Transit in Vancouver: Questions and Answers

[9924]

9 minutes ago, TranslinkKid said:

My question is: what causes this to happen?

 

 

Nova causes this to happen - don't know what it is with Nova's but they lose air ridiculously fast and need to rebuild after every freakin' layover.

 

[Transit Guy]

Question that will be followed up with another question: does everyone here want all-door boarding on all buses at all bus stops?

[madog222]

The general public seems to believe that is already the case...

[Transit Guy]

21 hours ago, madog222 said:

The general public seems to believe that is already the case...

Exactly, and in all honesty, as an all-door boarding advocate, with the current boarding policy I get kinda annoyed when drivers use rapid mode on non-RapidBus/B-Line routes because people get used to getting on at the back on local & express routes until that one driver who doesn’t allow people to get on the back comes and yells at everyone for getting on at the back. If all buses have Compass readers at the rear doors, then all-door boarding can be a simple overnight policy shift.

My follow-up question is what could be said to TransLink/CMBC’s service planners to try to convince them to update the boarding policy to allow all-door boarding? If you ask them to implement it now with little-to-no explanation they’ll just respond with “we need to study it,” so I’m trying to avoid that cut and paste talking point by suggesting that they compare the ridership and fare revenue data from the 95 & 96 before and after implementing all-door boarding in 2018 to determine if systemwide all-door boarding is feasible.

[9924]

In regards to all door boarding - either allow it across the board or don't - unless you have some sort of controlled infrastructure at stops that allow for all door boarding (little lines on the sidewalk is not a controlled infrastructure) - it doen't work - it just adds confusion for the general public.

The average rider isn't incredibly intelligent and have no idea why one bus allows it and another bus around the corner doesn't allow it.  Having said that, the average bus driver is even less intelligent.

[Transit Guy]

I was just reading the wiki page for the 23; how are the conventional weekend express trips considered “unscheduled” when there are scheduled blocks?

[Express691]

4 hours ago, Transit Guy said:

I was just reading the wiki page for the 23; how are the conventional weekend express trips considered “unscheduled” when there are scheduled blocks?

In practice they’re unscheduled and not on the public timetable. On paper there’s a paddle and index.

[Dane]

1 hour ago, Express691 said:

In practice they’re unscheduled and not on the public timetable. On paper there’s a paddle and index.

Why is this?

[Express691]

I'm on the hot seat I guess:
This sheet they're scheduled; last sheet they weren't. Wiki was a bit behind.

On future weekends (I.E. the celebration of lights) there will be VTC 40ft special runs on 2/5/6/23 that will be added on the basis of availability/road supervisor's discretion.

 

[Transit Guy]

Would anyone happen to know if the First Transit shuttles are being rebranded under Transdev anytime soon? I read that all First Transit contracts are being rebranded since First was acquired by Transdev and I think all they have to do is replace the “operated by First Transit” decals with “operated by Transdev.”

[anyfong]

On 7/1/2023 at 5:56 PM, 9924 said:

In regards to all door boarding - either allow it across the board or don't - unless you have some sort of controlled infrastructure at stops that allow for all door boarding (little lines on the sidewalk is not a controlled infrastructure) - it doen't work - it just adds confusion for the general public.

The average rider isn't incredibly intelligent and have no idea why one bus allows it and another bus around the corner doesn't allow it.  Having said that, the average bus driver is even less intelligent.

100% agree. When there's already Compass readers on the middle/back doors I really don't see the reason not to allow all-door boarding.

Some transit agencies I've been on like in Hamburg Germany they have all-door boarding on all routes regardless of vehicle, and it just makes the process much more pleasant and barrier-free. Also with all door boarding the huge lineup to board the front door is virtually eliminated, reducing dwell time in stops.

[Transit Guy]

6 hours ago, anyfong said:

100% agree. When there's already Compass readers on the middle/back doors I really don't see the reason not to allow all-door boarding.

Some transit agencies I've been on like in Hamburg Germany they have all-door boarding on all routes regardless of vehicle, and it just makes the process much more pleasant and barrier-free. Also with all door boarding the huge lineup to board the front door is virtually eliminated, reducing dwell time in stops.

Great example! Many European (and East Asian) transit agencies seem to be a few steps ahead of North American agencies.

At this point, “wE nEeD tO sTuDy iT” is honestly such a pathetic excuse from the planning department. There’s literally 3 all-door boarding case studies that could be conducted in Metro Van:

95 & 96 B-Lines (January 2018, already mentioned)

143 & 145 (September 2019)

43 -> R4 (January 2020)

But if TransLink was serious about “studying” all-door boarding, then they would’ve done it by now instead of continuously kicking the can down the road and wonder why their buses sit forever at bus stops. All it takes to implement systemwide all-door boarding is an overnight boarding policy shift.

Edit: part of me suspects that they’re intentionally holding off on all-door boarding until the “next generation of Compass” finally launches.

[Transitfan2022]

Does anyone know what buses will be on the fireworks special this year? If not sorry to bother y'all 

[Busmanic92]

4 hours ago, 503FraserHwy said:

Does anyone know what buses will be on the fireworks special this year? If not sorry to bother y'all 

Isn't that picked randomly? 

[Transitfan2022]

2 hours ago, Busmanic92 said:

Isn't that picked randomly? 

Ok, I'll expect a trolley, 2 XE40s a D40LF, and a Novabus LFS Suburban 

 

I'm kidding ofc 

[Busmanic92]

2 hours ago, 503FraserHwy said:

Ok, I'll expect a trolley, 2 XE40s a D40LF, and a Novabus LFS Suburban 

 

I'm kidding ofc 

I'm kidding but I expect a 1985 SkyTrain car on the road (not the track)

Lol jk

[dover5949]

Let's stay on topic please! Thank you

[Transitfan2022]

Does anyone know when were getting the replacements for the LFRs? (The 57 Electric and 84 CNG buses)

[99.bline]

9 minutes ago, 503FraserHwy said:

Does anyone know when were getting the replacements for the LFRs? (The 57 Electric and 84 CNG buses)

Hopefully never

[buizelbus]

1 hour ago, 503FraserHwy said:

Does anyone know when were getting the replacements for the LFRs? (The 57 Electric and 84 CNG buses)

They're scheduled for late this year and next, but in reality we have no clue until they actually show up

[Transitfan2022]

5 hours ago, 99.bline said:

Hopefully never

Agreed

 

4 hours ago, buizelbus said:

They're scheduled for late this year and next, but in reality we have no clue until they actually show up

Got it, tysm

[Busmanic92]

On 9/13/2023 at 3:44 PM, buizelbus said:

They're scheduled for late this year and next, but in reality we have no clue until they actually show up

Yawn... Wake me when they are all go. I hate those 33's the most. Yet 74's 75's (diesels) are better to me. Just wake me when they are all gone...

[Transitfan2022]

Bit of a weird question 

Does anyone know around how much a Brand new Xcelsior is?

[Transit Guy]

1 hour ago, 503FraserHwy said:

Bit of a weird question 

Does anyone know around how much a Brand new Xcelsior is?

Depends on the length and propulsion. I could be wrong, but I believe before COVID new XD40s we’re going for about $800-900k per unit, but I imagine after the inflation over the last 3-4 years that it’s closer to $1 million+ for any 40-footer.

Perhaps someone with more knowledge can answer your question with a bit more accuracy. I just remember seeing the $800k-900k per bus price tag in a news article for some North American transit agency a few years back.

[Busmanic92]

3 hours ago, Transit Guy said:

Depends on the length and propulsion. I could be wrong, but I believe before COVID new XD40s we’re going for about $800-900k per unit, but I imagine after the inflation over the last 3-4 years that it’s closer to $1 million+ for any 40-footer.

Perhaps someone with more knowledge can answer your question with a bit more accuracy. I just remember seeing the $800k-900k per bus price tag in a news article for some North American transit agency a few years back.

Depends on the speculation (stuff the agency wants installed etc), delivery, whatnot. 

 

3 hours ago, Transit Guy said:

COVID new XD40s we’re going for about $800-900k per unit, but I imagine after the inflation over the last 3-4 years that it’s closer to $1 million+ for any 40-footer

Exactly like that. Just adding what transit agency wants.