The Liberty Village Express rolls again this month, offering a bus alternative to the TTCs crowded 504 King streetcar for west downtown condo commuters.

Following a pilot in the fall, LineSix Transit OS (operating system), a Toronto start-up, plans to reinstate the service to Union Station starting Jan. 19.

For $4.25 a trip, monthly pass buyers will be able to book a seat on the five trips being scheduled in each of the morning and afternoon rush periods between Union and Liberty Village. If they miss the bus, riders can take the next trip where theres an empty seat.

Theres huge demand in Liberty Village for alternative transit, so were excited to get back to it again, said co-founder Brett Chang.

The pilot attracted between 45 and 50 riders every morning to the mini-bus that ran between Pirandello St. and Union Station. This time, there will be an added stop at the Toronto Carpet Factory, a growing employment hub on Mowat St.

We want to help them get people from the city into Liberty Village as well, said Chang.

He figures about 100,000 people a day are riding Torontos shadow transit system of condo and corporate shuttles, such as those that ferry Porter Airlines and IKEA customers.

Chang said he and partner Taylor Scollon are building operating technology that can be adapted to anyone who wants to set up public or private transit.

LineSix is already using a mobile website to track payments and seat reservations.

The next step will be to build consumer applications.

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Liberty Village bus back on the street