All vehicles will run from the MetroCentre along the Tyne on the dedicated buspriority lanes currently used by the X66 CentreLink buses before heading into Newcastle or Gateshead.
The city's green bus-priority lanes, more extensive and heavily enforced than in other places, have reduced journey times by up to 25% and greatly increased passenger numbers.
The network has recently had to deal with the addition since 2010 of 187 miles of bike lanes and 18 miles of bus-only lanes that have special priority.
George Mair from the Confederation of Passenger Transport Scotland told MSPs that in future, bus routes needed to be treated as top priority for gritters.