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TransLink 101: What does farside and nearside bus stop mean?

TransLink 101: What does farside and nearside bus stop mean?

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We’re going back to basics again with TransLink 101—explaining TransLink and its operations!

Why is this bus stop located where it is?
Why is this bus stop located where it is?

Have you ever used Google Maps to plan your trip or called 604.953.3333 with your transit stop number? Then you might have heard of farside (FS), nearside (NS), and mid-block bus stops.

What does that exactly mean?

Nearside is the side of an intersection before you cross and farside is the side after. Mid-block bus stops are located in between intersections.

Katherine McCune, Manager of Service Planning at Coast Mountain Company tells us farside stops are the standard due to safety and customer convenience considerations.

“Farside bus stops are preferred so that the cars do not cut in front of the bus stopped nearside or block the right turn lane and cause traffic congestion,” she says. “Also, the bus does not have to stop twice – once for picking up and dropping off customers and then again at the red light. All pedestrian activity takes place behind the bus when it has left the bus stop thus increasing the pedestrian safety.”

Nearside and mid-block bus stops are only used when it is absolutely necessary, such as a driveway is in the way or passenger amenities are poor on the farside.

“Nearside stops result in buses blocking the view of motorists and pedestrians, and often pedestrians running out in front of the bus,” Katherine says. “Mid-block stops are only used when we have a major [pedestrian traffic] generator in the area and generally there is a crosswalk or pedestrian signal nearby.”

When it comes to planning the placement of bus stops, the planning team works with the local municipalities and has spacing guidelines that they follow.

“We do not want stops too close together such that the bus cannot travel in a reasonably quick manner,” according to Katherine. “We also look at where people may be going to and coming from. We look for locations that will provide safety for our passengers, such as the location of crosswalks and signalized intersections nearby.”

Author: Allen Tung

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