Grand River Transit

[PrevostH3-45]

All 24XX buses are being fitted with GPS at this time. Only iXpress coaches will have the additional features such as the scroll sign and touchscreen, but all will have a traffic counter at both front and rear doors. Look up next time you get on one of these buses.

[D4500]

All 24XX buses are being fitted with GPS at this time. Only iXpress coaches will have the additional features such as the scroll sign and touchscreen, but all will have a traffic counter at both front and rear doors. Look up next time you get on one of these buses.

Um... You may know better than I but as far as I know, for now, the only busses getting GPS are the Ixpress busses as for all of the 24xx's I can't say but the rumour is about 5 or so years for the rest of the fleet. At which time we will also lose the bus to bus radio, so the calling for connections thing will be a thing of the past.

[PrevostH3-45]

Um... You may know better than I but as far as I know, for now, the only busses getting GPS are the Ixpress busses as for all of the 24xx's I can't say but the rumour is about 5 or so years for the rest of the fleet. At which time we will also lose the bus to bus radio, so the calling for connections thing will be a thing of the past.

You were correct with your first statement. I do in fact know better than you, but thats ok. Thats what this board is for, to learn! And you're correct, system wide, the whole fleet schould be fitted with GPS in about 5 years. This year, all 24XX series buses including iXpress will have it installed. If I understood correctly, some 26XXs may have it too.

Pay attention the next time you get on a 24XX bus. On the wheel well just behind the driver, there is a black box. That is the hardware that runs the unit. One difference that you will notice between iXpress buses and the rest of the fleet is the lack of touchscreen on non iXpress units.

[D4500]

You were correct with your first statement. I do in fact know better than you, but thats ok. Thats what this board is for, to learn! And you're correct, system wide, the whole fleet schould be fitted with GPS in about 5 years. This year, all 24XX series buses including iXpress will have it installed. If I understood correctly, some 26XXs may have it too.

Pay attention the next time you get on a 24XX bus. On the wheel well just behind the driver, there is a black box. That is the hardware that runs the unit. One difference that you will notice between iXpress buses and the rest of the fleet is the lack of touchscreen on non iXpress units.

Ok easy on the better than everybody else stuff ok.. I just know that I DO drive these vehicles everyday and I DO talk to supervisors and other management staff on a daily basis so I'm just trying to add a little info to these strings ok? I just wanted to say that I haven't heard about all the 24XX's I had just heard about the Ixpress busses.

[D4500]

Oh... since you do know more than me (a point I do not dispute BTW) I was wondering why we have been 10-20 busses short for deployment recently? From what I've seen and been told, Route 13 missed 2 trips the other day because it was waiting for a bus to come in from a school special. There seem to be an awful lot of busses sitting "out back" these days.

[PrevostH3-45]

Ok easy on the better than everybody else stuff ok.. I just know that I DO drive these vehicles everyday and I DO talk to supervisors and other management staff on a daily basis so I'm just trying to add a little info to these strings ok? I just wanted to say that I haven't heard about all the 24XX's I had just heard about the Ixpress busses.

Don't get all defensive after you said it to begin with. Like I said, get in these buses and you will see that a GPS unit is installed.

Oh... since you do know more than me (a point I do not dispute BTW) I was wondering why we have been 10-20 busses short for deployment recently? From what I've seen and been told, Route 13 missed 2 trips the other day because it was waiting for a bus to come in from a school special. There seem to be an awful lot of busses sitting "out back" these days.

And it looks like you've come around. I could tell you why this is happening, but not on a public board. Needless to say, 18 buses short for deployment is totally unacceptable.

[kitchenerlrt]

And it looks like you've come around. I could tell you why this is happening, but not on a public board. Needless to say, 18 buses short for deployment is totally unacceptable.

I agree. It looks like this problem will be solved in the next few years with the arrival of new buses.

[PrevostH3-45]

I agree. It looks like this problem will be solved in the next few years with the arrival of new buses.

I'm not sure where you came up with that conclusion considering new buses are for expansion.

[kitchenerlrt]

I'm not sure where you came up with that conclusion considering new buses are for expansion.

Yes, although they are for expansion, I thought that some of these new buses (or even future bus orders) would start to decrease the bus shortage once some older buses have been replaced and expansion has been made. I know that the '07 order is for expansion and some replacement, but maybe some future orders may decrease the shortage. That's where I came up with my conclusion

[D4500]

From what I know of, and Prevost H3-45 you can probably back me up on this, typically only 5 busses are for expansion the rest are to cover retirees

[kitchenerlrt]

From what I know of, and Prevost H3-45 you can probably back me up on this, typically only 5 busses are for expansion the rest are to cover retirees

I agree.

[Greater Golden Horseshoe Transit]

From what I know of, and Prevost H3-45 you can probably back me up on this, typically only 5 busses are for expansion the rest are to cover retirees

For 2007...8 Expansion Buses, 12 Repacement Buses, with a proposal for ordering 2 or 4 more expansion buses (depending whether or not the UofW implements a UPASS program similar to Laurier's, 2 buses for sure, 4 with UPASS program)

[PrevostH3-45]

Yes, although they are for expansion, I thought that some of these new buses (or even future bus orders) would start to decrease the bus shortage once some older buses have been replaced and expansion has been made. I know that the '07 order is for expansion and some replacement, but maybe some future orders may decrease the shortage. That's where I came up with my conclusion

The thing is, the bus shortage is NOW. I would think that dealing with that would be top priority, not something for the future. The way to do it is to acquire new buses, without expanding or to fix the issues causing the bus shortage.

From what I know of, and Prevost H3-45 you can probably back me up on this, typically only 5 busses are for expansion the rest are to cover retirees

Typically 5-7 per year although as you see below, they're getting a little more optimistic this year.

For 2007...8 Expansion Buses, 12 Repacement Buses, with a proposal for ordering 2 or 4 more expansion buses (depending whether or not the UofW implements a UPASS program similar to Laurier's, 2 buses for sure, 4 with UPASS program)

[PrevostH3-45]

I noticed today that the Conestoga Mall bound iXpress bus shelter is equipped with a scroll sign. As mentioned earlier, all 24XX series buses are being equipped with GPS at this time, with a slightly modified system going into the iXpress units. WIth this scroll board in the bus stops, supervisors have the ability to send messages to the stations informing passengers of detours and delays. They can also send messages to the bus. Similar scroll signs are installed in the buses and inform passengers of the stop the bus is arriving at. At the stops, real time information is/ will be displayed informing passengers the estimated arrival time of the next bus based on the GPS.

[Greater Golden Horseshoe Transit]

I just noticed that GRT has also changed the name of "Bridecam" iXpress Station to "Smart Centres" iXpress Station...Oh Brother

You think there'd be bigger things to worry about?

[Orion VIII]

I just noticed that GRT has also changed the name of "Bridecam" iXpress Station to "Smart Centres" iXpress Station...Oh Brother

You think there'd be bigger things to worry about?

Wal Mart must be paying for that.

[TC60102N]

I noticed today that the Conestoga Mall bound iXpress bus shelter is equipped with a scroll sign

.

Which Stop ??

[kitchenerlrt]

.

Which Stop ??

I saw it at McCormick Station on Wednesday. I think it was being tested because I saw a "Testing" sticker on the shelter. Looked pretty basic to me, but a nice addition.

[PrevostH3-45]

.

Which Stop ??

I saw it at McCormick Station on Wednesday. I think it was being tested because I saw a "Testing" sticker on the shelter. Looked pretty basic to me, but a nice addition.

My mistake, it was indeed at McCormick that I saw this on Friday night. The Cambridge bound shelter didn't yet have one.

[D4500]

Any word on this new terminal that is rumoured to be going in at the UofW I've been looking ay the proposed changes to Watrerloo and some of them have alot of routes coming in and out of the university. Looks very interesting.

[Greater Golden Horseshoe Transit]

Any word on this new terminal that is rumoured to be going in at the UofW I've been looking ay the proposed changes to Watrerloo and some of them have alot of routes coming in and out of the university. Looks very interesting.

The Planners told me they are looking at several locations at the University Site for a terminal (although they wern't specific). The working obsticle right now is to consider the coming implementation of the Rapid Transit Line. With connecting to the RT Line in mind, the terminal will likely be somewhere along the railway corridor. With that in mind I can't see a final location being selected until the RT Preferred Alignment is approved, which will be later this year. Design would occur sometime after that, so maybe in a couple of years we'll see a new terminal.

If I cared to speculate on location, considering the proposed changes to services terminating at the Davis Centre, rumored relocation of the NB iXpress Station to the Davis Centre, and the Davis Centre's central location to the campus, I would have to say that the new terminal will be very near the Davis Centre, either in the lawn area in front of the building (although it would be a VERY tight squeeze), through a reconfiguration of Ring Road in front of the Davis Centre/adjacent to the railway, or immediatly on the Phillip Street side of the railway in the University's parking lot.

[PrevostH3-45]

Any word on this new terminal that is rumoured to be going in at the UofW I've been looking ay the proposed changes to Watrerloo and some of them have alot of routes coming in and out of the university. Looks very interesting.

I would imagine those are the suggested routes that will/ may be implemented/ changed should the University of Waterloo decide to start a program like Wilfrid Laurier University did. Afterall, 4 extra buses would be purchased (IIRC) solely to serve the university routes.

Just aside I noticed iXpress unit 2408 at Cambridge Mack today at 08:00. I would think its another preventative maintenance inspection that the Cambridge garage doesn't have time to do.

[TC60102N]

I would imagine those are the suggested routes that will/ may be implemented/ changed should the University of Waterloo decide to start a program like Wilfrid Laurier University did. Afterall, 4 extra buses would be purchased (IIRC) solely to serve the university routes.

Just aside I noticed iXpress unit 2408 at Cambridge Mack today at 08:00. I would think its another preventative maintenance inspection that the Cambridge garage doesn't have time to do.

There is always at least one GRT Bus at Cambridge Mack at any given time, I've seen few KWSA(north) buses there too.

One time I seen a Orion II from somewhere in there, lol

[crantila]

I would imagine those are the suggested routes that will/ may be implemented/ changed should the University of Waterloo decide to start a program like Wilfrid Laurier University did. Afterall, 4 extra buses would be purchased (IIRC) solely to serve the university routes.

That's a logical conclusion, but I think that it was "four extra busses this year" if UW initiates a plan like WLU, or "two extra busses this year" if they don't. Either way - they are planning to order extra busses if UW starts the "Unipass" or whatever it was called.

--

There are some exciting things going on nowadays in GRT-land. I have a question though - does anybody know why the iXpress station near King & University is actually across the road from the big, ugly white building at WLU (a.k.a. "The Music Building," or "The Aird Building")? Is it just to spread the burden of busses away from the actual King/University intersection, to avoid so much congestion?

[Greater Golden Horseshoe Transit]

I would imagine those are the suggested routes that will/ may be implemented/ changed should the University of Waterloo decide to start a program like Wilfrid Laurier University did. Afterall, 4 extra buses would be purchased (IIRC) solely to serve the university routes.

Just aside I noticed iXpress unit 2408 at Cambridge Mack today at 08:00. I would think its another preventative maintenance inspection that the Cambridge garage doesn't have time to do.

That's a logical conclusion, but I think that it was "four extra busses this year" if UW initiates a plan like WLU, or "two extra busses this year" if they don't. Either way - they are planning to order extra busses if UW starts the "Unipass" or whatever it was called.

The Waterloo changes proposed are part of the GRT Business Plan, and are areas that still haven't been revamped since GRT was formed in 2000. If the U of W implements a UPASS program the only differences will be the frequency of routes serving the U of W (ie. 7,8,12) and the speed at which the changes are made (apparently instead of over three years, all Waterloo changes would be done this year if I understand the report correctly). We will still see all Waterloo Routes restructured as well as a terminal at the U of W built (eventually )

Also in the next couple years the East Kitchener Area will be revamped as well, GRT is looking at options for a proper terminal at Stanley Park Mall (the last blueprints I saw were for a terminal under the hydro lines in front of Zellers, but who knows, that was in '02). When that terminal gets built, Routes 1,8,15,17,23,27 in that area of town will be looked at for restructuring.

There are some exciting things going on nowadays in GRT-land. I have a question though - does anybody know why the iXpress station near King & University is actually across the road from the big, ugly white building at WLU (a.k.a. "The Music Building," or "The Aird Building")? Is it just to spread the burden of busses away from the actual King/University intersection, to avoid so much congestion?

The Laurier iXpress Station is there to serve WLU, not so much to serve the tranfer point a King and University (which eventually won't be a major timed connection point at all anyways, once the routes are restructured to the U of W and the implementation of the RT Line along the railway). The original proposal was to have Laurier Station between Albert Street and the Signalized Pedestrian Crossing at the WLU St. Michaels Campus , it was to be located there because (and I quote!) "that location is closer to the major of the classrooms on the campus" (arguable point, I know, but I didn't say it). I don't know why they moved the location in the end, political pressures maybe, but that's what the planners said at the council meeting deciding the routing for the iXpress back when.

This was also the same time planners wanted to Use Albert and Central Streets through the neighbourhood for the iXpress service (with major neighbourhood opposition). The Laurier Station under that scenario would've been on Albert Street behind the campus, the alternative soloution of using King Street and University Avenue therefore had the station at the same end of the campus (between Albert and the Ped Crossing).