Roam (public transit)

Public transit system in the Bow Valley of Alberta, Canada

Roam

Formerly| Banff Public Transit
Parent| Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission[1]
Headquarters| Banff, Alberta
Locale| Banff, Alberta
Service type| bus service
Routes| 14: 7 year-round, 6 seasonal, and 1 temporally closed
Stops| 120
Destinations| Canmore, Alberta; Banff, Alberta; Lake Louise, Alberta; Banff National Park, Alberta; Kananaskis Country, Alberta
Hubs| 3
Fleet| Nova LFS
Daily ridership| 4,500 (weekdays, Q2 2024)[2]
Annual ridership| 1,556,300 (2023)[3]
Fuel type| hybrid electric, diesel fuel
Operator| BVRTSC
Website| roamtransit.com

Roam is the public transit system for the towns of Canmore, Banff (located inside Banff National Park), and Lake Louise (located inside Banff National Park) and in the Bow Valley of Alberta's Rockies in Canada. The system is managed by the Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission (BVRTSC). In 2023, the system had a ridership of 1,556,300, or about 4,500 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

## History

[edit]

Roam was formerly known as Banff Public Transit and the town has had some form of public transportation since 1994, contracted to a variety of private operators.

The system was re-branded as Roam in June 2008. At the same time a new fleet of four hybrid buses was acquired and operation of the service was turned over a new private contractor, Brewster Inc., a local tour bus company.

On April 21, 2011, the Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission (BVRTSC) was formed by the town of Banff, the town of Canmore and Improvement District No. 9. This new government agency was authorised to provide or coordinate local and regional transit services in the Bow Valley.[4] Although not a voting member, Parks Canada actively participates in commission meetings.[4]

In the fall of 2012 the BVRTSC took over responsibility for the transit service.[5] On December 3, 2012, regional transit service between Banff and Canmore began.[6]

## Service

[edit]

Each Roam bus is decorated with images of different animals from the National Park and area. This one is Elk

There are currently six routes, four that operate year-round and two that operates seasonally (May to September). Service is provided using hybrid Nova buses, each decorated with scenes from the National Park, featuring either a grizzly bear, elk, mountain goat, moose, buffalo, fish, fox, lynx, wolf, etc.

Route  | Districts/Areas Served  | Frequency  | Notes

|
|
|

1 Sulphur Mountain | Sulphur Mountain, Downtown Banff  | 40 minutes  | —
2 Tunnel Mountain | Banff Springs, Downtown Banff, Tunnel Mountain | 40 minutes  | —
3 Banff-Canmore Regional | Downtown Banff, Downtown Canmore  | 60 minutes  | Regional fare required
4 Cave & Basin | Cave and Basin, Sulphur Mountain, Downtown Banff  | 60 minutes  | Operates Friday-Sunday, mid-May to September 30
5T Three Sisters | Downtown Canmore, Carey/Homesteads, Three Sisters | Weekdays: 33–60 minutes

Saturday: 37 minutes

Sunday: 75 minutes

| Currently operating fare-free
5C Cougar Creek | Downtown Canmore, Cougar Creek, Bow Valley Trail | Weekdays: 33–60 minutes

Saturday: 37 minutes

Sunday: 75 minutes

| Currently operating fare-free
6 Lake Minnewanka | Downtown Banff, Lake Minnewanka, Banff Train Station | 60 minutes  | Operates mid-May to mid-September
7 The Banff Cantre | The Banff Centre, Surprise Corner, Downtown Banff  |  | Currently not operating due to Temporary Banff Centre closures
8S Lake Louise Banff Senic | Johnston Canyon, Lake Louise Village Centre, Lake Louise Lakeside, Downtown Banff  |  | Regional fare required

Operates July to August

8X Lake Louise-Banff Express | Lake Louise Village Centre, Lake Louise Lakeside, Downtown Banff  |  | Temporary Suspended for the 2024 season.

Regional fare required

9 Johnston Canyon | Johnston Canyon, Downtown Banff  |  | Currently operating as a Weekend Service
10 Moraine Lake | Moraine Lake, Lake Louise Village Centre, Downtown Banff  |  | Operates September to late-October/early-November
11 Lake Louise Local | Lake Louise Ski Resort, Lake Louise Village Centre, Lake Louise Lakeside |  | Operates Seasonally
12 Grassi Lakes | Downtown Canmore, Spring Creek, Bow Valley Trail, Hospital Hill, Quarry Lake, Kananaskis Country; The Canmore Nordic Centre, Grassi Lakes[7][8][9][10] | 60 minutes  | Currently operating fare-free.

Currently operating as a Weekend Service from the May Long Weekend to the September Long Weekend

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Transit History of Banff, Alberta
2. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Second Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
3. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
4. ^ a b "Strategic & Business Plan, 2017 to 2020" (PDF). Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission. December 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
5. ^ "Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission Regulation" (PDF). Regulation 59/2011. Alberta. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
6. ^ "Roam between Canmore and Banff: regional public transit service". Roam. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
7. ^ "Improving trails, transit and expanding K-Country". Roam Transit. 2022-03-25. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
8. ^ Colgan, Greg (2022-03-25). "New Grassi Lakes, Nordic Centre bus route to begin in 2024". Rocky Mountain Outlook. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
9. ^ Colgan, Greg (2022-07-04). "Seasonal transit route for Grassi Lakes transit, full-time options discussed". Rocky Mountain Outlook. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
10. ^ Alberta, Government of (2022-03-25). "Improving trails, transit and expanding K-Country". Alberta Government. Retrieved 2024-01-06.

## External links

[edit]

Media related to Roam public transit at Wikimedia Commons

* Official website
* Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission – Five-Year Business Plan

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