Aquabus

The beginning of ferry service throughout False Creek occurred in mid-1979 when Brian and Laura Beesley began operating a tour and water taxi service around Granville Island and False Creek.^[3][4] The Aquabus Ferry Company was formed in 1986 by Jeff Pratt, the son of George Pratt who was a former partner at competitor Granville Island Ferries division False Creek Ferries.^[1] It has since grown along with the population surrounding False Creek. Four Benford-designed ferries were in operation by Expo 86 and the additional three plus a bicycle ferry, Cyquabus I, were in service by 1995.^[5] The heritage ferry, the Rainbow Hunter, was built in 1950.^[6] As Vancouver grew, Aquabus incorporated two more larger bicycle ferries, the Cyquabus II and the Cyquabus III, in 2003^[7] and 2006.^[8] In mid-2008, one of the Benford ferries was converted to a fully electric propulsion system and was used as a test platform for Aquabus' exploration of alternative energy.^[9] In the second quarter of 2010, the Aquabus Ferry Company acquired two new bicycle ferries, Cyquabus IV and Cyquabus V, and sold the heritage Rainbow Hunter.

The Aquabus fleet comprises eleven fully accessible vessels and seven vessels of the traditional Benford design used on False Creek.^[10]

The accessible vessels accommodate bicycles, strollers, wheelchairs, and walk-on passengers. The Benford vessels are smaller craft designed for by naval architect Jay Benford; four were in service by Expo 86.^[11]

Aquabus operates a water-taxi-style service on False Creek between eight numbered docks. Unlike the competing False Creek Ferries network, Aquabus does not publish separate colour-coded route lines; vessels call at all stops on the creek and passengers board at the nearest dock.^[12][13]

Granville Island (Dock 2) is the central transfer point on the network.^[12]

• English Bay Launch – operates water taxis from Granville Island