The Keihan East Rose Town Community Bus (京阪東ローズタウンコミュニティバス)
The Keihan East Rose Town Community Bus is the bus route established by the Keihan Uji Transport Co. Ltd., while the Keihan Bus Co. Ltd. is currently managing and operating the bus route after the consolidation of the Keihan Uji Transport Co. Ltd. into the Keihan Bus Co. Ltd..
The commonly known nickname of this community bus service is the "Yamate Route," while the official name of the route is the "East Rose Town Loop-Route Bus."
This route is managed by the Keihan Bus Kyotanabe Management Office.
Summary
The residential area named "Keihan East Rose Town" has been developed around the JR (Japan Railroad) Matsui Yamate Station by the Keihan Electric Railway Co., Ltd. and this community bus route was established along with the development of this residential area.
The residential area spreads among Kinmeidai East and Kinmeidai North bus stops. The bus route appears to be set up for connecting this residential area to the popular locations, such as the horse riding club Crane Kyoto and Sophia Mall shopping center.
Operating route
JR Matsui Yamate - Kinmeidai East - Azalea Park Front - Kinmeidai North - (Crane Kyoto -) Sophia Mall - Kinmeidai West - JR Matsui Yamate
Those buses departing from JR Matsui Yamate and running via Kinmeidai East is the clockwise bound of the route. The final clockwise bound of the day departs from JR Matsui Yamate at 14:30. After this bus, the orientation of the bus route changes to the counter-clockwise bound, and the buses depart from JR Matsui Yamate and runs via Kinmeidai West.
The route numbers are set up as follows:
No. 600 Route: East Rose Town Looped Route Clockwise Bound
No. 601 Route: East Rose Town Looped Route Clockwise Bound via Crane Kyoto
No. 610 Route: East Rose Town Looped Route Counter-clockwise Bound
No. 610 Route: East Rose Town Looped Route Counter-clockwise Bound via Crane Kyoto
Operating vehicles
This community bus service uses three medium-sized, short-length 'Aero Midi MJ' buses by the Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation, with low-floor, one step entrance specification (one of the buses was transferred from the Katano Management Office.)
Although the medium sized buses had been occasionally used when a substitute bus was necessary, this irregular operation was turned into a regular service after the timetable revision made effective on October 19, 2008.
This change was made because the organization for operating the Keihan East Rose Town Community Bus was altered, when the Yawata City North-South Bus Route started the joint operation of the buses (the Yawata City North-South Bus Route also uses the same medium-sized, short-length type buses and medium-sized type buses.)
During the Keihan Uji Transport Co., Ltd. management period, those spare vehicles for substitute operations were the medium-sized vehicles made by the Nissan Diesel Motors Co., Ltd..
Passenger fare
Adult: 160 yen/ Child: 80 yen (the base fare; the actual fare of the service is based on the travelled distance added to the base fare.)
Those pre-paid cards such as the KANSAI THRU PASS, the Keihan Group Bus Card can be used for this bus service (however, the Keihan Bus 1-day Ticket is excluded for use.)
The commuter pass for this bus service is also available, but the pricing of the pass is based on the fare set up for the Uji Tawara area route, (illustrated in the price chart C) rather than the fare of the other bus routes in this area (illustrated in the price chart A). From October 1, 2008, the widely used IC pre-paid bus card, PiTaPa Card, can be used for this bus service.