The Ayabe Shimin Bus (あやべ市民バス)
The Ayabe Shimin Bus is a regular route bus that is operated by Ayabe City in Kyoto Prefecture. The nickname is Aya Bus.
Summary
As in January 2004 Kyoto Kotsu in Kameoka City went the Corporate Rehabilitation Law, in April 2005 Ayabe City took over the management of the bus services in Ayabe City, which had been operated by the Maizuru office of Kyoto Kotsu. Now, Ayabe City manages the business. The operations of the buses were initially outsourced to Kyotan Taxi, later Kyotan filed the quitting of the operations, in December 2008 the operations were newly outsourced to Kansai Maruwa Logistics of Maruwa Unyu Kikan Co.,Ltd.
April 1, 2005:
They began the operations.
July 31, 2008:
Kyotan Taxi filed the quitting the operations.
August 12, 2008:
Ayabe City accepted the file.
December 25, 2008:
The new operating company began the operations.
The above facts about the history are based on Aya bus official website.
The routes
As Kansai Maruwa Logistics took over the operations, some routes were changed.
Kanbayashi Route
Shiga-nanboku Route
Tozai Route
Nishizaka Route
Shinoda-sakuragaoka Route
Kurotani-nishiyata Route
The utilization
550 users a day
Although they are in the red, more people use the buses than the city expected. As all the buses stop near Ayabe City Hospital, many people, which live in areas remote from city hospitals, use the buses. Besides, many students use the buses to commute to the Kyoto Prefectural Ayabe High School.