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kevlo86

By kevlo86
in Calgary and Area

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  • 3 weeks later...
Nick B

Nick B

Posted
Posted

Great news!

Quote

Calgary's unique $5.05 monthly bus pass for city's poorest now available

When Calgary Transit customers began purchasing their April low-income bus passes last week, some citizens shelled out just five dollars and five cents for a monthly pass — $38.95 less than what they previously paid and $95.95 off the price of a regular adult pass.

The City of Calgary’s one-of-a-kind sliding scale for low-income transit passes, approved by council in July, launches Saturday, with sales for the April passes already underway. 

“The word is out there and it’s running very smoothly. People are very excited about access to this,” said Katie Black, director of Calgary neighbourhoods.

“Customers who are eligible for the deepest discount will have just under $40 more in their pocket every month.”

Currently, it costs $101 for an adult monthly transit pass and no matter how much a low-income Calgarian earns, they pay $44 to ride the bus or train every month.

The new sliding scale, believed to be the first of its kind in Canada, offers much steeper discounts, depending on income.

A single Calgarian who makes half of the poverty line (about $12,500 a year), will now pay just $5.05 for a monthly pass.

Depending on how much money they make, other Calgarians purchasing a low-income pass will shell out $35.35 or $50.50, under the new fare structure.

Black said that in the past 12 months, approximately 45,000 Calgarians made use of the low-income transit pass program and it’s expected many of them will be eligible for the heavily discounted monthly pass.

“We predict, based on last year’s uptake, that just under 50 per cent of those 45,000 are likely to be eligible for the deepest discount,” she said. 

For an estimated more than 20,000 Calgarians, that means riding the bus and train all month long for just $5.05.   

“It makes a huge difference because, of course, transportation is absolutely necessary for full participation in community,” Black said. 

“Being able to afford transportation is what allows people to get to work, to get to medical appointments, to connect with family and friends.”

To get a discounted transit pass, citizens can apply to the city’s so-called Fair Entry program online, by mail or fax, or in person at City Hall or the Village Square library.  

The sliding scale was made possible after the province kicked in $13.5 million over three years for low-income transit passes last May. Black said staff are already working to determine how to keep the program running after the provincial funding runs out. 

http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/calgarys-unique-5-05-monthly-bus-pass-for-citys-poorest-now-available

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  • 1 month later...
1604

1604

Posted
Posted

CT updated the Customer Commitment section of the website with plans for 2017 and there's some interesting information to be gleaned.

These were the 3 most interesting categories, but it's worth going through the entire section. I've emphasized the bits I thought were the most interesting.

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Reliable

What we did in 2016

  • Began measuring and reporting the on-time performance of bus and train service.
  • Implemented a CTrain line inspection vehicle to monitor tracks and track infrastructure.
  • Continued the program to improve reliability of the CTrain fleet focusing on the oldest vehicles.
  • Strategically managed the fleet to minimize the amount of time that oldest vehicles provided service.
  • Retired five of the oldest and least reliable CTrain vehicles.
  • Retired 24 of our most unreliable shuttle buses.
  • Introduced new scheduling software for Calgary Transit Access, which offers many automated features. The software is expected to help us further improve on-time performance and assist in providing a better customer experience.

What we’re working on in 2017

  • Building on the work of 2016, develop a structured system to better track and understand the causes of CTrain delays.
  • Develop an enhanced trouble-shooting reference guide for the CTrain Control Centre.
  • Retire up to 20 more of the oldest CTrain cars. These vehicles have been in service for 30-40 years and are three times more likely to break down as new vehicles.
  • Provide real-time arrival information to Calgary Transit Access customers. This will allow us to notify customers 5-10 minutes before we arrive at their pickup location.
Quote

Helpful

What we did in 2016

  • Reviewed and changed our recruitment process to make sure we are hiring for customer service character and training for skill.
  • Standardized the approach of our Call Centre staff.
  • Introduced customer service into Public Safety Officer recruitment.
  • Provided travel training camps for youth with disabilities to teach them how to use the transit system independently.
  • Provided Calgary Transit Access customers an enhanced way to submit feedback online via 311.
  • Worked with Customer Advisory Committees for both Calgary Transit and Calgary Transit Access to collect input on design and standards, specific infrastructure projects (e.g. CTrain stations) and more.

What we’re working on in 2017

  • Improve the use of our real-time bus communication systems so operators can be more helpful (and informative) to customers.
  • Increase the frequency of refresher training events for bus operators.
  • Invite 1/3 of transit operators to group training during the summer.
  • Consistently recognize employees for good customer service as well as address patterns of poor customer service.
  • Introduce a Calgary Transit Access online booking system to help people with speech and hearing impairments. This will help increase the availability of call centre reps.
  • Add resources to the Calgary Transit Access Call Centre and Customer Service so we can book trips and answer questions faster.
Quote

Informative

What we did in 2016

  • Standardized communications practice for planned disruptions and applied that to maintenance events that occurred during the year.
  • Placed advertisements on buses to reminded customers that we change service four times per year and to check for any personal impact.
  • Communicated the 2016 Transit Service Review (changes to 17 bus routes in the northwest and inner city) to 70,000 households.
  • Updated the Calgary Transit Access branding. The new logo is consistent across all vehicles and easier to identify.

What we’re working on in 2017

  • Build an online portal to share information with our employees (so they can share information with our customers).
  • Add up to 42 digital displays to CTrain platforms.
  • Add a real-time display to North Pointe bus terminal.
  • Improve communications to customers regarding Calgary Transit Access service delays.
  • Provide real-time arrival information to Calgary Transit Access customers. This will allow us to notify customers 5-10 minutes before we arrive at their pickup location.

 

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Blake M

Blake M

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2 minutes ago, 1604 said:

Huh, was not expecting that after the excerpt on CT's site only mentioned North Pointe. Excellent.

Welcome to the site! :)

Thank you! Been looking to find an online forum like this for a while. 

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1604

1604

Posted
Posted

Pic of the sign and its location at Crowfoot:

crowfoot.jpg

Maybe there's something I'm missing, but this seems like a really poor place to put the sign. At the farthest bus bay on the farthest side of the terminal serving only 3 buses, instead of near the main shelter or pedestrian bridge, or even the other side of the terminal which serves 6 buses.

The only thing I can think of is that this is where it was easiest/least expensive to run wiring to, but is it even worth it? It doesn't seem like most terminals will be getting one, so surely this sign (and its associated cost) could provide more value somewhere else in the system.

Don't get me wrong - I'm really happy to see more than one of these signs being installed. I just don't know if this location was the best choice.

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Blake M

Blake M

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, 1604 said:

Pic of the sign and its location at Crowfoot:

crowfoot.jpg

Maybe there's something I'm missing, but this seems like a really poor place to put the sign. At the farthest bus bay on the farthest side of the terminal serving only 3 buses, instead of near the main shelter or pedestrian bridge, or even the other side of the terminal which serves 6 buses.

The only thing I can think of is that this is where it was easiest/least expensive to run wiring to, but is it even worth it? It doesn't seem like most terminals will be getting one, so surely this sign (and its associated cost) could provide more value somewhere else in the system.

Don't get me wrong - I'm really happy to see more than one of these signs being installed. I just don't know if this location was the best choice.

I don't particularly like the route layout at Crowfoot. I feel like the 120/134 should go on the other side (there's actually room for two buses versus one) and the 40 should go where the 120/134 are now

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  • 3 weeks later...
TimmyC62

TimmyC62

Posted
Posted

Not sure where this should go, since there doesn't seem to be a pre-CT history thread. Was passing through Bowness today when I spotted a bus painted in Calgary Municiple Railway livery in one of the lots - anyone know what the deal is with that? Google Maps has it on their aerial, but not street, view: https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.0863375,-114.1823536,60a,35y,45.02t/data=!3m1!1e3

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BCT-3122-D800-10240

BCT-3122-D800-10240

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, TimmyC62 said:

Not sure where this should go, since there doesn't seem to be a pre-CT history thread. Was passing through Bowness today when I spotted a bus painted in Calgary Municiple Railway livery in one of the lots - anyone know what the deal is with that? Google Maps has it on their aerial, but not street, view: https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.0863375,-114.1823536,60a,35y,45.02t/data=!3m1!1e3

That same bus ran at Heritage Park for a short time a few years ago. I originally found this same bus at Victoria Park on the storage lanes.  Not sure why exactly it was there.

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1604

1604

Posted
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Noticed the Stampede Express bus stop signs are up along Harvest Hills and probably the rest of Centre Street too.

---

Some blocks from the new schedule data.

 

Route 167 - Walden/Legacy CCW

AM - https://transit55.ca/calgary/block?id=4505710

PM - https://transit55.ca/calgary/block?id=4505709

one bus per peak period

 

Route 168 - Walden/Legacy CW

AM - https://transit55.ca/calgary/block?id=4505712

PM - https://transit55.ca/calgary/block?id=4505711

one bus per peak period

 

304 looks to be pretty much the same as previous years. Example: https://transit55.ca/calgary/block?id=4509980

 

35 Parade day floaters, split between SG and VP. Signed as 'Stampede Parade' this year but (being a floater bus) no info beyond that.

VP example - https://transit55.ca/calgary/block?id=4508281

SG example - https://transit55.ca/calgary/block?id=4508294

 

4 daily after-Stampede floaters, all are VP

example - https://transit55.ca/calgary/block?id=4508693

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