Transit Windsor

[MaT]

https://www.iheartradio.ca/am800/news/amherstburg-continues-to-look-at-public-transit-1.13225190

[MaT]

So some 2020 novas are in service today. 8029 and 8034 on the 4 and 8035 on the 3W.

[Girardin71]

Today not too many 2020 Novas

8033 (Lauzon 10)

8034 (crosstown 2)

 

and transit windows announced a new executive director.

https://www.iheartradio.ca/am800/news/city-names-new-executive-director-for-transit-windsor-1.13434787

 

 

 

[Bernie]

3 hours ago, Girardin71 said:

Today not too many 2020 Novas

8033 (Lauzon 10)

8034 (crosstown 2)

 

and transit windows announced a new executive director.

https://www.iheartradio.ca/am800/news/city-names-new-executive-director-for-transit-windsor-1.13434787

 

 

 

8041 was on the Central 3 yesterday, these Nova's are New York built. 

[MaT]

So talks are still going forward with Transit Windsor service to Amherstburg.

https://www.talktheburg.ca/transit

at the bottom right there are 3 files, one of them being the proposed route. Now I noticed in the file name it says route 20...could that be a hint of it being named the 20 Amherstburg if it all goes through?

[MaT]

I forgot to mention that they will be doing open houses for the proposed route from Windsor to Amherstburg(including transfer stops to the 25 on Front rd in Lasalle).

https://windsorite.ca/2020/09/open-house-planned-for-proposed-amherstburg-bus-service/

[MaT]

well, 11 2020 novas in service today in the city. 615(a hybrid) on the 42 heading down the highway to leamington....fail.  And also I seen 425 today with a fresh coat of paint in the smaller 3 inch stripes, looks good! Proof that its gonna stick around for a while longer!

[newflyerinvero]

22 minutes ago, MaT said:

well, 11 2020 novas in service today in the city. 615(a hybrid) on the 42 heading down the highway to leamington....fail.  And also I seen 425 today with a fresh coat of paint in the smaller 3 inch stripes, looks good! Proof that its gonna stick around for a while longer!

A hybrid going to Leamington shouldn't be a fail.

Availability if buses can always mean whatever's there for a driver to use, ge/she will raise out fir their shift.

[MaT]

It is a fail cuz its supposed to be stop and go for hybrids, not 52km one way with 4 stops. Hybrid should have been used on a city route and a diesel used on the highway route. 

[PHATMATT51]

No more free ride on Transit Windsor buses as of the 19th

 

https://windsorite.ca/2020/10/transit-windsor-fare-collection-to-resume-on-october-19th/?fbclid=IwAR02DschVkCSRn6nqR3dFE5nPE9BTbXtRlhdxzoYtBRbVD7y_lKHbZus3Iw

[Border City Transit]

Glad that Transit Windsor continues on a track of general growth -- my sense is that COVID is slowing it down, but not stopping it! Excited to see advancements with the new route network.

Meanwhile, wtf happened to their fleet? I like their buses... but why are they ad wrapping so dang many?

I never like wraps, but those showing up in Windsor are especially bad. They're all composed of low-res photos, amateur photo editing effects, overly detailed text that clashes with doors/window frames, etc. They're really, really poorly designed. They make the whole transit system look tacky. Last time I was at WITT, every single bus was wearing a super-busy, super-ugly ad wrap.

I hope they come to their senses. The city is investing in transit -- that's huge. If they want it to succeed, they'll need to make the vehicles somewhat appealing.

Transit Windsor's buses have become so ugly that I stopped taking pictures. Even the non-wrapped buses... they cut the yellow+green+blue to almost nothing. It looks particularly sad on the 8000-series Novas. Those should be such beautiful vehicles. Time for a new paint scheme -- or time to adjust the "classic" scheme to better fit these very deserving buses.

It inspired me to dig up a couple photos of bright, happy Classics in full yellow regalia:

And 411, an original ca 1991 Orion V. This bus and its sister 412 were originally delivered in big yellow. Photos are scarce. I believe they were among the first to sport the "less yellow" look some time around 1997/1998 -- when the very first Nova LFSs came in.

All photos taken in Detroit. That's what we call... Border City Transit! 

[Girardin71]

Out of the 19 new Novas 2 haven’t since service since delivery, 8027, 8037.

What is Transit Windsor doing to these buses delaying them entering service.

Also on the tracker they have the Central 3 and the Central 3 Loop.  Aren’t these the same route.  They also have smart ride cards that are reloadable but only at the WITT or Transit Centre (garage), they are only 5 or 10 rides. They still have paper tickets and the monthly passes.  

 

[Border City Transit]

Just daydreaming...

[Girardin71]

Just now in the tracker there is 3 buses on the dougall 6 which usually has 2.  Im think that one will be the 42 that leaves St Clair College or that route is really busy right now.

 

 

[Seashore_518203]

On 10/1/2020 at 4:19 PM, Border City Transit said:

And 411, an original ca 1991 Orion V. This bus and its sister 412 were originally delivered in big yellow. Photos are scarce. I believe they were among the first to sport the "less yellow" look some time around 1997/1998 -- when the very first Nova LFSs came in.

Here is a shot of 411 taken on December 27, 1991 when brand new.

[Border City Transit]

On 12/16/2020 at 5:11 PM, Seashore_518203 said:

Here is a shot of 411 taken on December 27, 1991 when brand new.

OMG, thank you for sharing that.

This is proof that a "modern" body style can deftly wear an older paint scheme. Wish we had had more time to enjoy 411 & 412 before they went vanilla.

Wow.

About twice a year in the early/mid 90s, my grandparents would take me to Downtown Windsor. We'd head straight for Ouellette & Wyandotte on Saturday mornings. While they tended to my grandpa's army pension at Canada Trust, I'd plant myself outside watching bus after bus after bus after bus.

I was absolutely captivated. Transit Windsor ran a typical Canadian fleet for the time: Classics and New Looks. With lots of variety among the Classics.

Just when I had concluded that Transit Windsor was all "GM" (the extent of my bus knowledge circa 1994), up rolls 411 or 412. I couldn't believe it! A visibly newer, "American-looking" bus in that trademark Windsor yellow!

A few minutes later, a 40-foot Orion I (401-410) pulled up. I didn't know what to make of that bus! After these Orion sightings, it become even more fun to watch Transit Windsor.

Sorry for the longwinded story. Your photo evoked some very happy memories.

Here's a pic from "my favourite intersection" 10-15 years later. A limp, unexciting Orion VI lurching westbound on the Crosstown 2. Wonder what those would have looked like in yellow?!

[MaT]

From the environment, transportation and public safety standing committee meeting on january 20th

 

"The town of amherstburg is having conversation around public transit. A proposal from the city of windsor was provided to the town of amherstburg and was fully supported by their council. A public consultation was held and the city of windsor provided a proposal relating to routing, options and alternative route modifications."

"A proposal has been provided to the town of tecumseh. Their current contract expires and we look forward to furthur communication with them to keep the regional aspect moving."

[MaT]

New route 18 coming in september, east-west express route between Tecumseh mall - devonshire mall - st clair college. (from the new master plan)
From Windsor star article on facebook

 

New east-west student express approved as pilot partnership between city, college
 

The City of Windsor and St. Clair College are hopping aboard a new east-west express bus route as a pilot project, to dramatically trim the two hours it currently takes to ride from east Windsor to the college’s main campus.

Route 18 would start in September to coincide with the start of classes at the college’s South Windsor campus. The 30-minute ride, running from Tecumseh Mall via E.C. Row Expressway to Devonshire Mall and then on to the college, is regarded as the key early component of the Transit Master Plan passed a year ago to double city bus service and ridership.

But it had been left out of the city council proposed 2021 operating budget due to dramatically reduced ridership in the time of COVID-19. During the most recent lockdown, the number of people taking the bus had dropped to 15 per cent of what it was before the start of the pandemic.

“Obviously, we’re in a very challenging time,” Mayor Drew Dilkens said Monday as he revealed a “compromise” solution to the dilemma of following through on Route 18 during a time of severely declining ridership.

“We are plowing millions of dollars into this system to keep it afloat because the revenue stream is way down and I appreciate this looks like we’re digging more of a hole when we already have a big one.”

Last week, the mayor told the Star that while he favoured Route 18, the timing was bad. But over the weekend, he held discussions with college president Patti France, who is keen on having the route to serve her students. The college was willing to finance half the $180,000 cost of a pilot project to test the popularity of Route 18 from the start of classes in September until the end of 2021, he said.

 

The mayor said the college’s student representative council is also passionately behind Route 18. The idea now is to promote the route, collect data on ridership, and use it as an enticement for college students considering the establishment of a universal bus pass for all students, similar to the UPass at the University of Windsor where all students pay about $68 per semester. The UPass has led to rising ridership and increased frequency on multiple bus routes.

“With the partnership opportunity, I’m personally comfortable we can handle this in 2021,” Dilkens said.

The annual cost of Route 18 is about $550,000. The pilot project’s $180,000 cost reflects the cost of running it for four months.

Ward 1 Coun. Fred Francis, who was approached by France over the weekend and connected her with the mayor, credited the college president’s intervention.

“This is a pretty good compromise,” he said. Council approved the pilot project unanimously.

“I think it’s a great decision we’re making here today,” said Ward 9 Coun. Kieran McKenzie, who chairs the city’s transit advisory committee.

“I think it’s important for us to remember we’re just coming out of a lockdown,” he said, predicting that ridership will start rising. “And certainly if school is going to resume in the fall there is going to be significant demand for this route.”

[MaT]

seen i think 8028 today with a new font on the front destination sign on the ottawa 4. looked very different and stood out compared to the others. And I think they also changed the destination names but I cant remember what it said.