Viva Blue is a BRT line on the Viva bus rapid transit system in York Region, located north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is operated by Tok Transit, under contract from York Region Transit. This is the busiest bus route in the York Region Transit network.
List of stations There are 27 stops/terminals on Viva Blue. From north to south they are:
Name Opening date City / Town Major connectionsNewmarket Terminal November 20, 2005Newmarket Davis January 5, 2020 Eagle November 20, 2005 Mulock Savage September 6, 2009 Orchard Heights November 20, 2005 Aurora Wellington Golf Links Henderson Bloomington Aurora/Richmond Hill Regatta February 23, 2014 Richmond Hill King November 20, 2005 Jefferson November 16, 2008 19th–Gamble November 20, 2005 Bernard Terminal September 4, 2005 Elgin Mills Crosby Major Mackenzie Weldrick 16th–Carrville Bantry–Scott Richmond Hill Centre Langstaff GO Royal Orchard Markham/Vaughan Centre St. Clark Steeles Finch Terminal North York
History Service from Finch station to Bernard began on September 4, 2005. Service north of Bernard to Newmarket Terminal began November 20, 2005.
There is a Viva Blue short turn route operating from Finch station to Bernard. According to the original environmental assessments, it is also known as the Finch–Richmond Hill line.
Previously there was a Viva Blue 'A' branch which operated between Newmarket Terminal, and Finch Terminal while bypassing Richmond Hill Centre. This was a rush hour branch only. The 'A' branch was suspended in April 2020, due to low ridership, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In September 2023, York Region Transit announced that the 'A' branch would not be returning to service.
On November 3, 2024, the branch operating between Bernard Terminal and Finch GO Bus Terminal was named as Viva Blue 'B'. https://www.yrt.ca/en/schedules-and-maps/service-changes-and-updates.aspx#Viva-blueblue-B
Future
In the future, Viva Blue will have its own dedicated rapidway for most of the route between Newmarket Bus Terminal and Richmond Hill Centre Terminal. The first phase of the Yonge Street Rapidway opened in January 2020 and the second phase in December 2020. There are also plans to extend the bus route northeast to East Gwillimbury GO Station along Yonge Street and Green Lane. Eventually, the entire portion of rapidway could also be upgraded to allow light rail transit on this corridor.
Originally, the southern portion of the Yonge Street rapidway was to be implemented from 19th Avenue to Finch station, but since the announcement of MoveOntario 2020 by the Ontario provincial government, proposals of the portion of rapidway from Richmond Hill Centre to Finch station have been shelved for the proposed north extension of Line 1 Yonge–University.
See also Viva Rapid Transit Yonge Street
References