Durham Region Transit

[Gil]

From a discussion in the YRT thread, does DRT produce or use terminal maps?  I know Metrolinx has a wayfinding program which was piloted at Pickering.  Can DRT piggyback on that if they're not able to produce their own?  Aside from the GO Train stations (I don't know if the terminal at Pickering Pkwy./Town Centre is included in the Pickering GO maps) the only terminals that would need depicting would be at Durham College/OTU, Harmony Terminal, Oshawa Centre and possibly Centennial College (both campuses).  A search only gave me this one from Transit Toronto for Durham College/UOIT (as it was known at the time in 2017):

[BrandonC]

2 hours ago, Gil said:

Metrolinx has a wayfinding program which was piloted at Pickering

Really? Could you share more details and ideally a link or two?

I’ve been complaining to GO for years about station maps

[Gil]

1 hour ago, BrandonC said:

Really? Could you share more details and ideally a link or two?

I’ve been complaining to GO for years about station maps

Here's the Metrolinx wayfinding Design Standard as of 2019, it's a huge .pdf file as it's 300 pages long!  Since Pickering was one of the pilot stations, the graphics in the manual use Pickering GO as an example.  Unfortunately the graphics aren't in very much detail, but you can clearly tell the examples are Pickering.  See pages 48-51 of the file.  I'm attaching a screenshot of page 51 which has the most legible details (but not enough to actually identify the various bus platforms).

[2044]

I noticed on the new Pulse LFS buses with perimeter seats at the rear, the two seats next to the rear door over the wheels are chained off. Anyone know why? I've only seen it from the outside. Have yet to catch a ride on one.

[7749]

8437 8452 8468 listed on govdeals. Will edit the wiki right now

[7749]

8435 8455 8465 listed on govdeals today

[7749]

All 07 D40LF's should be retired. 8431's posting hasn't been posted yet but hasn't seen service in a month, just about the same amount of time 8435 has gone without service

[newflyerinvero]

2 hours ago, 110B West Pickering said:

It appears all D40LFs will be retired and listed for sale by the time the Hybrids arrive in April.

7120-7122 have been delivered, im not sure about 18 and 19.

DRT Did a great summary of the March 7th service changes, so I won’t repeat it here, the only thing I’d like to note is that while this is the first phase of service increases to add PULSE service on the 915, technically the 915 still won’t be considered a PULSE route internally.

Other than the frequencies and Pulse buses, what else would make the 915 an official Pulse route?

[Gil]

On 2/2/2022 at 2:47 PM, 110B West Pickering said:

WAVE Shuttle has officially concluded in light of the shutdown of local motors and the collision 

announcement coming later today

How much of a lead time is there with the DRT System Map production?  The one dated to take effect March 7, 2022 still has the the 300 WAVE shuttle depicted.

Hasty patch-up job, a notice attached to the map or just left as is?  How widely circulated/distributed/available are the maps in a physical format?  I mean if they're only available digitally, it shouldn't be that hard to remove the route from the map.

Going back to the Metrolinx wayfinding/terminal maps, I guess I didn't peruse far enough in the manual to find this example for Pickering GO on Page 184 (which you can zoom in further in the .pdf to actually make out the details):

[2044]

On 2/23/2022 at 8:24 AM, 110B West Pickering said:

It appears all D40LFs will be retired and listed for sale by the time the Hybrids arrive in April.

Were the hybrids purchased through the Metrolinx TPI?

[Tom1122]

2 hours ago, Gil said:

How much of a lead time is there with the DRT System Map production?  The one dated to take effect March 7, 2022 still has the the 300 WAVE shuttle depicted.

Hasty patch-up job, a notice attached to the map or just left as is?  How widely circulated/distributed/available are the maps in a physical format?  I mean if they're only available digitally, it shouldn't be that hard to remove the route from the map.

Going back to the Metrolinx wayfinding/terminal maps, I guess I didn't peruse far enough in the manual to find this example for Pickering GO on Page 184 (which you can zoom in further in the .pdf to actually make out the details):

I don't see why DRT couldn't run a conventional bus on the WAVE shuttle with Olle being gone.

Speaking of which, whatever became of automated buses?

[smallspy]

9 hours ago, Tom1122 said:

Speaking of which, whatever became of automated buses?

https://jalopnik.com/local-motors-is-dead-and-you-can-now-rummage-through-t-1848584583

[ZümmyZüm]

On 2/25/2022 at 9:29 PM, 2044 said:

Were the hybrids purchased through the Metrolinx TPI?

I don’t have a positive answer but the current TPI with NovaBus does have the option for Hybrid, as well as CNG 

[7749]

On 3/7/2022 at 8:23 PM, Gamer Studios said:

According to a operator it's been disabled... (8431). I guess that means its been stripped...

Wouldn't surprise me if it was, still hasnt seen service for more than a month

[Gil]

On 3/7/2022 at 4:07 PM, 110B West Pickering said:

https://www.durham.ca/en/news/durham-region-seeking-feedback-on-design-options-for-bus-shelters-along-the-pulse-highway-2-route.aspx

survey for the design of the new BRT Stops in Ajax and Pickering

Looking at the bus shelter designs, are they supposed to be one-ended (towards the pedestrian crossing) or will they be open at both ends making for an unfortunate wind tunnel?

As for the back of the shelter, I don't see why they couldn't include a variation that had both.  The stop name with the pulse as an underline of sorts.  There isn't much in terms of signage on the inside of the shelter, so from the bus passenger's perspective aside from the automated announcement system, they won't know which stop they're at.  VIVA, Züm and the Mississauga Transitway all have signage facing the passengers on board so they can tell where they are.  Having the name on the outside only helps the passengers trying to get to the stop.

[Gil]

6 minutes ago, Gamer Studios said:

They could incorporate doors (similar to GO Transit) since these stops are exposed to the elements too...

Besides I bet a whole host of complaints will head towards DRT customer service if these bus stops become "wind tunnels"

Are the bus doors also supposed to line up with the openings in the shelter?  They're going to need some exact stopping points and extensive training for the drivers.  But if a place like Curitiba, Brazil can do it...  However, there doesn't appear to be anything to keep the doorways closed when a bus isn't there. 

[Gil]

22 hours ago, Gamer Studios said:

idk...but my experience is that there's no "set stop point" when the driver pulls to the stop

If they seriously are going with that design, then the door need to line up with the openings.  Unless the openings are slightly larger than the bus door for a bit of wiggle room for the driver.           -28-

[Gil]

13 hours ago, 110B West Pickering said:

This was a point I brought up to them at Transit Advisory Committee meeting when this was presented to us in November.

The gaps do not close when the bus is not there, but the gaps are designed to be wide enough to accommodate level boarding + Wiggle room for the different types of buses currently available.

at a later date if bus manufacturers radically change the location of their door placement, DRT and MX will have to work with the manufacturer to create custom placed door.

I can't imagine that door placement will radically change in the future unless it's some for some crucial component in an upcoming model.  There's probably a window for manufacturers to slightly adjust the door placement based on requests for say different door widths.  MiWay has gone to the trouble to making their paved bus stop pads for regular bus stops the length between the front and rear (or second on an artic) doors for the sake of accessibility.  I lost a freshly replaced tree on my boulevard due to this program - you'd think the two departments would have consulted each other and save the cost and labour!  If door placement is radically changed across all manufacturers then they may need to re-examine their bus stops.  Various agencies will simply screen out any bidders whose products don't conform to their needs, and hence may simply look elsewhere if their current manufacturer decides to go that route. (pun intended)

[TDE]

On 3/18/2022 at 8:37 AM, 110B West Pickering said:

Durham Region Transit Service Updates Effective April 4th 2022

 

Route 920

- Weekday midday service on 920B Replaced by full service all day to McCowan RT Station!

 

But that will still mean that the last departure to Mc Cowan Rt Station from Durham College North Campus will be at 17:42, so, technically not "all day," no?

Or is there more to this?

[G.A]

7 hours ago, 110B West Pickering said:

A NovaBus LFSE+ is currently on demo with DRT at Raleigh for the next little while,

this comes as DRT is preparing to put an RFP for 8 electric buses to tender.

Have they been driving it around the region?

[ORION]

10 hours ago, 110B West Pickering said:

A NovaBus LFSE+ is currently on demo with DRT at Raleigh for the next little while,

this comes as DRT is preparing to put an RFP for 8 electric buses to tender.

It’s currently on tour in the GTA until next week. Should be with Durham until tomorrow afternoon. It was in Kingston the other day.

[PrimeTio]

I know some D40s are being sent to beeton, their could be a possibility these will be scrapped their as well.

[Shaun]

On 3/12/2022 at 9:27 PM, Gil said:

I can't imagine that door placement will radically change in the future unless it's some for some crucial component in an upcoming model.  There's probably a window for manufacturers to slightly adjust the door placement based on requests for say different door widths.  MiWay has gone to the trouble to making their paved bus stop pads for regular bus stops the length between the front and rear (or second on an artic) doors for the sake of accessibility.  I lost a freshly replaced tree on my boulevard due to this program - you'd think the two departments would have consulted each other and save the cost and labour!  If door placement is radically changed across all manufacturers then they may need to re-examine their bus stops.  Various agencies will simply screen out any bidders whose products don't conform to their needs, and hence may simply look elsewhere if their current manufacturer decides to go that route. (pun intended)

But if you look at the D60lf vs LFSA the location of the articulation joint is very different. I don't know about the door placements but the doors are fitted in between wheels so there is not much you can do in terms of re-arranging the door positions. 

[Shaun]

On 3/22/2022 at 8:27 PM, Gamer Studios said:

I think DRT also moved 8571 over to Whitby division as it is currently out doing the 917 (Whitby run)

It's being extended to Harmony Terminal
 

Is there a reason why they cant just extend this route 500M to STC? They can take one of the Greyhound bays. 

[7749]

On 5/6/2022 at 5:01 PM, Gamer Studios said:

8471 is out on a 905/302 block

It seems only the 2010's are active (8471-8473). Guess this is the end