Central Fraser Valley

[neopasturquoise]

Today, I took #502 to go to Aldergrove to take the new #21 Abbotsford Connector. The bus arrived almost half an hour late (I guess the driver was lost). 8 people on board including me.

#21 (9843) 13:20

http://neopas.fotopic.net/p44756516.html

Since the bus arrived late, I decided not to go to Downtown Abbotsford but stay at Bourquin Exchange.

The transfer was valid for 90 minutes, so I decided to board the #21 back to Aldergrove which leaves at 13:47. I showed my transfer to the driver and he told me I can't use the transfer and told me to pay $2.25. I told him I paid $2.25 already and was valid for 90 minutes and his reply was "No, you can't do that, you have to pay $2.25." (Fine, I pay then. I don't want to argue with you). So I paid and I sat at the back. Another person (I guess he is the transit supervisor) had a discussion with the driver about if the transfer was valid or not. At the end, the driver told one of the passengers to pay his fare to me ($1.50). The driver then came to me and said that the $0.75 ($1.50-$2.25 that I paid = -$0.75)is for the transfer. (Oh well....).

#21 (9051) 13:42

http://neopas.fotopic.net/p44756522.html

Fortunately, I got to ride the Dennis Dart (One of my favorite buses).

By the way, do u miss "him"?

http://neopas.fotopic.net/p44756518.html

Other photos related to Central Valley Transit System:

http://neopas.fotopic.net/c1363532.html

PLUS!!

[Andy Zhang]

Transfer doesn't work?

Funny driver

[general682002]

Downtown Abbotdford is nothing to see, belive me. I was there in July and their fleets are in a big shamble. I did enjoy riding their Orion V.

[323 Surrey Ctrl Stn]

Just looking at your photos and noticed a bunch of buses in the background. IS there a garage or something by the loop?

[neopasturquoise]

I am not sure. It seems like it's the parking lot of the shopping mall (Right beside the loop is the shopping mall). That may be the layover for the buses.

[BCT-3122-D800-10240]

I am not sure. It seems like it's the parking lot of the shopping mall (Right beside the loop is the shopping mall). That may be the layover for the buses.

That's the extra bus that's out all the time where usually Operators enjoy their lunch breaks in. They probably use the bus for breakdowns as well if something arises.

From what the Operator's told me back in February 2006, it sounds like an operator is assigned the bus to come out work a school run or an extra on a regular route during the AM rush hour. Then during the midday (Between peak hours, that same operator parks the bus in that parking lot like mentioned in the above posts then takes over other operators buses for their lunch breaks at different times through out the midday. After that the operator probably gets relieved by an afternoon shift operator who takes the parked bus and works a school run and an extra trip and then in the evening, does break relief for the evening shift Operators. I am not sure if I have worded it exactly the way it happens, so don't quote me on it. But it is something similar to this idea.

[323 Surrey Ctrl Stn]

Ok thanks, both of you. I was just wondering because I looked at the photos then I look on the google map and there is no sign of a garage there. So I was sorta confused

Thanks again!

[A. Wong]

Interesting story about the transfers.

I think Dennis Darts are cool in that they are unique, but the ones I rode in Victoria were slow as molasses.

[BCT-3122-D800-10240]

Ok thanks, both of you. I was just wondering because I looked at the photos then I look on the google map and there is no sign of a garage there. So I was sorta confused

Thanks again!

If you look on those Google Maps, you will probably find the Transit yard very close to two sets of Railroad Tracks. (I have not checked on the google maps yet). Just going by what I remember when I found the yard with the help of an Abbotsford Transit Operator. It's about a 10 to 15 minute walk from the nearest Transit route. Oh and there is a "Wally World" - Wal-Mart nearby too!

[323 Surrey Ctrl Stn]

If you look on those Google Maps, you will probably find the Transit yard very close to two sets of Railroad Tracks. (I have not checked on the google maps yet). Just going by what I remember when I found the yard with the help of an Abbotsford Transit Operator. It's about a 10 to 15 minute walk from the nearest Transit route. Oh and there is a "Wally World" - Wal-Mart nearby too!

Here is the transit garage. I double checked with an address found on the website and it matches up.

[Andy Zhang]

Its in where? How we can get there?

[323 Surrey Ctrl Stn]

Its in where? How we can get there?

It's a far ways from the nearest route. Good luck trying to get there nothing special.

[323 Surrey Ctrl Stn]

Well after swing by Abby today we got a few sightings.

9201 and 9221 are still there, the last '06 Novas in the Lower Mainland.

8913 is in the active tracks

938 is in the back corner, no plates.

All 3 Orion V's are still there, 8609, 8608 and 8606.

Chris Cassidy

[SidneyTransitfan]

Wiki updated with your sightings...

[MCW Metrobus]

I was mildly surprised to see that 9201 was still around. With all of the other buses that accompanied it to Abby from Kelowna now transferred out again, I kind of figured 9201's days in Abby were numbered when I spotted it last month while passing through. At the time I didn't realize there were no other '06s aside from 9221 that were still there, because I didn't discover until later that day that both 9203 and 9205 were running in Kamloops, and 9202 was in Kelowna. 9204 had been spotted in Kelowna in February, and a month ago it was sitting at Cullen in Langley waiting either for repairs or to be redeployed.

[9924]

Transfer doesn't work?

Funny driver

Why not? If you get on a my bus and ask for a transfer, I drop you off at the exchange and then you board a bus again with the same transfer to get back from where got on, its an invalid transfer because its being used for return travel which is not what a transfer is for regardless if its valid for 90 minutes. In fact, this is even stated quite clearly on the back of our transfers ... seeing the transfer in the picture is identical to ours, I would be interested in what the terms/conditions of use for that transfer on the back states.

Interesting story about the transfers.

Not for me it isn't

I think Dennis Darts are cool in that they are unique, but the ones I rode in Victoria were slow as molasses.

They are very unique, no question about that ... but cool is a stretch

For all their quirks, problems, rattles, creaks, thunks, slowness, unreliablity ... they sure do manouver around town like no other bus

[MCW Metrobus]

Why not? If you get on a my bus and ask for a transfer, I drop you off at the exchange and then you board a bus again with the same transfer to get back from where got on, its an invalid transfer because its being used for return travel which is not what a transfer is for regardless if its valid for 90 minutes. In fact, this is even stated quite clearly on the back of our transfers ... seeing the transfer in the picture is identical to ours, I would be interested in what the terms/conditions of use for that transfer on the back states.

That seems to depend on the system. In recent years there has been a trend of transit systems moving away from the transfer policy where transfers are only valid on the "next connecting bus" to or from certain points, towards a time-based transfer policy more characteristic of larger systems where once issued, a transfer is valid for a set period of time with no other restrictions, such as route number or direction. Victoria Regional Transit, for example, states very explicitly that transfers are valid for return trips (see Victoria Regional Transit fares, scroll down to "Transfer Policies"), obviously so long as the return trip can and will be made within the time period for which the transfer is valid. The case is the same in Vancouver.

The Central Fraser Valley transit system now uses the same time-based policy, as explained here. That being said, I don't know when this policy took effect in that particular system, given that the events outlined by Neopas earlier in this thread took place nearly three years ago. It is possible that at the time of these events, Central Fraser Valley Transit had just effected the change, and perhaps the operator in question was not familiar with the new policy yet.

Something makes me think that Kelowna Transit also switched to a time-based policy in relatively recent memory (i.e. the past three years). I can't substantiate this though, the first time I rode Kelowna Transit was in 2007.

[9924]

That seems to depend on the system. In recent years there has been a trend of transit systems moving away from the transfer policy where transfers are only valid on the "next connecting bus" to or from certain points, towards a time-based transfer policy more characteristic of larger systems where once issued, a transfer is valid for a set period of time with no other restrictions, such as route number or direction. Victoria Regional Transit, for example, states very explicitly that transfers are valid for return trips (see Victoria Regional Transit fares, scroll down to "Transfer Policies"), obviously so long as the return trip can and will be made within the time period for which the transfer is valid. The case is the same in Vancouver.

I'm quite aware of that ... however, in this case, a transfer ceases to become a transfer and becomes simply a fare paid ticket which is valid for unrestricted travel in a certain fare paid zone such is the case in other countries. Now, since BC Transit and the respective municipalities has policies, equipment and way of thinking more or less belongs in the stone age, we for the most part still have to use "transfers" which state one thing on the transfer itself and something else on a website that very few people look at.

That larger cities allow return trips, longer validation times, etc. on their "transfers" is simply because they cannot regulate the use of transfers anymore due to the size and complexity of their systems.

Something makes me think that Kelowna Transit also switched to a time-based policy in relatively recent memory (i.e. the past three years). I can't substantiate this though, the first time I rode Kelowna Transit was in 2007.

That is correct, I can't remember the exact year, but it was fairly recent. Reason? The system has just grown to large and complex to regulate the intended use of transfers. The City of Kelowna has also recently adopted a policy to allow people to use last months passes for the first 3 days into a new month ... ie: April 2010 pass is valid up to and including May 3 2010.

[M. Parsons]

That seems to depend on the system. In recent years there has been a trend of transit systems moving away from the transfer policy where transfers are only valid on the "next connecting bus" to or from certain points, towards a time-based transfer policy more characteristic of larger systems where once issued, a transfer is valid for a set period of time with no other restrictions, such as route number or direction. Victoria Regional Transit, for example, states very explicitly that transfers are valid for return trips (see Victoria Regional Transit fares, scroll down to "Transfer Policies"), obviously so long as the return trip can and will be made within the time period for which the transfer is valid. The case is the same in Vancouver.

The Central Fraser Valley transit system now uses the same time-based policy, as explained here. That being said, I don't know when this policy took effect in that particular system, given that the events outlined by Neopas earlier in this thread took place nearly three years ago. It is possible that at the time of these events, Central Fraser Valley Transit had just effected the change, and perhaps the operator in question was not familiar with the new policy yet.

Something makes me think that Kelowna Transit also switched to a time-based policy in relatively recent memory (i.e. the past three years). I can't substantiate this though, the first time I rode Kelowna Transit was in 2007.

I ran into that issue in Whistler. The driver tried to take my transfer and insisted it was no longer valid, despite that the transfer was valid and the conditions clearly stated it was valid for 60 or 90 minutes (can't remember which) including return trips.

Of course, if he was from a different system in BC which didn't have that policy or, even out of province, I can see why he might have thought differently.

[9924]

I ran into that issue in Whistler. The driver tried to take my transfer and insisted it was no longer valid, despite that the transfer was valid and the conditions clearly stated it was valid for 60 or 90 minutes (can't remember which) including return trips.

Of course, if he was from a different system in BC which didn't have that policy or, even out of province, I can see why he might have thought differently.

Which is one of the big problems we have when we get "guests" ( ) from the Lower Mainland or even Kelowna and we get reemed out by them because we have a different policy then they do. Now, if BC Transit would step up to the plate and come into the decade we're actually in and start calling non-transfer tickets just tickets rather than the inncorrect name transfer.

There other systems that don't have 90 mintue tickets ... we have transfers which means you transfer from one bus to another NOT lounge around at the mall or downtown and take a later bus at your leisure. I really wish BC Transit would just get out of this simple minded mentality they have and start coming into the 21st Century so the drivers can actually focus on their primary task of driving and not have to be in constant arguements over things that passengers don't know.

[CV92]

Penticton is similar in that we use the same transfers as Vernon and Abby, but the rider guide specifically states that "transfers are valid for trips in any direction" which to me would include return trips. I think it's more of a decision on the municipality/operators part than BC Transit's...the fault lies in the fact that they won't have 2 separate sets of them-for those who do allow return trips, and those that do not.

On another note, so then 9229 has moved out of Abby? Anyone know where to?

[MCW Metrobus]

On another note, so then 9229 has moved out of Abby? Anyone know where to?

I completely forgot about 9229! We didn't see it, I'm pretty sure it wasn't at the garage, I suppose there is a remote chance it was on one of the routes that doesn't go to Bourquin (we spent more time there than at the downtown exchange, and I think we saw all the buses on all the routes that go to and through Bourquin because we saw quite a few buses more than once). Perhaps it went to join 9230 and 9231 up in Kamloops.

[SidneyTransitfan]

If you look on those Google Maps, you will probably find the Transit yard very close to two sets of Railroad Tracks. (I have not checked on the google maps yet). Just going by what I remember when I found the yard with the help of an Abbotsford Transit Operator. It's about a 10 to 15 minute walk from the nearest Transit route. Oh and there is a "Wally World" - Wal-Mart nearby too!

By the looks of things, here's a quick route description from Translink's 502 at Aldergrove...

Take Route 21 (Aldergrove Connector) from 272nd Street/Fraser Hwy in Aldergrove to Abbottsford's Bourquin Exchange. Then, transfer to Route 2 (Huntingdon), and travel as far as the Wal-Mart (Lonzo Street). Then walk under the Trans-Canada Hwy along Riverside Road for about 1km. It'll be on your right.

An alternative would be to take Route 25 (UFV), to UFV, and then walk along 16th Avenue until the T-junction at Riverside Road, and turn right (South).

[translink]

According to Mr. 502 Surrey Cntrl, 8913, 8608 and 8606 are now running in Abbotsford.

- Bryan "Goggles"

[SidneyTransitfan]

Also, as posted in the Novas' thread. 9229 is still in Abbottsford. See my Youtube "Buses in Vancouver" series, (volume six) for proof.