See the TTC’s first new bendy bus make its maiden voyage on Bathurst Street

By Steve Kupferman | December 20, 2013

By Steve Kupferman | 12/20/2013

The TTC bendy bus: you are so articulated (Image: Christopher Drost)

Bus travel in Toronto entered a more flexible era at Bathurst Station this morning, when the TTC celebrated the maiden voyage of its first new articulated bus. The 60-foot-long Nova “Artic” vehicle is the first of 153 that will begin serving some of Toronto’s busiest routes by the end of 2014.

The Bathurst 7 route will be the first one to get a complement of the new bendy buses. TTC communications director Brad Ross says the street is expected to have a full line-up of Artics by the end of January. This first bus is the only one in active service for now.

The TTC hopes to pack each of these new buses with about 77 people during peak travel periods, which is about 45 per cent more riders than regular buses are equipped to handle. The increased capacity comes with a trade-off, of course: the TTC plans to run these buses less frequently than regular buses, so commuters can expect longer wait times. Other routes that will see Artics include 29 Dufferin, 6 Bay, 36 Finch West and 63 Ossington.

Here are some photos from the scene at this morning’s launch.