Misc. OC Transpo & STO Questions & Discussion

[Flalex72]

On 3/3/2020 at 11:17 AM, Loud-Invero said:

When does the night stop officially end? It's really confusing when they state that it starts after 9 pm but has no posted end time, so leaves me baffled having to choose between going to Stop C or D at Tunney's to catch the 80 Merivale/Slack to get to Colonnade..

The official word I got is that the night stop at Line 1 Stations ends when the train starts running, so as late as 8am on a Sunday.

[Oc4526]

It appears the new Sto next bus signs are active. This is the one at Stn De La Gappe (WB)

 

 

[wowzhao]

Is anyone aware of whether the Novabuses for STO and OC Transpo use different suspension systems?

I've had more than a few friends comment to me now that the STO buses seem to consistently provide a smoother ride.

[Loud-Invero]

On 3/10/2020 at 7:18 AM, wowzhao said:

Is anyone aware of whether the Novabuses for STO and OC Transpo use different suspension systems?

I've had more than a few friends comment to me now that the STO buses seem to consistently provide a smoother ride.

This info can be easily be found here and here.

 

Yesterday I was on 6384 and the interior has too many blue lights inside. Here are some snapshots I got.

[Loud-Invero]

The convenience store at PDO is permanently closed. Lincoln field station is the only station with a conenience store left

[Loud-Invero]

Okay serious question, why the do buses stay at their layup despite being due for departure?? 55 was suppose to depart 8 mins ago - 4:30ish from Bayshore, the DD at Bayshore signed up as 55 ready to go, drive had been in it for 10 mins already prior to scheduled departure and then just stood there like a sitting duck when due, next thing you know, my plan to get off at Queensway to take a route to Tunney's was foiled and had to wait for the next run to Tunney's Pasture which was the 63 about 8-10 mins later.

Can someone genuinely explain to me how this is allowed to go on? I know OC fucks over drivers with scheduling, but how is this right in any way to the transit user who has to pay for this crap?

[dev161]

1 hour ago, Loud-Invero said:

Okay serious question, why the do buses stay at their layup despite being due for departure?? 55 was suppose to depart 8 mins ago - 4:30ish from Bayshore, the DD at Bayshore signed up as 55 ready to go, drive had been in it for 10 mins already prior to scheduled departure and then just stood there like a sitting duck when due, next thing you know, my plan to get off at Queensway to take a route to Tunney's was foiled and had to wait for the next run to Tunney's Pasture which was the 63 about 8-10 mins later.

Can someone genuinely explain to me how this is allowed to go on? I know OC fucks over drivers with scheduling, but how is this right in any way to the transit user who has to pay for this crap?

With the lighter loads on the buses , many buses will leave their first stop late so that they don't run too early on the route. 

[MCIBUS]

The only flaw in that is the way OC has some schedules if you need to make a transfer, by leaving late you might loose that connection, and in some cases have to wait 30 mins fore your next connection(if its not canceled then you wait 1 hour) 

 

Yes I know nothings perfect and its getting warmer in the evening, but still some nights it still gets cold.

[Loud-Invero]

Why has OC ditched consultations? So they released their cuts which are pretty huge. There's this one cut that makes me angry as I know the usage of these trips and who uses them.

One cut is the 57 Bells Corners trips, particularly in the AM. They cancelled Bells Corners service (towards Bells Corners) before 8 AM. Problem is those AM trips are for Queensway Carleton Hospital and Revera Retirement Employees, which last I checked are essential services (DUH!). They often take the 6:30 AM 57 to the hospital to get their by 7 AM. Looks like that's not a thing no more. Looks like you have to fork over extra time or money @bsnider001

To those that are like "OH just take the 58" Yeah, too bad the freaking trip that leaves Bayshore is 6:37 while the 57 Bayshore arrival is 6:40! 

Let's hope this is their trial and the April changes will correct their incoherent scheduling departments decisions based off very little data, since literally you can't tap your card on half the fleet and the ones you can, people don't tap.

[bsnider001]

21 hours ago, Loud-Invero said:

Why has OC ditched consultations? So they released their cuts which are pretty huge. There's this one cut that makes me angry as I know the usage of these trips and who uses them.

One cut is the 57 Bells Corners trips, particularly in the AM. They cancelled Bells Corners service (towards Bells Corners) before 8 AM. Problem is those AM trips are for Queensway Carleton Hospital and Revera Retirement Employees, which last I checked are essential services (DUH!). They often take the 6:30 AM 57 to the hospital to get their by 7 AM. Looks like that's not a thing no more. Looks like you have to fork over extra time or money @bsnider001

To those that are like "OH just take the 58" Yeah, too bad the freaking trip that leaves Bayshore is 6:37 while the 57 Bayshore arrival is 6:40! 

Let's hope this is their trial and the April changes will correct their incoherent scheduling departments decisions based off very little data, since literally you can't tap your card on half the fleet and the ones you can, people don't tap.

Yeah, that would affect my ability to get to work (if i wasn't working from home)... I'm usually on the 8 am trip though, or the 8:30 am trip (from Bayshore).

I've also heard they plan to essentially run Saturday service during the week? Does that explain the cuts?

[Loud-Invero]

1 hour ago, bsnider001 said:

I've also heard they plan to essentially run Saturday service during the week? Does that explain the cuts?

That is exactly the reason. Same reason why my 85 Gatineau now comes at 9:41 PM every day starting Monday  Meaning if it camps because... 

Quote

With the lighter loads on the buses , many buses will leave their first stop late so that they don't run too early on the route. 

Then I'll be late almost everytime....

[Flalex72]

23 hours ago, Loud-Invero said:

Why has OC ditched consultations? So they released their cuts which are pretty huge. There's this one cut that makes me angry as I know the usage of these trips and who uses them.

One cut is the 57 Bells Corners trips, particularly in the AM. They cancelled Bells Corners service (towards Bells Corners) before 8 AM. Problem is those AM trips are for Queensway Carleton Hospital and Revera Retirement Employees, which last I checked are essential services (DUH!). They often take the 6:30 AM 57 to the hospital to get their by 7 AM. Looks like that's not a thing no more. Looks like you have to fork over extra time or money @bsnider001

To those that are like "OH just take the 58" Yeah, too bad the freaking trip that leaves Bayshore is 6:37 while the 57 Bayshore arrival is 6:40! 

Let's hope this is their trial and the April changes will correct their incoherent scheduling departments decisions based off very little data, since literally you can't tap your card on half the fleet and the ones you can, people don't tap.

Keep in mind that these changes are being made on the fly as a result of a very unusual situation. Schedules are usually made up months in advance to allow for drivers to book their work and for all of the on-street info to be updated. Redoing the entire system in a week is pretty much unheard of.

Asking for consultations on this shows a lack of understanding on the current situation. Consultations are not a quick process, and by the time you've collected the feedback, the situation has likely changed.

This isn't a trial, it's not 2011 all over again. It's a response to an unprecedented situation, and if we continue like this there likely won't be a separate April schedule like we are accustomed to. Eventually, things will return to normal.

Finally, PRESTO data isn't needed to count passengers - buses have counters for that.

[Loud-Invero]

2 hours ago, Flalex72 said:

Finally, PRESTO data isn't needed to count passengers - buses have counters for that.

All of them? I thought only new DD's and Novas have them

[OCCheetos]

13 hours ago, Loud-Invero said:

All of them? I thought only new DD's and Novas have them

I'm pretty sure a handful of other buses have them too, but they have months if not years of aggregated data to work with..

[Flalex72]

You're correct. Counters are standard on new purchases, and installed on a subset of everything else. Even when they were only on 10-15% of the fleet, that was enough for reasonable coverage of the entire system.

[MCIBUS]

Some Interesting OC Facts/Info

 

I'm not sure of what the age span is of the board members is, but being a GEN X, I've seen a lot of things on OC from the early 1970's to the present. Over the last 30-40 years I've made lists of things I've seen OC.

 

Here a some of the lists. I'll be posting more inffo/facts about OC in vintage thread in the next few days on the Actual Historical Fleet OC once had as well as OC bus Model Fleet#'s their Fleet#'s, Make, Coach serial #(IE T6H 5307N-C963), number of seats bus had, Date Manufactured, Date received on Property, Date of entry into service, and licence plate.

It should bre noted for that part of info I only have from 1974 to 1993. I don't have any info before 1974 or after 1993.

 

Some of the info I did myself, other info was obtained from Canadian Transit Heritage Foundation/OC Bus gathering in late 1990'(not sure of the  exact date, but it was some where around that time. It should also be noted info was obtained courtesy of Peter Newgard OC head Manger(Maconi position) at that time.

 

I hope members like this info:

 

 

[Loud-Invero]

Hey everyone. I have a question for all. Does anyone have a Route 15 map made between September 2005 and September 2009? The wiki doesn't show it and I'd like to make a digital replica of it as the WaybackMachine doesn't have it backed up. @MCIBUS, @M.Wright, any of you have timetables or anything?

[Oc4526]

On 4/7/2020 at 10:35 PM, Loud-Invero said:

Hey everyone. I have a question for all. Does anyone have a Route 15 map made between September 2005 and September 2009? The wiki doesn't show it and I'd like to make a digital replica of it as the WaybackMachine doesn't have it backed up. @MCIBUS, @M.Wright, any of you have timetables or anything?

Found one

 

[Loud-Invero]

5 minutes ago, Oc4526 said:

Found one

 

Thanks but it's actually not it. Although Wayback machine has archived the route map, that route map is only from 2004 and below. Wayback machine had a problem archiving back in the day which is why even though you can change the dates on the schedules, it will remain the same as well as the route maps.

I made one myself but if anyone can get me an official one, that'd be awesome! I was told to call the customer service centre, but I'm not sure if they're willing to give me time tables

 

[Loud-Invero]

For those wondering, this is how OC is protecting drivers on Line 2

[Loud-Invero]

So I took my bike to a repair shop in Bells Corners. Unfortunately for me due to the fact that there are basically still no bike racks and service to Bell Corners on the 57 only comes hourly (1hr, Câlisse! ) I had to walk my bike 6 km there. During my travel, I noticed that any 57X trips to QCH that have zero passengers will stay on Richmond and turn left onto Baseline then turn left onto John Sutherland then turn right onto Richmond to return to Bayshore.

Returning via Bus, I saw 2 passengers on the 12:32 PM, 57X. I hope they weren't confusing the X57 for the 57 Bells Corners... but then again, If they did mistake the X57 then they can transfer to the 88 along Baseline...

I'm just hoping this crap ends soon

[M.Wright]

On 3/27/2020 at 6:08 PM, Loud-Invero said:

Why has OC ditched consultations? So they released their cuts which are pretty huge. There's this one cut that makes me angry as I know the usage of these trips and who uses them.

One cut is the 57 Bells Corners trips, particularly in the AM. They cancelled Bells Corners service (towards Bells Corners) before 8 AM. Problem is those AM trips are for Queensway Carleton Hospital and Revera Retirement Employees, which last I checked are essential services (DUH!). They often take the 6:30 AM 57 to the hospital to get their by 7 AM. Looks like that's not a thing no more. Looks like you have to fork over extra time or money @bsnider001

To those that are like "OH just take the 58" Yeah, too bad the freaking trip that leaves Bayshore is 6:37 while the 57 Bayshore arrival is 6:40! 

Let's hope this is their trial and the April changes will correct their incoherent scheduling departments decisions based off very little data, since literally you can't tap your card on half the fleet and the ones you can, people don't tap.

See my response below, it is a response to your post mainly, with some added details.

On 3/28/2020 at 6:11 PM, Flalex72 said:

Keep in mind that these changes are being made on the fly as a result of a very unusual situation. Schedules are usually made up months in advance to allow for drivers to book their work and for all of the on-street info to be updated. Redoing the entire system in a week is pretty much unheard of.

Asking for consultations on this shows a lack of understanding on the current situation. Consultations are not a quick process, and by the time you've collected the feedback, the situation has likely changed.

This isn't a trial, it's not 2011 all over again. It's a response to an unprecedented situation, and if we continue like this there likely won't be a separate April schedule like we are accustomed to. Eventually, things will return to normal.

Finally, PRESTO data isn't needed to count passengers - buses have counters for that.

Flalex72 is correct. This Covid-19 service was created on a fly, with plenty of errors. I managed to get some of the major errors that would have affected customers, rectified internally before they actually got implemented (as there was errors on the 45, 62 and N-services), but had these errors not been rectified, it would have been quite interesting.

There still are a few errors I've noticed (like the 170 doing the weekend routing with the 173 operating). However, those are low priority items and are not as critical. But do feel free to point out any issues with the Covid-19 booking, and I'll see what I can do to get them fixed, as they are being more responsive to direct communication given the rushed nature of this service. It does sound like we will be rebooking our work come the Fall with the Covid-19 service continuing, but revised a little bit, so now would be the time to point out any issues.

Now as for passenger counts, those are out the window with Covid-19. But regardless, they try assign APC buses to gather a database of "passenger counts per trip", and will update it as needed. So even though a limited percentage of the fleet has APC's, they have an idea on what systemwide ridership figures are like (when everything is normal). For the non-Nova and DD buses, they have a few APC buses for each type of bus, so the ridership counting is generally unnoticed by the public.

[Loud-Invero]

Is the NCR thread now only viewable by users only? I'm taking a guess, but is this because @STO_1601 is forwarding content from here to O-Train Fans? Can @Enviro_1203 confirm this?

[JCL]

16 minutes ago, Loud-Invero said:

Is the NCR thread now only viewable by users only? I'm taking a guess, but is this because @STO_1601 is forwarding content from here to O-Train Fans? Can @Enviro_1203 confirm this?

I made a comment this morning that indirectly refers to that board member on another thread: https://cptdb.ca/topic/3001-whats-up-with-the-board/page/31/?tab=comments#comment-894634

 

[Enviro_1203]

1 hour ago, Loud-Invero said:

Is the NCR thread now only viewable by users only? I'm taking a guess, but is this because @STO_1601 is forwarding content from here to O-Train Fans? Can @Enviro_1203 confirm this?

You would be correct.