My Review of the R6 Scott Road RapidBus

Paul and I waiting for the R6. Select the image to enlarge.

A few weekends ago, my friend Paul Hillsdon and I decided to check out the new R6 Scott Road RapidBus.

The R6 pulling into Newton Exchange. Select the image to enlarge.

The Scott Road/72nd Avenue corridor is one of Metro Vancouver's busiest and most congested transit corridors. About 1/3rd of people who travel along this corridor do so on transit, though certain sections are as high as 3/4rds.

RapidBus bus routes include bus priority measures, limited stop service, and enhanced bus stops. All this leads to a faster and more convenient rider experience.

Seeing the bus lanes' congestion-busting power on Scott Road on the new @TransLink R6 RapidBus was awesome! We were zooming past traffic on a corridor where most people take transit. pic.twitter.com/ZLFj0mL5pe

— Nathan Pachal (@npachal) January 21, 2024

I will start with the best part first. While the limited bus stops and modest bus priority measure on Scott Road, heading northbound, does speed up service, what shined for me was zooming past traffic going southbound on Scott Road in what is probably the closet we have to urban Bus Rapid Transit in our region at the moment. Southbound on Scott Road almost has nearly continuous bus lanes.

The R6 in the centre bus lanes on Scott Road near 72nd Avenue, southbound. Select the image to enlarge.

Hopefully, Surrey can work with TransLink to build more northbound bus lanes in the future.

All the bus stops had shelters, and some had enhanced lighting. I noticed this on 72nd Avenue. The extra lighting is perfect, giving people an enhanced feeling of safety.

An R6 bus stop on Scott Road near 72nd Avenue, southbound. Select the image to enlarge.

I wonder if some bus stops and shelters might be a bit too small, given the number of people using the R6. Hopefully, TransLink or Surrey can expand these shelters to accommodate more riders in time.

The frequency of the R6 was good, so I didn't worry about when the next bus would come.

Overall, this is a massive upgrade from the 319 and provides a quality service that connects Newton, KPU, Strawberry Hill, North Delta, and Scott Road SkyTrain Station.

I made it to Scott Road SkyTrain Station. Select the image to enlarge.