Uwe

On 3/27/2024 at 12:25 PM, A. Wong said:

That's an interesting choice. I think they chose Clareview before due to its highway link to Edmonton and then access to LRT so it's interesting they would go to Bethel now and downtown commuters could take a double decker in to connect to LRT.

Fort Sask didn't choose ETS. It was their only option. SCT was not interested in being the contractor for the Fort's service at that time.

On 9/6/2022 at 10:08 PM, trevor_h_1985 said:

All the On demand buses now all have decals....and I did a charter to ft edm park this past weekend with 11-103

 

As for arbocs...they are keeping 11-204 for route 10....and 11-203 as spare....11-200 will be used for a few minor charters otherwise basically 11-200 to 11-202 have been retired

 

This is incorrect. All five arbocs are still in service.

Best news ever.

Interesting discussions. I will add my two cents now. First off the EMTSC would not have improved transit service in the region. In fact it led to many discussions as transit agencies like Spruce Grove and Leduc have agreements in place with non-commission members (Parkland County and Leduc County). Service to those areas would have been cut, resulting in no service to Acheson or Nisku. And would result in service reductions, inability of residents from those areas and Edmonton to travel to employment opportunities, such as Amazon, Hello Fresh, etc.

The EMTSC was pushing outright lies that they were improving transit service when in fact for start up day there were no plans to change what is currently occurring in Spruce Grove/Stony Plain/Parkland County, St. Albert, and Leduc/Leduc County. Edmonton's service was remaining exactly the same but with the addition of two overlay routes that would mimic futuristic BRT plans.  Devon was being forced to accept service to the west end of Edmonton when they preferred to travel to the Airport. Beaumont has always wanted to travel to Mill Woods/Grey Nuns area so will hopefully finally get that wish once the LRT is operational but has nothing to do with the EMTSC.

As for Route 747, that operates under the Airport Accord agreement which is cost shared with Leduc (30.5%), Leduc County (30.5%) and Edmonton (39%). The EMTSC would be absorbing that route and have the same agreement in place. No change.

As for the EMTSC improving service in the region is a total fallacy. This is because each municipality is responsible for its local service costs (100%) and depending on the municipality would be responsible for incremental costs for additional service. For example, if the EMTSC is hearing from the public that Leduc or Spruce Grove needs to add more commuter or local service, they would determine the cost and send that proposal to the municipalities. The municipalities would then determine if they could afford to add that service. If not then it won't happen. So all this malarkey that the EMTSC would improve service levels is a just a big nothing.

The airport to downtown route was a dream want for EMTSC CEO. While I personally do not believe it is required as it would duplicate the 747 and LRT, the addition of more service is always a good thing. Money would be better spent increasing the frequency of the 747, which was in EYs report (15 minutes throughout the day). And at no time was the airport to downtown route going to be cost shared in the region, it was always allocated 100% to Edmonton.

One question few are asking and no one is answering is how much are commission staff being paid. Rumour has it that the CEO is making more than Edmonton's City Manager. Not bad for a non-functioning entity.

I heard it will be called Shift Metro but unconfirmed.

The commission has to appease Edmonton or the whole thing falls apart.

On 2/26/2022 at 9:20 AM, G.A said:

Gas or diesel were are options until I believe 2017 when GM stopped offering diesel for the G series.

Leduc's Arbocs are 2014s, same as the New Flyer Xcelsiors.

On 1/5/2022 at 7:24 PM, brianc1981 said:

So has there been anymore news or updates regarding when things would get up and running?

Looking at start up by March 2023. In the meantime have contracted WSP to do a network and bottom up costing analysis building on the work that EY did in 2019/2020. The WSP report will then feed an ETS analysis of what it means to them in terms on routes, assets and most importantly costs. Edmonton Council is having trepidations on the true costs of the EMTSC service, and rightly so. The EY report had Edmonton subsidizing many of the commuter services as the regional municipalities were informed that they would receive the same or more service for no additional costs. Nothing is free so not sure how a municipality, like Beaumont, could get more service without additional costs, unless Edmonton is footing the bill. 

18 hours ago, curlingteam333 said:

I’ve seen unknown Orange X3-45 in downtown Ottawa driving in King Edward at King Edward and Rideau intersection yesterday.

Book a ride? Bookaride.ca

17 hours ago, ZümmyZüm said:

The greyhound ( and old voyageur) line via highway 7 was the typical routing anyway as it cut down on fuel and some kilometres but the buses would often have one stop in between in a town I honestly can’t remember, however even the “milk run” would be a full load since even with multiple stops it wasn’t much slower vs express and certainly wasn’t worth waiting another hour for the next trip 

Not sure about that… those express trips were 5 hrs vs the 6 to 7hrs long local trips.  First bus out is not always best. Locals were always integrated into the Toronto-Peterborough service. The local portion of the trips between Peterborough and Ottawa kept running for two reasons: protecting the operating authority and freight. 

Running hwys 7-37-401 when you pay mileage makes sense.  

1 hour ago, Shaun said:

The local route from Toronto to Ottawa was more popular than the express route. 

I don't understand why there is no highway 2 service east of Newcastle. 

Can you share some insight here?  Based on historical scheduling from Greyhound and Voyageur Colonial, the express services have always been the bread and butter.

25 minutes ago, Shaun said:

There is space for two buses at the gas station?

Yes.  From their website:     https://riderexpress.ca/locations/  Select Kingston.

https://mybreakride.ca/ - associated with the Ebus/RedArrow Betterez tickering portal.

That’s some great writing.  How do you explain the departure from their recently approved service strategy?

On 8/27/2021 at 8:43 PM, M. Parsons said:

Who dreamt up that steaming pile of a rumor? 

I heard someone had some false information on Facebook.

Anyways, no, still ETS operated, including into next signup starting on Sunday.

PWT is operating Spruce Grove's on-demand service.

On 8/15/2021 at 1:49 PM, T6H-5307N said:

Presumably. IIRC those buses are owned by the City of Beaumont, so even if the operators end up being PWT contract drivers rather than ETS employees it will still end up being the same buses. It will be interesting, however, to see where the buses end up as right now they are allegedly stored and maintained through ETS.

The Beaumont buses were stored at the PWTransit site around Roper Road since January. PWT will store and maintain the buses. ETS took their fareboxes out.

Heard there were four sections that failed and it will be 18 months before fixed.

https://www.edmonton.ca/documents/PDF/Accelerating_Transit_in_Edmonton_Metropolitan_Region.pdf 

Thoughts on this?

11 hours ago, yrt1000 said:

I was on the bus tracker website today and saw some new(?) schedules that I had never seen before. Not sure how new they are and was looking on the Greyhound Timetable website and didn’t see them there. If I recall correctly, these lower numbered 5000 schedules were previously used out West

These are the only ones I don’t ever recall seeing, but there may be more

Schedule 5000: London 4:45am -Kitchener 6:15am

Schedule 5001: Kitchener 9:40pm-London 11:10pm

Schedule 5003: Windsor 7:30pm- London 9:35pm (however, I couldn’t find any London-Windsor runs)

 

Looks like those could be converted deadhead movements.  Unsure about the Win-Lon trip though.

https://atu1415.ca/system/files/london-windsor_feb_3_2019.pdf

Uwe

thanks

What is the seating capacity of the buses used for Route 747? With the luggage racks I am sure it is not the typical 37.

9 hours ago, canuck600 said:

Kind of hypocritical of them to apply for more service when they couldn't even do what they originally applied for & they took their own sweet time applying to reduce service while running that reduced service.

Too little too late.  They didn't know the market they were getting into and now seeing how others are thriving on the same corridors and want in.  

They won't get the accelerated application for the proposed Merritt-Kelowna and Kelowna-Vernon-Kamloops routes and at least three carriers will oppose.  Their track record in BC will hopefully speak to what to expect if they are granted more operating authorities.

Uwe

16 hours ago, Transitfan39 said:

I saw a Maritime Bus on Rene Lesvesque in Montreal Quebec over the weekend, does anyone know why a Maritime Bus would be in a Montreal? Since I thought they would be as far west as New Brunswick?

On charter?  They dual brand their coaches and usually dispatch whatever is available for runs.

Uwe

Eastbound on Kingston Road this afternoon:

- 6080 being towed.  All its windows removed and no tag axle.

- 6007 on a flatbed.  All be its windows removed.

Yep.

As an effective date, so no changes since then.