Viva Rapid Transit

Viva

Viva bus at Richmond Hill Centre Terminal
Parent	York Region Transit
Founded	September 4, 2005
Headquarters	50 High Tech Road, Richmond Hill, ON
Locale	York Region, ON
Service area	York Region along the Highway 7 and Yonge Street corridors
Service type	Quality express bus
Alliance	Züm
Routes	6
Fleet	40 40' units 83 60' units
Fuel type	Diesel
Operator	TOK Transit
Website	Official Website

Viva is a bus rapid transit^[1] service operating in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Viva service is integrated with York Region Transit's local bus service to operate as one regional transit system providing seamless transit service across York Region with connections to northern Toronto.

Viva was designed and built using a public-private partnership (P3) model. York Region partnered with York Consortium, which comprises seven private sector firms with international experience in transit design, architecture, construction and operations. Under the terms of the partnership agreement, public sector responsibilities include establishing fare policies and service levels, ownership of all assets, and control of revenues and funding. Private sector responsibilities include providing professional staffing and procurement support, assuming risk on all approved budgets and schedules, and assisting York Region in its funding and financing requirements.

Viva opened in stages commencing September 6, 2005. The second stage opened on October 16, 2005, the third on November 20, 2005, the fourth on January 2, 2006, and the fifth on January 27, 2008.

Six routes are in operation: Viva Blue, Viva Purple, Viva Orange, Viva Pink, Viva Green, and Viva Yellow, which opened in November 2015.^[2]

Overview

By entering the "Bus Stop Number" to the RideNow webpage, riders can check vehicle arrival information via the Internet, or the YRT Information Line.

Viva's vivasmart display showing real-time vehicle arrival information.

Viva is the first phase of York Region's rapid transit plan to reduce traffic congestion. The next phase is called VivaNext.

The service uses high-end Belgian-built Van Hool and Canadian-built NovaBus buses referred to as "rapid transit vehicles" (RTVs). To maximize speed, buses make use of existing or specially lengthened right-turn lanes bypass lineups at intersections, and of bus-only lanes and roads to avoid traffic. When behind schedule, they are given priority at traffic signals.

Viva operates 18 hours a day, 7 days a week, from 5:30 a.m. to midnight on weekdays, 6:30 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays and 8:00 a.m. to midnight on Sundays. During peak hours (6:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.), buses arrive every three to ten minutes depending on the route. Outside of peak hours, buses arrive 10-45 minutes apart.

Stops along the routes are referred to as "vivastations", and incorporate a ticket vending machine, a ticket validator, and a Presto card reader (fares are on a proof-of-payment basis to speed up boarding times). A real-time display that notifies passengers when the next vehicle is expected to depart. Viva stations are typically blue, except where they are part of a theme. Viva stations located in the historic districts of Thornhill, Richmond Hill, Aurora, and Main Street Markham have a bronze design referred to as "vivavintage". Viva stations on York University's campus are red to comply with the university's signage policy. Where space is limited, stops are served by miniature "vivamicro" stations.

Viva routes connect to Toronto Transit Commission's Yonge, Spadina, and Sheppard subway lines, GO Transit trains and buses, and to a number of Toronto bus routes. Viva is integrated with YRT's existing bus network, and passengers pay one fare to use Viva and the regular bus system. Fares are valid for unlimited use for two hours from the time of purchase. To speed up boarding times, Viva uses the "proof of payment" system. Rather than have drivers sell fares, passengers obtain tickets at vending machines and Viva officials occasionally check to ensure all passengers have paid their fare.

Routes

^{* Running time based on normal traffic and weather conditions, retrieved from the YRT website.}

A map of the Viva bus routes effective winter 2015-16

As Viva’s mandate does not include local service in the city of Toronto, Viva vehicles travelling south of Steeles Avenue (the regional boundary) do not pick up passengers when travelling southbound, and do not allow passengers to disembark when travelling north. However, TTC customers intending to go to York University can use their TTC transfers and passes as proof-of-payment aboard Viva vehicles and do not have to pay another fare. TTC customers heading southbound from York University without a TTC Metropass or TTC transfer, however, must to buy an additional YRT/Viva ticket to board Viva Orange. This arrangement was adopted to reduce overcrowding on the TTC's 196 York University Rocket, while generating an additional revenue stream from the Viva Orange service, which has capacity for additional customers. The TTC pays YRT 49 cents for each TTC customer it picks up. It costs the TTC 97 cents per passenger boarding on route 196 York University Rocket.

In 2009, YRT/Viva bus schedules became available on Google Transit; trip planning, detours, and fare information are available to riders over the Internet.^[5]

Major locations and terminals

Red Viva station on York University Campus

Viva operates at several major locations and terminals, with Viva stations (the names of the stations in brackets) at:

• Finch Station - north of Finch TTC station. An elevator and Viva fare machines are available.
• Newmarket Terminal - across from Upper Canada Mall on Davis Drive, at Eagle Street West (Newmarket Bus Terminal).
• Richmond Hill Centre - Yonge Street at Highway 7/Highway 407 next to Silvercity Richmond Hill theatres. Langstaff GO Station is accessible through a pedestrian overpass.
• Promenade Terminal - in Vaughan on the north side of Promenade Mall (T&T Supermarket), on Centre Street west of Bathurst Street.
• Bernard - on east side of the mall on Yonge Street at Bernard, just north of Elgin Mills Road.
• York University, at York Commons on Ian Macdonald Blvd, right outside of the Archives of Ontario building.
• Don Mills Station - located outside the TTC's Fare Paid Zone, near Fairview Mall (Don Mills Station) on Don Mills Road opposite Leith Hill Road, just north of Sheppard Avenue, as well as inside the fare-paid zone.
• Downsview Station - located outside the TTC Fare Paid Zone, on Sheppard Avenue West at Allen Road, as well as inside the fare-paid zone.
• Unionville Station - located adjacent to the Highway 407 and Kennedy Road interchange (exit 88) in the city of Markham.
• Markham-Stouffville Hospital - located near the hospital on Church St. and Country Glen Road. in Markham near 9th Line and Highway 7.

Future terminals

The opening of Cornell Terminal had been planned for July 2007, but it has been postponed to 2016. The terminal is to be built near Markham Stouffville Hospital, near the intersection of Donald Cousens Parkway and Highway 7. The current Markham Stouffville Hospital terminus is a standard VivaBRT stop in an area next to the hospital.

The Vaughan Corporate Centre Viva station, an existing stop, is to be relocated to a spot on Highway 7 directly above the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre subway station (under construction), thus converting this Viva stop into a terminal. It will become the largest Viva station on the network due to extra space required for escalators and elevators.

Fares

Presto card reader at Viva station.

Both Viva and YRT are part of YRT's 1system fare policy. This means that a Viva fare and a YRT fare are treated the same, and that riders can transfer from either service to the other without having to pay an additional fare. Riders can also transfer from TTC buses operating in York Region, assuming that they have paid the YRT fare when boarding the TTC bus (when in York Region) or exiting the TTC bus (when travelling to York Region from Toronto).

YRT/Viva operates on a three-zone fare system. Much of southern York Region is in one zone (comprising the city of Vaughan, the city of Markham, the town of Richmond Hill and southern areas of the township of King and the town of Whitchurch-Stouffville). Central York Region is in another zone (comprising the town of East Gwillibury, the town of Newmarket, the township of King, the town of Aurora, and the town of Whitchurch-Stouffville). The third fare zone is in the town of Georgina. The Oak Ridges Moraine divides the zones. Georgina, which constitutes another zone at least for Mobility Plus riders, does not have local bus connections to any other zone at present. Fares within Georgina are basically the same as for one-zone in the southern municipalities. Transfers are accepted if a rider uses the GO bus in between YRT routes, and YRT fares are accepted on the GO bus, with payment of a zone supplement.

Riders can purchase single ride fares from "oneRide" ticket machines, available at all Viva stations. In addition, riders may purchase multiple ride fares from authorized vendors or at "multiRide" ticket machines, available at select terminals where Viva operates. Single ticket fares are good for a two-hour time window (expiry time printed on ticket) on any Viva or YRT route.

To reduce time spent loading passengers, Viva routes employ a proof-of-payment fare system. Fare Inspectors travel vehicle to vehicle to ensure that passengers have paid their fares. Those caught without valid proof of payment are subject to a fine. Students must produce an authentic student ID card to use student fares (TTC Student ID cards are considered a valid student ID).

Beginning July 1, 2006, monthly passes for YRT/Viva became eligible for a 15.5% tax credit from the Government of Canada, which can be claimed when filing tax returns at the end of the year, with proof of purchase. This was reduced to 15% for 2007 and subsequent years.

In July 2011, the Presto card smart card was launched in York Region, providing another payment method.

Ticket machines

Viva ticketing machines at the Finch Bus Terminal.

Viva Ticket Validation & Presto machines.

At ticket machines labelled "oneRide", one can purchase single ride Student (student ID required when riding), Adult, or Child/Senior tickets (seniors are required to show their ID). As they have been pre-validated, they must be used immediately upon purchase. "oneRide" machines accept coins (but are not able to return change) and credit cards (MasterCard and Visa), and are available at all Viva stations.

At ticket machines labelled "multiRide", one can purchase multiple tickets in packs of 10 for Student, Adult, or Child/Senior fares. Zone upgrades can also be purchased from these machines. Multi-ride ticket machines are available at some terminals.

Terminals accept coins, bills of up to $20 (and are able to return change). Some accept debit cards (Interac, Cirrus and Plus).

All ticket machines not in terminals have a validation machine attached to their sides. For many ticketing machines inside the terminal, the validation machine is separated from the ticket machines because many of the ticket machines are side by side.

Beginning 2007, security cameras have been installed in Viva stations (and the vehicles) to prevent abuse to the machines.

The ticketing machines operate on Microsoft Windows 2000 and a customized Viva client. Because of the large number of people using the ticketing machines in terminals, they are inspected often and usually in good working order.

Vehicles and fleet rosters

Viva's vehicles are intended to be much more luxurious than is usual for public transport in North America.

Viva bus interiors are intended to be more comfortable in design than normal transit buses, and are equipped with "Next Station" prompts and information screens.

A holiday themed Viva bus spotted on November 19, 2010.

Viva's buses are referred to as Rapid Transit Vehicles (RTVs). Viva operates 101 Van Hool buses and more than 15 Nova Buses.
All Viva vehicles are wheelchair-accessible.

Make/Model	Description	Fleet #	Notes
Van Hool  Belgium	Articulated newAG300	5201-5225, 7201-7205, 8201-8211	Length: 18 meters (60 ft) Cost per vehicle: $742,000 Engine/Transmission: Cummins ISM/Voith D864.3E (Cummins ISL/Voith D864.5 for 8201-8211) Built from 2005-2008 These buses are found on routes Viva Blue, Viva Purple, and occasionally on Viva Pink. All units refurbished between 2011 and 2015.
Van Hool  Belgium	newA330	5101-5160	Length: 12 meters (40 ft) Cost per vehicle: $494,000 Engine/Transmission: Cummins ISL/Voith D864.3E Built from 2005-2006. Mainly restricted on routes Viva Orange, Viva Green, Viva Purple, Viva Pink, and Viva Yellow. Rarely, they may appear on Viva Blue. All units have been refurbished in 2012 and 2013. 5102, 5109, 5112, 5114, 5117, 5119, 5121, 5136, 5139, 5141, 5143, 5146, 5149-5151, 5154, 5156, 5158-5160 units were transferred to YRT for coventional service.
Novabus Canada	Articulated LFX	1080-1094 The vehicles now service Viva Routes Blue, Pink (Rush Hours) and Purple (Routes with highest ridership).	Length: 18 meters (62 ft) Cost per vehicle: $902,234 Engine/Transmission: Cummins ISL9/Voith D864.5 Built in 2011 These buses are found on routes Viva Blue, Viva Purple, and occasionally on Viva Pink.
Novabus Canada	Articulated LFS	1370-1396 The vehicles now service Viva Routes Blue, Pink (Rush Hours) and Purple (Routes with highest ridership).	Length: 18 meters (62 ft) Cost per vehicle: $902,234 Engine/Transmission: Cummins ISL9/Voith D864.5 Built in 2013. These buses are found on routes Viva Blue, Viva Purple, and occasionally on Viva Pink.
Ford Motor Company	Ford Focus USA	N/A	compact station wagons - support vehicles

Similar buses are being used in Longueuil (Montreal's South Shore) by Réseau de transport de Longueuil, and in Oakland, California by AC Transit.

Future extensions

The next phase of the Viva rapid transit system is called "Vivanext". The Vivanext plan includes the Toronto–York Spadina Subway Extension (TYSSE) of the Spadina subway line north from its current terminus at Downsview to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. The TYSSE will be the first time that York Region will be served by subways. This 8.7-kilometre subway extension, from Sheppard Avenue to Highway 7, was funded by all three levels of government.^[6] and is expected to be fully operational by December 2017 at the earliest.^[7]

Vivanext also includes the Yonge North Subway Extension of the Yonge subway line north from Finch to Richmond Hill Centre. The Environmental Project Report for the Yonge North Subway Extension was unconditionally approved by the Ministry of the Environment in 2009. This 6.7-kilometre extension is one of the top 15 priority projects of Metrolinx, the provincial transportation agency. A conceptual design contract was initiated in 2010 to maintain momentum on the project and provide a stronger foundation for moving it forward.

Rapidways

The first Vivanext station at Warden

The Vivanext plan includes the construction of dedicated bus lanes called rapidways. They will take Viva RTVs out of mixed traffic along segments of some of the region’s busiest corridors – Highway 7, Yonge Street and Davis Drive, reducing ride times by up to 40%. Vivanext rapidways will improve connections between regional growth centres and provide links to other key transit services such as GO Transit and the TTC subway system. Eventually, Vivanext may replace buses on the dedicated rapidways with a light rail transit system.^[8]

In November 2008, the provincial transportation agency Metrolinx selected two infrastructure projects for construction beginning in 2009, including major components of the Vivanext plan. Metrolinx gave its final approval to a $7 billion, five-year capital plan that includes over $1 billion for construction of several Vivanext rapidways.^[9]

In the spring of 2009, the Province of Ontario committed $1.4 billion for Vivanext rapidways. The Cornell Terminal in Markham has received $5.6 million in funding through the provincial government's "Quick Wins" program.

Previous expansions to the Viva rapid transit system include Viva Purple. The Purple line was extended to Markham Stouffville Hospital on January 27, 2008, providing service to three new Viva stations: Main Street Markham, Wootten Way, and Markham Stouffville Hospital.

In 2018, York Region Transit will begin service on the Viva Silver route, which will serve Vaughan Metropolitan Centre north on Jane Street to Major Mackenzie Drive, and east to Richmond Hill GO Station.^[10]

YRT/Viva have also identified a partnership with Brampton Transit's Züm, a service similar to Viva operating in the Region of Peel, as a priority. Connections along Highway 7 are expected to start upon Züm's launch. Integration with Brampton Transit, Page 7

2008 driver strike

Vivasmart display alerting passengers that no VIVA service is available during the strike.

A fully packed YRT bus during the strike.

Viva's 165 bus operators are members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, which also represents transit operators for the Toronto Transit Commission.

On September 25, 2008, 160 operators walked off the job at 4am EST. 61% of the operators rejected the contract that had been offered the previous week.^[11] While Viva service was disrupted, York Region Transit continued to operate as its drivers are represented by a different local of the ATU that did not go on strike.^[12]

On October 10, 2008, 65% of the operators voted to accept the contract that they rejected on September 25, ending the 16-day strike.^[13] Service resumed at 6am EST on October 11, 2008.

See also

• List of bus rapid transit systems
• Züm - Brampton Transit's BRT

Notes

References

Viva publications

• Viva - A Rider's Manual, York Region September 2005
• Viva - York Region Rapid Transit Route Map 2005
• the viva rapid transit vehicle/rtv:ag300 2005
• "Viva RT - New Transit System Coming Soon", About Markham, p. 2. June 2005
• MyTransit, York Region Transit, September 2005. (PDF)

Government publications

• Viva Rapid Transit Phase One Operations and Maintenance Services Contract. Minutes of Council – March 31, 2005, Regional Municipality of York, March 31, 2005.
• Viva Fare Collection Equipment, Maintenance Services Sourcing, Minutes of Council – June 23, 2005, Regional Municipality of York, June 23, 2005.
• Viva rapid transit Fact Sheet, Regional Municipality of York, September 6, 2005.
• Yonge Street Environmental Assessment, Regional Municipality of York, November 10, 2005.

Newspapers

• "vivatalk - York Region's Rapid Transit Update", Economist & Sun/Sun-Tribune: Community, p. 7. June 11, 2005
• "Bus Riders find bearings", Toronto Star, p.B3, September 7, 2005.

Other sources

• "Ontario and Beyond - York Region Rapid Transit Plan", Transfer Points June–July 2004, p. 5-6.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Viva.

• YRT Information Site
• YRT/VIVA Fare Rates
• vivaNext
• The Toronto LRT Information Page (possible VIVA LRV rendering is shown)