Gifu Bus
Encyclopedia
is a public transportation company based in Gifu
, Gifu Prefecture
, Japan
. It is a subsidiary of Nagoya Railroad
and primarily operates within Gifu Prefecture. Some of its public transportation routes within the city of Gifu were handed over by Meitetsu Bus
on October 1, 2004. On April 1, 2005, it also received the public bus routes run by the city. At the same time, it also replaced bus lines in nearby cities and began operating the Gifu Community Bus.
, Mino
, Seki
, Gujō
, Kakamigahara
and Ginan
. The final location is in neighboring Aichi Prefecture
's Nishiharu
.
Drivers' nameplates indicate the branch to which they belong, so some nameplates indicate branch offices that have been closed, moved or merged and are not included in the list above.
, though reduced fares are available for children and the elderly. Riders can take a numbered ticket when boarding the bus, with their fare indicated on a board at the front of the bus as they get off.
Until March 31, 2007, riders were able to use prepaid fare cards to pay for their fare. These cards were available in various denominations and offered riders a bonus of 5–15%, depending on the denomination purchased. These prepaid cards were replaced by the Ayuca smart card
s, which first went on sale on December 1, 2006. Like the prepaid cards, these smart cards replaced cash and gave bonuses to riders when they recharged their cards. Both systems were used simultaneously for four months until the prepaid cards were stopped.
The majority of the buses in use were made by Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation
, because those were the buses used by Nagoya Railroad when the routes began. However, the buses run by Gifu were models made by either Isuzu
or Nissan Diesel, so there is some variety among bus types. Additionally, some buses were purchsed from Kawasaki Heavy Industries
many years ago; these buses have been refurbished and are still in use.
In 2005, Gifu Bus began using non-step buses from Hino Motors
to accommodate the aging population
of the area. The company also uses hybrid buses made by Mitsubishi that were first used in Expo 2005
in neighboring Aichi Prefecture; most of these buses are operated by the Yanagase Branch Office. Hino Motors provided the hybrid buses used exclusively on the Shinai Loop Line.
The sightseeing and highway buses generally use Mitsubishi buses, but there are also a few made by Mercedes-Benz
. Some of the larger model buses were built by the Belgian
company Van Hool
.
Gifu Branch Office
Gifu West Branch Office
Kakigase Branch Office
Mino Branch Office
Takatomi Branch Office
Seki Branch Office
Hachiman Branch Office
(Gifu Bus Community Hachiman Co., Ltd.)
Kakamigahara Branch Office
(Gifu Bus Community Co., Ltd.)
HIndicates highway lines
along eight main trunks, so each line is divided into one of eight groups. The numbering indicates how far from Meitetsu Gifu Station the final destination is (eg. a bus numbered "80" would travel further than a bus numbered "50"). The eight letters and their respective areas are listed below.
and Gifu University
. The route to Asahi University is jointly operated by the Gifu, Gifu West and Kakigase branch offices. The Gifu University route is part of the Kenchō Gidai Line and is run by the Kakigase Branch Office.
Gifu, Gifu
is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used...
, Gifu Prefecture
Gifu Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is a subsidiary of Nagoya Railroad
Nagoya Railroad
, often abbreviated as , is a railroad company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan.Some of the more famous trains operated by Nagoya Railroad include the Panorama Car and the Panorama Car Super, both of which offer views through their wide front windows...
and primarily operates within Gifu Prefecture. Some of its public transportation routes within the city of Gifu were handed over by Meitetsu Bus
Meitetsu Bus
is a bus company in Meitetsu Group.- Highway Buses :*Chuo Highway Bus**Meitetsu BC - Shinjuku**Meitetsu BC - Iida**Meitetsu BC - Ina, Komagane, Minowa**Meitetsu BC - Matsumoto**Meitetsu BC - Nagano**Meitetsu BC - Niigata*Hokuriku Expressway Bus...
on October 1, 2004. On April 1, 2005, it also received the public bus routes run by the city. At the same time, it also replaced bus lines in nearby cities and began operating the Gifu Community Bus.
Branch offices
Gifu Bus operates 11 offices in the area, three of which are located within the city of Gifu. The other locations within Gifu Prefecture include YamagataYamagata, Gifu
is a city located in Gifu, Japan.-History:The city was established on April 1, 2003, by merger of the towns of Miyama and Takatomi, and the village of Ijira, all from Yamagata District.-External links:*...
, Mino
Mino, Gifu
is a city located in the Gifu Prefecture of central Japan.Founded on 1 April 1954, Mino covers a total area of 117.05 km². As of July 2011 the city had an estimated population of 22,447 inhabitants....
, Seki
Seki, Gifu
is a city located in Gifu, Japan.The city was founded on October 15, 1950.On February 7, 2005, the municipalities of Horado, Itadori, Kaminoho, Mugegawa and Mugi, all part of Mugi District, were merged into the present-day city...
, Gujō
Gujo, Gifu
is a city in Gifu Prefecture, Japan.As of July 2011, the city has an estimated population of 43,960. The total area is 1,030.79 km².-History:...
, Kakamigahara
Kakamigahara, Gifu
is a city located in the Gifu Prefecture of central Japan. It was founded on 1 April 1963 by the merger of Naka, Sohara, Unuma, and Inaba. Kakamigahara covers a total area of...
and Ginan
Ginan, Gifu
is a town located in Hashima District, Gifu, Japan., the town has an estimated population of 23,856. The total area is 7.90 km².-External links:*...
. The final location is in neighboring Aichi Prefecture
Aichi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...
's Nishiharu
Nishiharu, Aichi
Nishiharu was a town located in Nishikasugai District, Aichi, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 33,752 and a density of 3,381.96 persons per km². The total area was 9.98 km²....
.
Drivers' nameplates indicate the branch to which they belong, so some nameplates indicate branch offices that have been closed, moved or merged and are not included in the list above.
Fares
Gifu Bus' local routes are divided into regions and fares vary based on the distance traveled between the boarding and unboarding locations. The base fare is 200 yenJapanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
, though reduced fares are available for children and the elderly. Riders can take a numbered ticket when boarding the bus, with their fare indicated on a board at the front of the bus as they get off.
Until March 31, 2007, riders were able to use prepaid fare cards to pay for their fare. These cards were available in various denominations and offered riders a bonus of 5–15%, depending on the denomination purchased. These prepaid cards were replaced by the Ayuca smart card
Smart card
A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card , is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits. A smart card or microprocessor cards contain volatile memory and microprocessor components. The card is made of plastic, generally polyvinyl chloride, but sometimes acrylonitrile...
s, which first went on sale on December 1, 2006. Like the prepaid cards, these smart cards replaced cash and gave bonuses to riders when they recharged their cards. Both systems were used simultaneously for four months until the prepaid cards were stopped.
Vehicles
Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation
The Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation is a German-owned, Japan-based manufacturer of trucks and buses. It is headquartered in Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, Japan. This company is one of the World's largest truck manufacturers...
, because those were the buses used by Nagoya Railroad when the routes began. However, the buses run by Gifu were models made by either Isuzu
Isuzu
, is a Japanese car, commercial vehicle and heavy truck manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo. In 2005, Isuzu became the world's largest manufacturer of medium to heavy duty trucks. It has assembly and manufacturing plants in the Japanese city of Fujisawa, as well as in the prefectures...
or Nissan Diesel, so there is some variety among bus types. Additionally, some buses were purchsed from Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
many years ago; these buses have been refurbished and are still in use.
In 2005, Gifu Bus began using non-step buses from Hino Motors
Hino Motors
-External links:Global* * * Overseas offices****.*.***.*.* - Philippines**...
to accommodate the aging population
Aging of Japan
The ageing of Japan outweighs all other nations with the highest proportion of elderly citizens, 21% over the age of 65. In 1989, only 11.6% of the population was 65 years or older, but projections were that 25.6% would be in that age category by 2030...
of the area. The company also uses hybrid buses made by Mitsubishi that were first used in Expo 2005
Expo 2005
Expo 2005 was the World's Fair held for 185 days between Friday, March 25 and Sunday, September 25, 2005, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, east of the city of Nagoya. It was a Specialized International Exhibition under the scheme of the 1972 protocol of the Convention relating to International Exhibitions...
in neighboring Aichi Prefecture; most of these buses are operated by the Yanagase Branch Office. Hino Motors provided the hybrid buses used exclusively on the Shinai Loop Line.
The sightseeing and highway buses generally use Mitsubishi buses, but there are also a few made by Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
. Some of the larger model buses were built by the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
company Van Hool
Van Hool
Van Hool NV is a Belgian coachbuilder and manufacturer of buses, coaches, trolleybuses, and trailers.The company was founded in 1947 by Bernard van Hool in Koningshooikt, nearby Lier, Belgium. In the early years, the company introduced serial production and exported their products all over Europe...
.
Routes
The company's bus routes are listed below, separated by the branch office which manages them. (Note: Not all branch offices run bus lines.)Gifu Branch Office
- Gifu City Loop Line
- Sagiyama Kenchō Line
- Shōrai Kanō Line
- Chūsetsu Nagara Line
- Ginanchō Line
- Kidaijidanchi Line
- Iwado Irifune Line
- Malera Chūsetsu Line
- Aeon Kakamigahara Line
- Yana Bus
- Ii Bus (Community Bus)
Gifu West Branch Office
- Akanabe Mitahora Line
- Obusa Sunomata Line
- Gifu Shōtoku Gakuendai Line
- Kagashima Ichihashi Line
- Mieji Hozumi Line
- Hozumi Rio-World Line
- Kitagata Hozumi Line
Kakigase Branch Office
- Kurono Line
- Gifu Daigaku, Byōin Line
- Motosu Line
- Ijira Line
- Kakebora Hōju Line
- Kanō Shima Line
- Kanō Minami Line
- Sogaya Line
- Kitagata Enkyōji Line
- Saigō Line
- Masada Chūsetsu Line
- Ōno Shinsei Kitagata Line
- Gifu Kōsen Line
- Ōno Kitakō Line
- Kenchō Gidai line
- Kagashimaōhashi Line
- Ōno Hozumi Line
Mino Branch Office
- Kano Danchi Line
- Takami Line
- Makitani Line
- Horado Seki Line
- Nagoya Line H
- Takaoka Himi Line H
Takatomi Branch Office
- Gifu Takatomi Line
- Gihoku Line
- Itadori Line
- Gifu Joshidai Line
- Mitahora Line
Seki Branch Office
- Gifu Kaminoho Line
- Seki Mugi Line
- Takano Line
- Horado Seki Line
- Seki Unuma Line
Hachiman Branch Office
(Gifu Bus Community Hachiman Co., Ltd.)
- Hachiman Line
- Wara Line
- Meihō Line
- Shōkawa Hachiman Line
- Hachiman Line H
- Shirakawa-gō H
- Hachiman Nagoya Line H
Kakamigahara Branch Office
(Gifu Bus Community Co., Ltd.)
- Ōbora Danchi Line
- Ozaki Danchi Line
- Senbiki Taiheidai Town Line
- Kawashima Maewatari Line
- Hino Ichihashi Line
- Kurachi Line
- Gifu Kakamigahara Line
- Kakamigahara Tōbu Line
- VR Techno Line
- Unuma Ryokuen Danchi Line
- Little World Line
- Meiji-mura Line
- Chōja-machi Danchi Junkan Line
HIndicates highway lines
Designations
Each route listed above (other than the Gifu City Loop Line, the Yana Bus, the Community Bus, the School bus as Ōno Kitakō and Kagashima Ōhashi Line, and the Highway Lines) are designated with both a letter and a two-digit number. All routes run through Meitetsu Gifu StationMeitetsu Gifu Station
is the main terminal of Nagoya Railroad in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is one of the two major train stations of the city along with JR Gifu Station....
along eight main trunks, so each line is divided into one of eight groups. The numbering indicates how far from Meitetsu Gifu Station the final destination is (eg. a bus numbered "80" would travel further than a bus numbered "50"). The eight letters and their respective areas are listed below.
- N: for/from Nagara Bridge Avenue (ex. North/Northwest of Gifu City) Area
- K: for/from Kinka Bridge Avenue (ex. North/Northwest of Gifu City) Area
- C: for/from Chūsetsu Bridge Avenue (ex. Gifu Univ., Kurono) Area
- O: for/from Ōnawaba Bridge Avenue (ex. Kitagata, Ōno) Area
- G: for/from Gōdo Bridge Avenue (ex. Kagashima, Mizuho City) Area
- W: for/from West Kanō (ex. Kanō Shinhonmachi, Sunomata) area
- E: for/from East Kanō (ex. Kanō Sakuramichi, Pref. Office, Yanaizu) area
- B: for/from Bairin Park (ex. Kitaishiki) area
Late night routes
Three of the routes have a few buses that run beyond normal operating hours, allowing commuters and other people to catch a late bus home. The charge for these buses is twice the normal fare and they do not run on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays.- Kurono Line (Kakigase Branch Office)
- Takatomi Line (Takatomi Branch Office)
- Ōbora Danchi Line (Kakamigahara Branch Office)
School routes
Gifu Bus operates shuttle buses to two local universities—Asahi UniversityAsahi University
is a private university in Mizuho, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The school was first founded in 1971 as Gifu Dental University . It was renamed Asahi University in 1985 when the management department was added.-External links:*...
and Gifu University
Gifu University
is a national university in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is sometimes abbreviated as Gidai or Gifudai , with "Gifudai" being the abbreviation most commonly used throughout Japan.-Faculties and graduate schools:...
. The route to Asahi University is jointly operated by the Gifu, Gifu West and Kakigase branch offices. The Gifu University route is part of the Kenchō Gidai Line and is run by the Kakigase Branch Office.