Grand River Transit

[Bob_McBob]

Bendy buses coming to Waterloo Region in 2021

WATERLOO REGION — A new kind of bus will be plying the streets of Waterloo Region when Grand River Transit introduces articulated buses in two years.

The buses, sometimes called "bendy buses," are longer than the conventional 12-metre (40-foot) bus, and have an accordionlike hinge that allows the longer vehicle to get around corners. The 18.2-metre (60-foot) buses can accommodate 112 passengers, 62 of them in seats, compared to 80 passengers, 41 of them in seats, in standard buses. As well, riders can board at the rear of the bigger buses, which reduces the amount of time at a stop.

The buses will serve busy routes along University Avenue and Fischer-Hallman Road, where buses are often jam-packed during rush hours. About 4,700 riders take the University Avenue bus and 5,400 ride on Fischer-Hallman buses every weekday, said Neil Malcolm, Grand River Transit's assistant director of transit services.