TransLink Express Buses No. 210, 211, 214 start April 15, 2024, could save riders up to 10 minutes vs No. 4 or No. 7

This could be one of TransLink’s best-kept secrets.

TransLink has launched new Express Bus services on route No. 210, 211 and 214, starting Monday April 15, 2024 and continuing until Sept. 1, 2024 (then a new schedule starts Sept. 2). The schedules run from first bus in the morning until approx. 7:30 pm, seven days a week. The total comes to about 148 Express trips daily on weekdays, 101 on Saturdays, and 83 on Sundays.

According to Davidowicz, some riders could save up to 10 minutes of precious travel time compared to the local bus No. 4 or No. 7., but more riders need to know about these buses.

Further below are the actual schedules, as compiled in one place and shared by avid transit advocate Nathan Davidowicz, who says TransLink has not provided such as consolidated summary.

Above: These next photos show TransLink’s “wayfinding department” leaves much to be desired, according to Davidowicz. Above is the westbound bus stop at Pender and Granville. There is no special sign at all about the schedule changes starting April 15, 2024, and the braille sign does not even mention bus routes 210, 211, 214.

Above: This is the eastbound bus stop at Pender and Granville. Davidowicz laments that there is no special notice about the April 15, 2024 schedule changes, but says the Braille sign is OK.

Left: Stopping procedures as shown in the new TransLink bus timetable. Davidowicz says that this schedule provides incorrect information (page 12 at this link https://www.translink.ca/-/media/translink/documents/schedules-and-maps/schedules-by-region/2024-schedules/april/nvanp152.pdf)

Above: TransLink has posted very few signs for riders to advertise the changes, only at about half of the affected bus stops. Above is one example – at Powell and Healey. But by the end of the first day, April 15, the orange sign was already gone (see below).

Davidowicz says that much more detailed signage should have been posted well in advance, at all the affected bus stops, as well as on the various TransLink webpages. Information in the booklet schedule for the North Shore is actually incorrect as it does not state that loading and unloading will be done at all bus stops in Vancouver.

No signs have been posted at all at two very busy bus stops downtown, on Pender and Granville. Many bus stops still do not have braille signs to help visually impaired transit riders. (TransLink previously announced that all bus stops now have braille signs. Not true. (See news release dated Nov. 29, 2023. https://buzzer.translink.ca/2023/11/braille-signage-installed-on-all-8000-bus-stops-in-metro-vancouver/)

Combined schedules for bus No. 210, 211, 214.

This has been compiled by Davidowicz. Please share and spread the word. Apparently, TransLink is failing to do so adequately.

Buses will stop at the following bus stops (both loading and unloading).

Inbound: (13 stops) McGill and Renfrew, Dundas and Nanaimo, Powell and Commercial, Powell and Heatley, Main and Powell, Pender St at Main, Carrall, Abbott/ Beatty, Hamilton/ Homer, Richards/Seymour, Granville, Howe St at Pender/Dunsmuir, Burrard Station (Dunsmuir and Burrard)

Outbound (11 stops): Burrard Stn Bay No. 2 on Dunsmuir and Burrard, Pender St. at Thurlow, Burrard/Hornby, Granville,Cordova at Homer/Cambie, Carrall, Main, Heatley, Powell and Commercial, Nanaimo and Dundas, McGill and Renfrew.

FROM: Burrard Station – Downtown to PNE (McGill and Renfrew)

Mon-Fri: :553 am, 600, 619,630, 648, 702, 714, 729, 750, 805, 808, 818, 833, 849, 918, 949, 1007, 1020, 1039, 1048, 1109, 1118, 1135, 1149, 1207 pm, 1217, 1235, 1247,104, 114, 131, 142, 201, 212, 226, 242, 252, 311, 319, 333, 333, 342, 347, 355, 402, 411, 418, 424, 434, 444, 446, 451, 459, 502, 515, 515, 517, 532, 532, 548, 551, 604, 613, 620, 624, 636, 651,706, 722, 754 pm

Saturday: 656 am, 726, 756, 826, 856, 924, 953, 1009, 1023, 1038, 1053, 1108, 1123, 1135, 1151, 1205 pm, 1221, 1234, 1250, 104, 120, 134, 144, 204, 205,225, 234, 246, 303,304, 324, 333, 344, 404, 406, 425, 434, 447, 505, 505, 525, 535, 546, 552, 607, 625, 627, 658,728, 800 pm

Sunday: 723 am, 753, 823, 852, 922,951,1011,1021,1040,1051, 1111,1121, 1139, 1150, 1211 pm 1220 1249, 109, 119, 138, 150, 208, 220, 238, 250, 308, 320, 340, 350, 404, 420, 434, 450, 505, 520, 531,551,621, 652, 722, 752 pm

FROM: McGill and Renfrew-PNE to Downtown Burrard Station

(The departure times shown are from the previous bus stop at Phibbs Exchange in North Vancouver; due to heavy traffic on the Ironworkers Memorial – 2nd Narrows Bridge, the actual departure times from McGill and Renfrew could be 5 to 15 mins later.)

Mon-Fri: 542 am, 617, 635, 647,647, 700, 702, 707, 711, 712, 716, 720, 723, 733, 735, 737, 746, 756, 757, 804, 807, 811, 819, 822, 829, 835, 850, 852, 901, 903, 916, 931, 931, 942, 946,1007, 1016.,1034, 1046,1102, 1116,1132,1146 1203 pm,

1214,1232 1241, 1259, 109, 131, 147, 202, 217, 232, 246, 300, 318, 338, 349, 358, 404, 412, 425, 428, 441, 458, 500, 516, 532, 532, 542, 549, 603, 607, 619, 635, 651, 722 pm

Saturday: 617 am, 647, 717, 747, 817, 847, 917, 932, 947, 1009, 1017, 1039, 1047, 1105, 1117, 1135, 1147, 1203pm, 1217, 1232, 1247, 100, 117, 130, 147, 200, 207, 227, 230, 247, 259, 308, 328, 329, 348, 359, 408, 428, 432, 448, 502, 508, 517, 529, 542, 549, 609, 629, 649, 709, 727 pm

Sunday: 647 am, 717, 747, 817, 847, 917, 930, 947,1004,1017, 1034, 1047, 1103, 1117, 1132, 1147, 1202 pm, 1217, 1232, 1247, 102, 117,132, 147, 202, 217, 232, 247, 302, 317, 332, 347, 402, 417, 432, 447, 502, 517, 547, 617, 647, 717 pm

Above: Powell and Heatley. By the end of the first day, April 15, the board mentioning the Express buses had already been removed. The brail sign makes no mention of the Express buses.