Viva Orange

List of stations

There are twelve stations on the Viva Orange line (from south-east to north-west):

With Brampton Transit

Viva Orange shares routing with Brampton Transit's 501 Züm Queen express bus route between Martin Grove and York University, and has been fare integrated with it since its creation in September 2010. Both Brampton Transit and York Region Transit proofs of payment are accepted for the entire length of both bus routes.

Prior to the creation of Züm, there was a similar fare agreement in place on Route 77, which operated between Bramalea City Centre Terminal and Finch Bus Terminal, and was jointly operated by York Region Transit and Brampton Transit. Both Brampton Transit and York Region Transit fares were accepted on Route 77, including the 77A branch between Bramalea and York University. Concurrently with the opening of Züm, route 77 was cut back to Highway 50, the border between Brampton and York Region, and is now operated exclusively as a YRT route, though Brampton Transit's proof of payment continues to be valid for that route (as is YRT proof of payment valid for Brampton bus route 1).

With the Toronto Transit Commission

Viva Orange duplicates the routing of the Toronto Transit Commission's 196 York University Rocket bus rapid transit route between York University and Downsview Station. On this segment, both TTC and YRT proofs of payment are accepted

Apart from the period from September 2010 to May 2011 while routes were being shifted onto the York University Busway, Viva Orange has duplicated Route 196 since its opening. However, until a policy change was enacted on August 12, 2010, York Region Transit did not have a mandate to cover Toronto itself and Viva Orange buses could not pick up passengers south of Steeles except at York University. Passengers transferring to Viva Orange from TTC services at Downsview Station are required to pay a YRT fare, however they can ride Route 196 at no extra cost. This caused Viva Orange to travel at a much lesser load than Route 196, which was often overcrowded. Viva Orange buses share the Dufferin Street bus lanes and the hydro corridor bus roadway with Route 196, but do not use the busway inside York's campus that connects to the "Commons" bus terminal, and takes slightly longer than Route 196 to get there as a result. Viva Orange also stops in a different location than Route 196 at York University; this and the frequency of Viva Orange (15 minutes whereas Route 196 runs every 2 minutes September to May) cause fewer people to choose it as an alternative.

Future

On June 30, 2013, off-peak service was removed from York University to Downsview Station to prevent service duplication with TTCs 196 York University Rocket. On April 20, 2014, weekday evening service and weekend service was removed west of Pine Valley Drive due to poor ridership. This means that full Monday-Sunday service will only be available from York University to Pine Valley Drive. However, full service on Viva Orange between York University and Martin Grove will be restored when the route is extended to Highway 50.

In the Viva Network Plan, a plan was put forward to extend the VIVA orange to Richmond Hill Centre and Finch Terminal. The proposal would see the Viva Orange start from Highway 50, stopping at Highway 427, Highway 27, Martin Grove, Kipling, Islington, Helen, Pine Valley, Ansley Grove, Weston, Commerce, Vaughan Corporate Centre Subway (2016), Creditstone, Keele, Dufferin and Promenade Terminal. From here, every other trip will head towards Finch Station, stopping at New Westminster, Bathurst, Hilda, Clark, Steeles and Finch Terminal. All other trips will head towards Richmond Hill Centre, stopping at Atkinson, Bathurst and Richmond Hill Centre Terminal. This service would connect to the future Spadina Subway Extension at Vaughan Corporate Centre.

vivaNext

In 2015, as the Vaughan North-South Link transit corridor, the Viva Orange line will be replaced by a subway line on the portion of the route from York University to Downsview Station, as part of the Toronto Transit Commission's Spadina subway extension, and by Viva Purple along the Highway 7 portion of the route, eliminating a transfer for east-west travellers. Eventually, the entire transitway (i.e., Highway 7) portion of the route could be upgraded to allow light rail transit on this corridor.