Halifax Transit

Conventional bus service

Bridge Terminal, which opened in 2012

There are 322 conventional buses in the fleet^[14], all of which are low floor and wheelchair accessible. ^[15]

Halifax Transit operates 57 conventional transit routes within the Urban Transit Service Area, broadly similar to the metropolitan region of Halifax Regional Municipality (Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford and Sackville), including the areas of Eastern Passage, North Preston/Cherry Brook, Tantallon and Herring Cove. Routes are numbered according to the region or type of service provided.

Express services

Express routes, originally established as Metro Link express bus service operates Monday to Friday. The two express routes began service in August 2005. The system consists of two limited-stop fully accessible express routes, connecting downtown Halifax's Scotia Square bus terminal, with the Portland Hills terminal in Cole Harbour on the Dartmouth side, and the Sackville Terminal in Lower Sackville.

Regional Express Routes, formerly MetroX, is Halifax Transit's rural express bus service. There are three routes which started operating in August 2009 running between Halifax and Tantallon, the Airport, and Porters Lake, respectively. All routes terminate at Scotia Square in downtown Halifax, are handicap accessible and have facilities to carry bicycles.^[16]

Rural routes provide some suburban and rural communities access to the regular and express bus system operated by Halifax Transit. There are three rural routes provide service between the Sackville Terminal and Beaverbank; Portland Hills to East Preston, Lake Echo, Grand Desert, and; South Centre Mall and Ketch Harbour via the Old Sambro Road and Highway 349.

Halifax–Dartmouth Ferry Service

The launch of the Viola Desmond in 2016

Halifax Transit also provides two passenger ferry routes, one connecting downtown Halifax with Alderney Landing in Dartmouth, and the other connecting with Woodside. Each route is serviced by a pair of vessels. The ferry services are integrated with the bus services; the fares are identical, and transfers are accepted between the two systems. The harbour ferries board 1.4 million passengers each year^[17] Each ferry carries up to 398 passengers. All routes are handicap accessible and have provision to carry bicycles.

Access-A-Bus

Halifax Access-a-bus

Halifax Transit also provides Access-A-Bus service which is a dial-a-ride paratransit service for elderly and handicapped residents in the region. This service was created in 1981, the same year Halifax Transit was formed.^[18] There are approximately 20 Access-A-Bus vehicles .

Fares

Halifax Transit offers four main fare categories: Adult (16 years & up), Senior (65+ years), Child (5 – 15 years), and Student (Full Time Student with valid photo student ID). Anyone with a ticket, pass or transfer for the regular or Metrolink service can pay the difference in cash fare to use a more expensive Metrolink or MetroX service.

Halifax Transit support truck on Sackville eastbound at Barrington.

A Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) Identification card can be used to obtain free travel on Halifax Transit's conventional buses, MetroX buses, MetroLink buses and harbour ferry service. A university student bus pass (U-pass)^[19] is available for Saint Mary's, Mount Saint Vincent, King's College, Dalhousie, Nova Scotia Community College (Halifax Campuses only) and Nova Scotia College of Art and Design students, and the cost is included in tuition fees. Halifax Transit is also piloting a low income bus pass at 50% off regular price.^[20]

Transfers are issued upon request on all Halifax Transit buses and ferries. A transfer allows the user to transfer between multiple conventional route buses and ferries traveling in any direction without having to pay an additional fare. A transfer also allows users to transfer to MetroLink and MetroExpress buses at a reduced fare. Transfers are valid for 90 minutes after the last scheduled stop on the current run of the route where it was issued. Holders of a valid MetroPass or MetroLink Pass do not require transfers.^[21]

Schedules and route information

A Halifax Transit bus stop sign with new Departures Line info, high contrast route numbers, and Halifax Transit branding. Sign shows west bound routes from stop in front of Lord Nelson arcade on Spring Garden Road east of South Park Street.

Route information can be accessed through the Halifax Transit Departures number 902 480 8000. Individual route schedules are available online at halifax.ca/transit. Most terminals have TV screens that display anticipated arrival times of buses that service the terminal.

Departures

In early 2016, Halifax Transit publicly released their next-generation AVL-based system called Departures. The system was first launched on May 15, 2016, with the introduction of the Departures Line, and as of July 2016 the rollout of the updated Departures Board that replaces the older GoTime departure displays found at terminals across the system. The Departures Board works similar to the previous GoTime-based departures display, with the exception that instead of showing the next two bus arrival times, will display the bay number and the next bus departure time, either showing the next hour and minute or the number of minutes before the bus departs, or "delayed" if the bus is behind by a certain number of minutes. It will also only show buses set to arrive in the next while, versus the older display which would show "(not scheduled)" for any route not running at that point in time.

The Departures Line works similarly to the previous GoTime IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system. Instead of dialling (902) 480- plus the 4-digit number found on bus stop signage, one dials (902)-480-8000 and following the voice responses, one would input the bus stop number to access route departure times. The system gives the estimated departure time if available, scheduled times if the bus is not reporting real-time data or is delayed by a number of minutes, adjusted time to depart when schedule adjustments are made, and will announce when a bus is arriving within the minute.

Accessibility

On December 16, 2016 Halifax Transit began piloting an automated stop announcement system on several bus routes, providing both auditory and visual notice of approaching bus stops, as well as announcing the route of each bus on arrival at a bus stop.^[22] By January 30, 2017, all conventional buses provided the automated stop announcement.^[23]. As of June 8, 2017, all conventional buses in the Halifax Transit fleet were low floor and accessible to wheelchairs. ^[24]

Route number structure

As the Moving Forward Together Plan takes effect the following number structure will be in effect. Routes 1-10 are Corridor routes. Routes 20-99 are Local routes. Routes 100-199 are Express routes. Routes 300-399 are Regional Express routes. And routes 400-499 are Rural routes. Corridor routes provide high frequency during most of the day and travel long routes connecting different parts of the Halifax Regional Municipality to Downtown Halifax. Local routes provide less frequent service across various parts of the HRM connecting communities to corridor routes. Express routes are limited stop, peak service only routes that provide direct transport from downtown to local communities. Regional Express and Rural routes provide varied levels of service to areas outside of the HRM.

Currently, routes such as 80 Sackville, are considered corridor routes. They will be partially replaced by 2022 to match the new numbering system. The 80 Sackville will be replaced by the 8 Sackville or the 60 Eastern Passage will be replaced by the 6 Eastern Passage for example.

MetroLink routes 159 and 185 are not considered Express Routes, and will eventually be discontinued and replaced by new Express routes.

Current Routes

No.	Name	Features	Inner Terminal	Outer Terminal	Notes/History
1	Spring Garden		Bridge Terminal	Mumford Terminal
2	Fairview		Water Street Terminal	Lacewood Terminal
3	Crosstown		Lacewood Terminal	Windmill & Wright	Used to provide service to Bayers Lake.
4	Universities		Dalhousie University	Lacewood Terminal	Used to provide service to Mount Saint Vincent University.
5	Chebucto		Water Street Terminal	Downs & Milsom	Weekday service only.
7	Robie		Merv Sullivan Park	Northridge Loop
9A	Greystone - Fotherby		Barrington & Duke	Fotherby & Herring Cove
9B	Herring Cove		Barrington & Duke	St Paul's & School
10	Dalhousie		Dalhousie University	Invenary & Strath
11	Dockyard		Bridge Terminal	Halifax Dockyard	Partially a re-reinstatement of a former route with the same number.
14	Leiblin Park		Barrington & Duke	Leiblin & Juniper
15	Purcell's Cove		Bayers Road Centre	York Redoubt Loop
21	Lakeside / Timberlea		Lacewood Terminal	Charles Road	Used to service downtown Halifax.
22	Armdale		Mumford Terminal	Ragged Lake Transit Centre
28	Bayers Lake		Mumford Terminal	Lacewood Terminal
29	Barrington		Point Pleasant Park	Bayers Road Centre
30A	Clayton Park		Lacewood Terminal	Lacewood Terminal	Travels in a clockwise loop.
30B	Clayton Park		Lacewood Terminal	Lacewood Terminal	Travels in a counter-clockwise loop.
32	Cowie Hill Express		Barrington & Duke	South Centre Mall	Weekday service only.
39	Flamingo		Bridge Terminal	Lacewood Terminal
41	Dartmouth – Dalhousie		Dalhousie University	Bridge Terminal	Weekday service only.
51	Windmill		Bridge Terminal	Princess Margaret & Killkee	Weekday rush service extends from Bridge Terminal to Princess Margaret & Killkee to Joseph Zatzman Dr.
53	Notting Park		Highfield Terminal	Bridge Terminal	Weekday rush service extends from Bridge Terminal to Summer & Trollope.
54	Montebello		Dartmouth Ferry Terminal	Caledonia & Du Portage
55	Port Wallace		Dartmouth Sportsplex	Portobello Loop
56	Dartmouth Crossing		Portland Hills Terminal	Wright & Countryview	Used to service Westphal
57	Russell Lake		Woodside Ferry Terminal	Portland Hills Terminal	Used to service Mic Mac
58	Woodlawn		Bridge Terminal	Dorthea & Lucien
59	Colby		Bridge Terminal	Ashgrove & Cole Harbour	Weekday rush service extends from Bridge Terminal to Summer & Trollope.
60	Eastern Passage / Heritage Hills		Bridge Terminal	Caldwell & Shore
61	Auburn / North Preston		Barrington & Duke	North Preston Recreation Centre	Used to service Bisett.
62	Wildwood		Bridge Terminal	Cole Harbour Place	Used to be the 62 Cherrybrook.
63	Woodside		Bridge Terminal	Irving & Franklyn	Weekday service only.
64	Akerley		Bridge Terminal	Akerley & McClusky	Weekday rush hour service only.
65	Caldwell		Portland Hills Terminal	Caldwell & Cole Harbour
66	Penhorn		Cobequid Terminal	Gaston Loop	Used to provide service to the Woodside Ferry, and Forest Hills.
68	Cherrybrook		Bridge Terminal	Cherrybrook & Hwy 7	Weekday peak service extends from Bridge Terminal to Summer & Trollope. Used to provide service to Ross Road and Auburn.
72	Portland Hills		Portland Hills Terminal	Finlay & Shuble
78	Mount Edward Express		Woodside Ferry Terminal	Cole Harbour Place	Weekday rush hour service only.
79	Cole Harbour Express		Woodside Ferry Terminal	Colby Village	Weekday rush hour service only. Replaces former MetroLink route 165.
80	Sackville		Upper Water & Cornwallis	Sackville Terminal
81	Hemlock Ravine		Upper Water & Cornwallis	Bedford & Uteck	Weekday service only. Used to service Bedford
82	Millwood		Cobequid Terminal	Sackville Terminal	Weekday peak service extends from Cobequid Terminal to Barrington & George
83	Springfield		Sackville Terminal	Springfield Estates
84	Glendale Express		Summer & Trollope	Sackville Terminal	Weekday service only.
85	Downsview Express		Summer & Trollope	Sackville Terminal	Weekday service only. Used to be the Bedford Express.
86	Basinview Express		Summer & Trollope	Hwy 1 & Rockmanor	Weekday service only. Used to connect Bedford and Dartmouth.
87	Glendale		Bridge Terminal	Sackville Terminal	Used to service Halifax and Connolly.
88	Bedford Commons		Cobequid Terminal	Bedford Commons	Used to service Atlantic Acres.
89	Bedford		Lacewood Terminal	Cobequid Terminal	Weekday service only.
90	Larry Uteck		Water Street Terminal	Larry Uteck Roundabout
123	Timberlea Express		Scotia Square	Charles Road	Weekday service only.
135	Flamingo Express		Scotia Square	Lacewood Terminal	Weekday service only.
136	Farnham Gate Express		Scotia Square	Lacewood Terminal	Weekday service only.
137	Clayton Park Express		Scotia Square	Lacewood Terminal	Weekday service only.
138	Parkland Express		Scotia Square	Lacewood Terminal	Weekday service only.
159	Portland Hills Link		Barrington & Duke	Portland Hills Terminal	Weekday service only.
185	Sackville Link		Barrington & Duke	Sackville Terminal	Weekday service only.
194	West Bedford Express		Summer & Trollope	Innovation Dr. & Gary Martin Dr.	Weekday service only.
320	Airport/Fall River		Albemarle & Duke	Halifax Stanfield International Airport
330	Tantallon		Albemarle & Duke	Tantallon Rink Park & Ride	Weekday service only.
370	Porters Lake		Albemarle & Duke	Porters Lake Rink Park & Ride	Weekday service only.
400	Beaver Bank		Sackville Terminal	Beaver Bank Villa, Highway 354
401	Porters Lake		Portland Hills Terminal	Grand Desert, Highway 207	Weekday service only.
433	Tantallon		Lacewood Terminal	Tantallon	Weekday service only.

Wheelchair – Uses Accessible Low Floor (ALF) buses only.
Rush Hour Service Only.
Designated Bike Route.
MetroLink Service (see MetroLink section above)
MetroX Service (see MetroX section above)
University routes that only operate during the university academic calendar year (September – April).

Withdrawn

No.	Name	Started	Ended	Notes
2	Wedgewood		2018	Merged with 4 into new route 2.
3	Gottingen	1927	1989	Merged with route 7.
3	Mumford	1993	2012
4	Rosedale		2018	Merged with 2 into new route 2.
8	Windsor	1963	1999	Discontinued due to overlapping service from other routes.
8	Waterfront	2010	2013	Discontinued due to inadequate ridership.
6	Quinpool	1980	2017	Discontinued due to overlapping service from other routes.
9	Barrington	1928	2017	Discontinued due to Moving Forward Together Plan modifications. Partially replaced by route 29.
11	Macdonald Bridge	1955	1988	Merged with route 1, later partially reinstated.
12	Flamingo	1970	2003
16	Stanley Park	1995	1998
16	Parkland		2018	Discontinued due to Moving Forward Together Plan modifications. Partially replaced by route 39.
17	Saint Mary's		2018	Merged with 18 and 42 into new route 4.
18	Universities		2018	Merged with 17 and 42 into new route 4.
19	Fotherby	1990	2000
19	Greystone	2008	2017	Replaced by route 9A.
20	Herring Cove	1970	2017	Replaced by route 9B.
22	Exhibition Park	1993	2004	Reinstated with service to Exhibition Park with the opening of the Ragged Lake Transit Centre in 2010. Service to Exhibition Park was discontinued again in 2017.
23	Timberlea Express		2018	Replaced by new Express route 123.
26	Shuttle	1993	2008
30	Glenforest	1975	1999
31	Main Express		2018	Replaced by new Express routes 135, 136, 137 and 138.
33	Tantallon Express		2018	Replaced by new Express routes 135, 136, 137 and 138 and Rural route 433.
34	Glenforest Express		2018	Replaced by new Express routes 135, 136, 137 and 138.
35	Parkland Express		2018	Replaced by new Express routes 135, 136, 137 and 138.
34	Rockingham Express	1982	1990
35	Rosedale	1995	2000
40	Mumford–Dalhousie	2006	2006
42	Lacewood-Dalhousie		2018	Merged with 17 and 18 into new route 4.
48	Highfield	1990	1999
50	Portland Estates	1980	1996
50	BIO	2001	2004
52	Crosstown		2018	Discontinued due to Moving Forward Together Plan modifications. Partially replaced by route 3.
56	Westphal	1980	1989
57	Mic Mac	1980	1989
61	Bisett	1980	1996
66	Forest Hills–Woodside Ferry	1987	1989
68	Auburn	1980	1995
68	Ross Road	1995	2000
71	Forest Hills Express	1982	1989
81	Bedford	1980	1985
85	Bedford Express	1980	1991
86	Bedford–Dartmouth	1987	1988
87	Connolly	1990	1997
88	Atlantic Acres	1993	1994
165	Woodside Link	2005	2014	Replaced by new conventional route 79
402	Sambro	2009	2017	Discontinued due to inadequate ridership.

Wheelchair – Uses Accessible Low Floor (ALF) buses only.
Rush Hour Service Only.
Designated Bike Route.
MetroLink Service (see MetroLink section above)
MetroX Service (see MetroX section above)
University routes that only operate during the university academic calendar year (September – April).

Criticism

Halifax Transit has been criticized as inefficient and unreliable.^[26][27] Some transit advocates have called Halifax Transit's "Moving Forward Together Plan" inadequate, identifying four major concerns:

1. The lack of a connective network which will result in dramatically less travel choice for transit users
2. Inefficient and redundant route design that will cause ridership to remain low
3. Missing data and analysis making it difficult to have good, evidence-based discussion
4. A five-year implementation, which will cause unpredictability for riders as routes continuously change

In addition, the "Moving Forward Together Plan" is characterised as a plan that disregards the key principles that Halifax Transit identified through years of public engagement and consultation.^[28] Business groups have also noted both the current lack of service, and lack of proposed future service, along key corridors of the region.^[29]