Roam Transit Building

A Home for Roam Transit Fleet

The Town of Banff has constructed a new building to house Roam Public Transit’s fleet. The new facility helps improve mobility and reduce traffic congestion in the Bow Valley.

In March 2021, the new building was officially named the Roam Transit Operations & Training Centre.

This facility will keep 30+ buses on the road longer because they’ll be housed indoor rather than outside in the elements. This makes buses more reliable in cold weather and easier to start up in the morning. It also eliminates issues with frozen doors, etc. which helps save on operating costs. Electric charging also needs to happen in a heated building, so this will allow us to electrify the fleet.

In May 2022, the new building was certified as a Zero Carbon Building by the Canadian Green Building Council.

Roam Building Concept Image

Fast Facts:

  • Supports transit to improve mobility and reduce traffic congestion in the Bow Valley
  • Shelters the fleet to increase the lifespan of our buses
  • Saves costs and GHG emissions with net-zero LEED Gold certified building, solar power, district heating system, and green fleet
  • Total Project Investment: $8.5 Million

Projected Schedule:

  • Spring/summer 2020: Start construction, deep service connections, foundations and building envelope
  • Fall/winter 2020: Building interior and sitework, district heat system connection
  • Winter 2021: Building interior, commissioning
  • April 2021: Facility construction complete.
  • June 2021: Official opening 

Project Details:

In 2018, Banff Town Council approved construction of a transit storage facility to house the Roam Public Transit fleet in Banff’s Industrial District. Outdoor storage is no longer adequate for the expanding fleet, and indoor storage will prolong the life of the fleet, especially as Roam Transit moves to electric vehicles. Indoor and covered storage will keep vehicles on the road longer. Indoor storage is more environmentally responsible than outdoor lots. 

The Roam fleet currently operates three hybrid electric buses and in May 2021 began operations of three electric buses, with more planned in the near future. The environmentally efficient design that will achieve at least LEED Silver certification, with net-zero carbon emissions from annual operations, and certification under the Canadian Green Building Council’s (CaGBC) new Zero Carbon Standard.

The Roam Transit Operations & Training Centre incorporates an administration/office component, a state-of-the-art training simulator, enclosed storage garage (12-bus capacity) and an unheated exterior covered storage (18-bus capacity), and all supporting programs including a wash bay, and drying/vacuuming area. The facility is heated by the BioMass Energy Centre as part of the district heating initiative.

The Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission (BVRTSC) secured provincial funding for a two-thirds contribution to the $7 million facility, and long-term lease payments are being paid by the BVRTSC. 

Although the building is a Town of Banff asset, it was purpose-built for the commission’s Roam Transit fleet storage, as well as its training facility and operations. 

Learn about the BioMass District Heating facility that provides heat for the new Transit facility.