Victoria Regional Transit System

[ygk]

Another route with an inconsistent destination board is “15 Esquimalt”, which ends at the same spot as the 26 and 46.

[InfiNorth]

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-transit-bus-shelter-funding

BC Transit and the communities it serves are putting together a collective $5 millionowards... bus shelters. I guess it's infrastructure. Picky me, I'd want better service, but I guess places to wait the hour until the next bus shows up is good too. 

The fact that some of them have glass rooves... nope. If I'm at a bus shelter on a hot sunny day, the last thing I want is a miniature greenhouse to sit in. I want shade. Aesthetic over function I guess.

I'm curious how long publicly accessible, outdoor USB ports will last. The other question I have is how do visual stop request indicators work at bus stops? How does the light know to turn off when the bus comes? Will every one of them need to be connected to the NextRide system to know when a bus has stopped at a stop and picked up passengers? I'm all for it but clarification on the technology would be appreciated. 

All in all, in my books, money to transit is money well spent. I can gripe all I want but it's more than nothing. Passengers being comfortable and safe is always important.

[SomeIslandKid]

On 3/3/2021 at 9:16 PM, InfiNorth said:

Picky me, I'd want better service, but I guess places to wait the hour until the next bus shows up is good too. 

From what I've seen from recent transit commission meetings it seems like COVID differed expansions will resume in January for Victoria so long as the province funds it. The Feb 23rd meeting had an annual service plan presented, which includes a mildly longer evening service span on the 3 and 10, and the 46 getting midday and early evening service starting in April, along with June's 53 re-route. I guess hourly service still applies, but at least it's a start.

 

Here's a link to the specific document, and the meeting overall. I'd like to see more expansion than just the deferred hours, but hopefully 2022/2023 will see an acceleration.

[anyfong]

I just saw 9532. Shame that the fence was on the bottom of a 50 degree incline that I'd likely slip and injure myself if I went down, so sorry for the fence in the shot.

[Dane]

I have no idea on unit number - maybe it's the one photographed above - but there's been a new decker there for a couple weeks. Hopefully they're on the road soon! 

[anyfong]

36 minutes ago, Dane said:

I have no idea on unit number - maybe it's the one photographed above - but there's been a new decker there for a couple weeks. Hopefully they're on the road soon! 

I believe 9532 is still the only one of this series to have been delivered, so the one you've mentioned that has been there for a few weeks would be the same one. I did not see other buses newer than 9532 there. The build dates of this series ranges from late 2020 to 1Q 2021.

 

[InfiNorth]

16 hours ago, anyfong said:

I believe 9532 is still the only one of this series to have been delivered, so the one you've mentioned that has been there for a few weeks would be the same one. I did not see other buses newer than 9532 there. The build dates of this series ranges from late 2020 to 1Q 2021.

 

How many of these units is Victoria getting? Enough to replace the ten OG tridents or will it be a fleet expansion?

[anyfong]

1 hour ago, InfiNorth said:

How many of these units is Victoria getting? Enough to replace the ten OG tridents or will it be a fleet expansion?

10 this year to directly replace the Tridents. There may be more in the coming years though.

[Geofferoski]

https://www.bctransit.com/victoria/news?nid=1529712017059

Victoria is going to be getting 15 more CNG Vicinity Buses which will probably send the remaining Diesel Vicintys to replace the 2013 27.5ft Vicinity's.

They're also going to be refurbishing the North Side of UVic Exchange and the stops on Ring Road

 

Also, the first 2020 Enviro500 (9533) went into service yesterday on the 50

[InfiNorth]

On 3/31/2021 at 10:26 AM, Geofferoski said:

They're also going to be refurbishing the North Side of UVic Exchange and the stops on Ring Road

Also, the first 2020 Enviro500 (9533) went into service yesterday on the 50

Maybe we'll get a bus stop at Continuing Ed/Carsa and they'll balance the stops around the rest better... it frustrates me that there is no stop near the stadium but two stops like 100m apart on the West side of the Ring Road and no stop at ECS for inbound buses.

I saw a new decker during my commute (by car... working in Deep Cove makes commuting by bus from Gordon head a non-option) yesterday morning, turning right off SB Pat Bay onto WB Beacon. Any idea what on earth a decker would be doing there? Doesn't the 71 go into Sidney? It was also out of service.

[anyfong]

Inside tour of the new buses

 

[Community Shuttle]

9753 returned to the mainland, apparently in the possession of the TMS (the preferred acronym since 2016) - as a member, I'll have to wait for official confirmation.

[InfiNorth]

9029 experienced an engine fire on the Pat Bay at McDonald Park. Discharged fire extinguisher on the ground next to it, though it didn't appear serious. 

[InfiNorth]

9001 still in service, saw it on my way past UVIC today.

As a note, I just want to add this: Since the pandemic started, I have taken the bus a grand total of about eight times (including to get my vaccination), whereas before COVID-19, I took the bus at least three times weekly Part of this is that I now work in North Saanich, so I can no longer take the handy-dandy 27/28, but a lot has to do with lifestyle. Most of my transit use was leisure-related, not work-related. As someone who grew up not ever using transit, then learned to love and use it, it's weird to think I have barely set foot on a bus in the last twelve months. It's sad. This can't be over soon enough and I can't wait to get back on the bus.

[Dane]

Same for me; I was a sporadic rider, maybe four round trips a month before Covid-19. Since I've taken one trip where I couldn't figure out an alternative (that was reasonably priced), to the ferry terminal for my one trip to Vancouver in the last 14 months. Until and including March 10, 2020, I went to Vancouver about three times a month. Can't say I care much for these durastic albeit necessary changes in life. 

[Dane]

The RapidBus plan, which is actually ten years old (if not more?) was refreshed today. I haven't had a chance for a deep dive, but nothing too exciting. The West Shore route continues the get-off-the-Highway and into Colwood diversion which, IMO, will continue to stunt growth from the main developing areas in Langford. But I'll take slow progress over none! 

 

Edit: forgot the link! https://www.bctransit.com/documents/1529712854568

[InfiNorth]

The 26 Dockyard via McKenzie is now the 26 Dockyard via Tillicum. Both inbound and outbound used to be via McKenzie on the destination board.

[InfiNorth]

Quadra will be closed for a while between McKenzie and Rogers. Does anyone know the routing that the 6, 6A, and 6B will follow during the closure? Will it go along the path of the 17? 

[InfiNorth]

That's it, folks. 9001 is out of the system as of yesterday. Adios!

 

[Cathay 888]

One of the newest XN40 in Victoria~~

[InfiNorth]

Alright, time for one of InfiNorth's highly opinionated takes on the Victoria network.

I recently used BC Transit to get to my second dose appointment in Sidney. I lost my keys on the bus, and BC Transit had them back to me in less than 12 hours. That was some impressed turnaround and big thank you. I could gripe about the outbound trip and how bad service on the 51 is and how bad McKenzie/Hwy 17 is as a bus stop and how poorly timed Gordon Head buses are to transfer to the 70 but that's not the issue here.

The return trip on the 70/26 is what truly ground my gears. The 70 used to run through Uptown like the 72 still does, stopping in front of the main vehicle entrance on Saanich Rd, allowing for short walking distances to transfer to the 26, otherwise known as the only frequent bus that connects Swartz Bay-bound buses to the entire Gordon Head area without routing you Downtown first. For some stupid reason, they have routed the 70 and 72 differently through Uptown, now sending the 70 through the bus priority signal on Carey/Hwy 1. The result is that the 70 (and every other bus off Carey) can never use the Douglas at Saanich stop, requiring riders to either walk down the Galloping Goose over the bridge (560m with significant elevation gain and 70m on a road without sidewalks) or 410m from Douglas at Cloverdale, crossing seven dangerous uncontrolled instersections and driveways along a sidewalk that for almost its entire distance is too narrow for two mobility scooters to pass one another. As an able-bodied person, whatever. Inconvenient, rushed, stressful, way too long to walk between buses, but I can handle it. If I was limited in my mobility whatsoever, this would make me not want to try to use the 26. Why has BC Transit actively chosen a routing that is hostile to riders trying to transfer within the network?

[ygk]

On 7/19/2021 at 2:03 PM, InfiNorth said:

Alright, time for one of InfiNorth's highly opinionated takes on the Victoria network.

The return trip on the 70/26 is what truly ground my gears. The 70 used to run through Uptown like the 72 still does, stopping in front of the main vehicle entrance on Saanich Rd, allowing for short walking distances to transfer to the 26, otherwise known as the only frequent bus that connects Swartz Bay-bound buses to the entire Gordon Head area without routing you Downtown first. For some stupid reason, they have routed the 70 and 72 differently through Uptown, now sending the 70 through the bus priority signal on Carey/Hwy 1. The result is that the 70 (and every other bus off Carey) can never use the Douglas at Saanich stop, requiring riders to either walk down the Galloping Goose over the bridge (560m with significant elevation gain and 70m on a road without sidewalks) or 410m from Douglas at Cloverdale, crossing seven dangerous uncontrolled instersections and driveways along a sidewalk that for almost its entire distance is too narrow for two mobility scooters to pass one another. As an able-bodied person, whatever. Inconvenient, rushed, stressful, way too long to walk between buses, but I can handle it. If I was limited in my mobility whatsoever, this would make me not want to try to use the 26. Why has BC Transit actively chosen a routing that is hostile to riders trying to transfer within the network?

I agree, I used to have to make that transfer and did not enjoy it. It was slightly nearer when the new bus lanes were being built and the relocated stop was placed near the Red Lion. Unfortunately that was temporary. 
 

Around that time I remember they also closed the Tillicum Rd stop (south) at Hwy 1 and advised #50 riders who needed to deboard there to get off instead at Cloverdale, cross Douglas St and take a bus in the Langford direction back to Tillicum. Great way to add 20 minutes and potentially another bus fare. 
 

Hopefully the Uptown Exchange will be built soon to facilitate transfers, but not sure if the #26 will detour there.

[Dane]

Where is the Uptown Exchange supposed to be located? 

[InfiNorth]

16 hours ago, Dane said:

Where is the Uptown Exchange supposed to be located? 

There doesn't need to be an exchange... in theory. There is only one bus that operates with termini at Uptown, the 16. In theory, every bus operating through Uptown can operate through the following stops: WB (100571), EB (100564), NB (100554), and SB (100551) with actual transit queue-jumping and priority lanes to ensure all buses via Carey can get to the far right lane. the SB stop should also be south of Boleskine, not North of it. Even looking at how it should have been built in the first place, BC Transit has a policy of placing all bus stops following an intersection, not preceding it.

[madsad]

The stopping policy published in the ride guide specifically exempts the SB stop at Boleskine (the 70 stops at every other stop along Douglas). Have you asked BCT about this and pointed out the walking distance? There could be some sort of geometric reason although it is not readily apparent as to what that might be. These walking distances seem quite excessive given that you'd think this transfer would be popular, particularly among UVic students when they resume class. Furthermore, people travelling to/from the ferry are more likely to have luggage or bags.