distribute loads and ensure reliable access along Broadway. In the longer term, the proposed extension from to UBC, targeted for completion between 2030 and 2035, will eliminate the need for the 99 B-Line entirely, converting its corridor to local feeder services with headways of 10-15 minutes, such as a reconfigured 99 local route. In October 2025, called for the UBC extension to be designated a project of to secure additional federal funding. This shift will prioritize higher-order for the corridor, reinvesting bus service hours into nearby local networks to enhance overall . The extension remains a key priority under TransLink's Transport 2050 strategy, though it requires additional provincial and federal funding to advance beyond planning. These service adjustments are integrated into TransLink's 10-Year Investment (2025-2035), which seeks to double bus service region-wide but faces risks of broader cuts—including potential reductions to the 99 B-Line—if new provincial is not secured by to address a projected fiscal shortfall. of the remaining bus fleet, including routes like the 99 feeder, is anticipated by 2030 as part of TransLink's Low Carbon Fleet Transition , aiming for over 400 battery-electric buses in service to reduce emissions. Ridership on the truncated 99 B-Line is expected to decrease as passengers divert to the subway for trips east of , primarily serving UBC-bound travel and local Broadway access. This projection accounts for the subway's capacity to handle three times the volume of the current 99 B-Line, while the feeder maintains viability for the western segment.

References

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