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46 minutes ago, ZümmyZüm said:

So essentially a lot of cuts and setbacks even as the pandemic is “over” 

this one makes me laugh “

  • Frequency adjustment on 107B Keele to go from 11 minutes to 18 minutes to account for articulated bus operations ”

essentially the region is looking to scale back service with a justified excuse of running a larger bus. There is very few routes that require articulated buses on the Vaughan side. 107 isn’t one of them 

I will admit, YRT has decided to postpone changes and some repackaged from a previous version from last year or previous years, but with some changes such as the 20E Jane which was originally supposed to operate this May on weekends/holidays every 15 minutes between Vaughan Metro Centre and Major Mackenzie Drive West Terminal servicing major terminals and stops.

The new version is making it between Major Mackenzie Drive West Terminal and Highway 407 Terminal during the AM and PM peak periods. Same frequency at every 15 minutes. Most likely to capture transfers from Go Transit buses. 

Trying to reduce costs where they can especially with how it looks like they don't want to restore the peak period routes. Instead, relying more on the regular routes to take on the demand and simply add additional buses where needed. 

19 minutes ago, Articulated said:

107/107B has a couple of very busy trips, namely those that meet shift change times at the numerous workplaces along Keele Street. That being said, artics shouldn't be needed all day to handle a handful of busy trips.

There was a joke on Twitter earlier today that if the bus operates every two hours, would it be an articulated bus to handle the demand and not leave people standing.

From what I heard, Route 107/107B operates with 7 regular buses to reach the 11 minute frequency. Converting to articulated buses would require 4 to reach the 18 minute frequency. If missing the articulated bus due to a passenger overload, it would be another 18 minute wait assuming that it arrives in a timely manner.

YRT is trying to minimize operating costs where they can. Especially when they did have the trial with the AG300 buses along 20 Jane and 90 Leslie to see how they would workout. With future plans on adding more conventional and express routes if the resources were available. Of course, I think YRT needs to focus more on frequency than providing a bigger bus to accommodate everyone. No one wants to wait longer than necessary to get from A to B. 

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13 hours ago, ZümmyZüm said:

So essentially a lot of cuts and setbacks even as the pandemic is “over” 

this one makes me laugh “

  • Frequency adjustment on 107B Keele to go from 11 minutes to 18 minutes to account for articulated bus operations ”

essentially the region is looking to scale back service with a justified excuse of running a larger bus. There is very few routes that require articulated buses on the Vaughan side. 107 isn’t one of them 

This is not a surprise, as it is precisely the reason why a lot of agencies run articulated vehicles. It's not to froth up the foamers - they can be used for cost avoidance by reducing the number of buses on a route, and thus the headcount. And when the operator accounts for about 90% of the operating costs of a vehicle, reducing the number of vehicles used - while still keeping the overall capacity the same - can be a game-changer for a lot of agencies.

 

(Of course, all this also goes against the whole concept of more-frequent service inducing ridership, but when has YRT ever been one to make a decision by looking at the whole picture?)

 

Dan

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21 hours ago, GTAmissions1 said:

The 2023 transit initiatives slide deck is available. Link here for the slide deck.

https://www.yrt.ca/en/about-us/resources/2023-Transit-Initiatives_FINAL.pdf

EDIT: Frequency table issue has been addressed. File attached for record keeping purposes in this post. 

COVID-19 service recovery plan

Route 10 Woodbridge:

  • Restore peak period service during the AM and PM peak periods
  • Proposed frequency of 36 to 38 minutes
  • Proposed implementation date of September 2023 
  • Mobility-On-Request Woodbridge would cover the area during weekday mid-days and all day weekends/holidays

Route 21 Vellore Local:

  • Re-routed to loop around instead of making the turn at Major Mackenzie Drive replacing 165F Weston
  • Mobility-On-Request Vellore local would be discontinued 
  • Frequency is around every half-hour
  • Proposed implementation date of April 2023

Viva network: 

  • Analyze route performance and adjust frequency where needed to better accommodate 
  • Evaluation of reintroducing suspended routes (Blue A, Green and Pink)
  • Analyze implementation of rapid transit services along Jane, Leslie and Major Mackenzie
  • Proposed implementation date of January 2023

Frequent transit network

Route 25 Major Mackenzie:

  • Improvement of rush-hour frequency during the morning and afternoon peak periods
  • Proposed implementation date of September 2023

Route 50 Queensway:

  • Increase mid-day frequency from 39 minutes to 33 minutes
  • Proposed implementation date of September 2023

Route 85 Rutherford:

  • Improve weekday frequency 
  • Direct connection to Rutherford Go Station pending completion 
  • Proposed implementation date of September 2023

Route 105/105B Dufferin:

  • Extend service to Maple Go Station pending completion of Eagle Rockway bus loop
  • Two separate branches being Route 105 Dufferin and Route 105B Peter Rupert Avenue/Confederation Parkway
  • Combined frequency between 14/15 minutes during the morning and afternoon peak periods
  • Combined frequency of 24 minutes during the mid-day weekdays
  • Combined frequency of 35 minutes during the weekday evenings
  • Combined frequency of 28 minutes during weekends/holidays 
  • Proposed implementation date of November 2023

Route 165 Weston:

  • Extended to Major Mackenzie Drive West Terminal
  • 165F Weston discontinued and replaced with 21 Vellore operating during peak periods
  • Proposed implementation date of April 2023

Express routes

20E Jane Express:

  • Limited stop express between Highway 407 Terminal and Major Mackenzie Drive West Terminal only servicing terminals and major stops
  • Frequency proposed to be every 15 minutes operating only during the AM and PM peak period
  • Proposed implementation date of April 2023

300 series express routes:

  • Evaluate performance and adjust service where needed
  • Proposed implementation date of January 2023

Conventional service changes

Route 24 Woodbine:

  • Extend service to Gormley Go Station via Woodbine and Stouffville 
  • Discontinue service along Honda Boulevard 
  • Frequency of every 14/15 minutes during peak periods
  • Frequency of 29 minutes during weekday mid-days
  • Frequency of every 24 minutes during weekday evenings
  • Frequency of every 39 minutes during weekends and holidays
  • Proposed implementation date of September 2023

Route 26 Maple:

  • Discontinue mid-day service due to low ridership
  • First and last departures to be discontinued 
  • Span of hours will be 5:15 AM until 8 PM
  • Proposed implementation date of April 2023

Route 33/33A Wellington:

  • Discontinue 33A Wellington and convert to Mobility-On-Request Aurora
  • Route 33 frequency increased to every 33 minutes
  • Proposed implementation date of April 2023

Route 107/107B Keele:

  • Provide service with articulated buses instead of regular 40 ft buses
  • Frequency adjustment on 107B Keele to go from 11 minutes to 18 minutes to account for articulated bus operations 
  • Proposed implementation date of November 2022

Route 406 Markham District School Special and Route 449 Richmond Green School Special via Hillmount to be discontinued due to low ridership. Proposed implementation date of September 2023. 

Mobility-on-request changes

Mobility-On-Request Aurora and Oak Ridges:

  • Service hours adjusted. Unfortunately no info shown, so I don't have exact details.
  • Proposed implementation date of April 2023 

Mobility-On-Request King City Go:

  • Expand the MOR King City GO service area to include the area bounded by Highway 9, 10th Concession, King- Vaughan Road and Jane Street
  • Maintain current hours of 5:30 AM until 9:30 AM and 4 PM to 8 PM
  • Proposed implementation date of November 2023

Mobility-On-Request Kleinburg-Nashville:

  • Service area expanded east to include Pine Valley Drive to connect with Route 4 Major Mackenzie 
  • Maintain current hours from 5:30 AM until 9:30 AM and 2 PM until 7:45 PM
  • Pine Valley/Davos Drive added as a serviced stop
  • Proposed implementation date of April 2023

Mobility-On-Request Vellore Local discontinued pending introduction of Route 21 Vellore Local. 

Mobility-On-Request Woodbridge:

  • Pending the restoration of Route 10 Woodbridge, MOR Woodbridge would operate during the weekday mid-day and weekends
  • Proposed implementation date of September 2023

2023-Transit-Initiatives_FINAL.pdf 4.96 MB · 1 download

With this boost in MoR, any word if there are any Promasters on order for this year...?

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1 hour ago, Gamer Studios said:

Southwest Division returned 2016 to BRT division. 2016 is currently on the 90 Leslie

Southwest returned 2024 as well to BRT division. It did the PM 813 Aviva Charter

Please use the YRT Allocations for reporting movements, instead of this general news/discussion thread.

8 hours ago, sdgta2008 said:

With this boost in MoR, any word if there are any Promasters on order for this year...?

Mobility On-Demand is mostly not operated using the ProMasters... YRT contracts out both Mobility Plus and On-Demand to a number of local taxi companies, which have dedicated fleets of both sedans and vans, which are used for both services.

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  • 2 weeks later...

For those wondering when Cornell Transit Terminal will open, it is hinted in the summer. Pending final touches on the physical infrastructure along with operator training from BRT and Southeast divisions. Having to navigate around and know where to platform and layup before starting their trip.

Right now, the completion percentage is updated to 92 percent. 

https://www.vivanext.com/news_releases/2022-05-02-yrrtc-newsrelease-cornell-epk

YRT has a new webpage for the terminal here: https://www.yrt.ca/en/about-us/cornell-bus-terminal.aspx

The address is 467 Rustle Woods Avenue.

Cornell Transit Terminal will either open in early July or early September which is when the next batch of service changes will occur. Especially with the challenges of the project and how it has been delayed several times. 

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30 minutes ago, Gamer Studios said:

YRT 2020 NFI XD60 2024 was at Unionville GO for Cover Duty (I believe)…normally a VIVA bus is in this spot so the operator may have been assigned a local XD60 instead.

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Can you please stop using the general YRT/Viva page for sightings? Use the Today's Sightings thread for sightings like everyone else!

As for 2024, it ended up replacing 1505 on the 90B. However I agree, Unionville GO is not a particularly useful location for a conventional BRT cover to sit, since the only route it can be used on is the 90 (or 811/813).

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11 hours ago, York Transit said:

The 300 series buses are in the process of being mass retired. Their numbers have been removed from the exterior.

Considering that they have reached 18 years and being difficult to maintain, the writing was pretty much on the wall when they will be retired. 

The last conventional bus replacement award was back in 2017 which was for three years. Two of the years were fulfilled which were the 18xx and 1901 to 1908. Most likely they are going to utilize the final year of bus replacements in the contract when they retire the 3xx buses. 

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7 hours ago, GTAmissions1 said:

Considering that they have reached 18 years and being difficult to maintain, the writing was pretty much on the wall when they will be retired. 

The last conventional bus replacement award was back in 2017 which was for three years. Two of the years were fulfilled which were the 18xx and 1901 to 1908. Most likely they are going to utilize the final year of bus replacements in the contract when they retire the 3xx buses. 

I would have thought the conventional Van Hools would go before the 03 Flyer's.

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4 hours ago, G.A said:

I would have thought the conventional Van Hools would go before the 03 Flyer's.

The A330 Van Hool buses were purchased in 2005/2006 as part of the base order to launch Viva in September 2005. Plus they have been refurbished in 2012/2013 to extend their lifecycle to 18 years instead of 12 years. Being retained until most likely 2024 at this rate to ensure service needs are covered. 

Especially with the logistical challenges of support such as getting parts and other support is difficult due to Van Hool being based in Belgium. I would think they want to remove any Van Hool buses from the fleet as soon as they can, but it isn't possible if they don't have enough replacement buses to bridge the gap. 

3 hours ago, Gamer Studios said:

Someone here said YRT has a pretty flexible retirement policy...

You are referring to this comment here:

Especially since YRT may not need as many buses with the direction of how much they need in peak service (AM/PM peak). At the same time, the contracts they issue for bus replacements and expansion units are usually issued for x amount of years with y amount of units. Some transit agencies have an annual budget cycle replacing the oldest buses before reliability is impacted to a severe level while others may simply hold on a bit longer to maximize the lifecycle and service needs. 

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2 hours ago, Ber said:

thats a pretty empty statement. Got any supporting facts on that to justify your allegations?

6 of their XD60S went MIA also there was a 2008 D40LF with no sign. Also 579 had a broken sign

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13 minutes ago, menath said:

6 of their XD60S went MIA also there was a 2008 D40LF with no sign. Also 579 had a broken sign

TTC is worse if that’s your yardstick.

For the record, destination signs are not a criteria for an MTO inspection sticker.

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53 minutes ago, Gamer Studios said:

...but destination signs are more so a accessibility concern...

Broken signs won’t downgrade your CVOR rating.

I worked there for the final 2 years of my apprenticeship. Their maintenance practices are in line with any other municipal outfit.

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7 hours ago, Gamer Studios said:

I think you misread @menath as the bus in question (a SW 8xx) was completely missing their sign

Typically the rear signs are the last ones to get replaced when they go down. Front and side are much more important for AODA, back signs are an optional spec order for a reason and if the unit is pulled out to replace/repair it’s better than pulling a bus from service over a sign

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