Calgary Transit

[downbeat]

Heads up: bus detours downtown start today until Jan 11 due to construction on 5 Ave SW.

They include a detour away from the existing detour due to 1 St SW being closed, but also Routes 3 and 17 NB using 7 Ave, according to the maps posted online.

https://www.calgarytransit.com/content/transit/en/home/news/construction-on-5-avenue-sw---january-6-11.htm

[R. Meu]

From mruchatter on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnVnABTjrly/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

 

Overcrowding issues on the MAX Yellow are still a persistent problem (the extras put in place recently imo aren’t anywhere near enough in a number of instances) and people getting left behind. Not surprising, given that’s also been my experience whenever I take the MY from downtown to MRU, which I try to avoid now. 

[Calgary transit fan]

24 minutes ago, R. Meu said:

From mruchatter on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnVnABTjrly/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

 

Overcrowding issues on the MAX Yellow are still a persistent problem (the extras put in place recently imo aren’t anywhere near enough in a number of instances) and people getting left behind. Not surprising, given that’s also been my experience whenever I take the MY from downtown to MRU, which I try to avoid now. 

That block totally needs a 60 ft bus

[vicinity]

On 1/6/2023 at 7:29 AM, downbeat said:

Heads up: bus detours downtown start today until Jan 11 due to construction on 5 Ave SW.

They include a detour away from the existing detour due to 1 St SW being closed, but also Routes 3 and 17 NB using 7 Ave, according to the maps posted online.

https://www.calgarytransit.com/content/transit/en/home/news/construction-on-5-avenue-sw---january-6-11.htm

The best way to voice request for change would be to send in a CSR online or by calling 262-1000 if they receive enough feedback change could happen 

[Nick B]

1 hour ago, R. Meu said:

From mruchatter on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnVnABTjrly/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

 

Overcrowding issues on the MAX Yellow are still a persistent problem (the extras put in place recently imo aren’t anywhere near enough in a number of instances) and people getting left behind. Not surprising, given that’s also been my experience whenever I take the MY from downtown to MRU, which I try to avoid now. 

The route is too long and ridership is too disproportionate along it IMO. Would almost be better to give MRU-Downtown its own route similar to the old 18 setup and send the MY to Brentwood/Dalhousie.

[yvarushin]

33 minutes ago, Nick B said:

The route is too long and ridership is too disproportionate along it IMO. Would almost be better to give MRU-Downtown its own route similar to the old 18 setup and send the MY to Brentwood/Dalhousie.

…or just add more trips MRU-Downtown in the peaks.

[aryanoboi]

Made an account because I can’t find an answer to this online.

Are the bus operator plastic barriers set up during the pandemic meant to permanent, or are there plans to eventually take them down? I heard places like London are keeping theirs forever, but there’s no info on it here.

[2102]

1 hour ago, aryanoboi said:

Made an account because I can’t find an answer to this online.

Are the bus operator plastic barriers set up during the pandemic meant to permanent, or are there plans to eventually take them down? I heard places like London are keeping theirs forever, but there’s no info on it here.

They're permanent, although CT did buy inferior quality barriers

[Transit Apologist]

Found a page on Facebook from a 70’s issue of Canadian Coach magazine, featuring a short piece about the retirement of Calgary Transit System’s 1965 Robin-Nodwell shuttle buses. Seems they were stored after the TDH-3501’s arrived (so 1967ish?) and offered for sale in late 1970/early 1971 with rather low mileage on them. Pretty short run in service, especially compared to 2023 CT running Arbocs for 9/10 years…

[TechSpotlight]

1 hour ago, JK-from-YYC said:

Found a page on Facebook from a 70’s issue of Canadian Coach magazine, featuring a short piece about the retirement of Calgary Transit System’s 1965 Robin-Nodwell shuttle buses. Seems they were stored after the TDH-3501’s arrived (so 1967ish?) and offered for sale in late 1970/early 1971 with rather low mileage on them. Pretty short run in service, especially compared to 2023 CT running Arbocs for 9/10 years…

It is worth mentioning the Robin-Nodwells were used for the downtown shuttle service (the old Route 31) which had limited operating hours.  That would definetely explain the low mileage.

[Calgary transit fan]

6094 is back

[LRT]

1 hour ago, Calgary transit fan said:

6094 is back

3 month hiatus… where the heck was it all this time?

[BC_YYC]

2 hours ago, LRT said:

3 month hiatus… where the heck was it all this time?

It originally broke down in the morning on a 301 piece so best guess is something major broke on it and CT sent it back to Big Rig under warranty to be repaired. It's worth noting 6094 since entering service back in April has had several long periods of not going out so I think the repairs done by big rig had some issues that they've hopefully fully resolved this time.

[Mark Walton]

On 1/15/2023 at 1:24 AM, JK-from-YYC said:

Found a page on Facebook from a 70’s issue of Canadian Coach magazine, featuring a short piece about the retirement of Calgary Transit System’s 1965 Robin-Nodwell shuttle buses. Seems they were stored after the TDH-3501’s arrived (so 1967ish?) and offered for sale in late 1970/early 1971 with rather low mileage on them. Pretty short run in service, especially compared to 2023 CT running Arbocs for 9/10 years…

I think the ride quality (or lack thereof) may have been the reason. They were known as "Rockin' Robins" and "Nodding Nodwells", possibly because they had only single rear wheels instead of duals.

[R. Meu]

CT is currently hiring operators and are going to hire more later on this year, as mentioned in this article:

https://calgary.citynews.ca/2023/01/19/calgary-transit-recruit-800/

 

[armorand]

On 1/12/2023 at 10:01 PM, yvarushin said:

…or just add more trips MRU-Downtown in the peaks.

Short-turn MY rush hour blocks at Rockyview? Rockyview-Downtown? Get rid of the 20 in the hospital loop and also use that extra frequency to shuffle MRU riders along?

[agott]

Is bus service returning to the track/road along 7 Ave S in downtown? I see many training buses and was wondering if routes like the 1 or 7 would be using it again

[downbeat]

51 minutes ago, agott said:

Is bus service returning to the track/road along 7 Ave S in downtown? I see many training buses and was wondering if routes like the 1 or 7 would be using it again

Even if buses don’t return to 7 Ave, I imagine the training is in case of emergency/detour and to make drivers aware of all the rules specific to driving buses there. (No left turns, etc.)

And imho, even if I’m wrong, 7 Ave is a nice place to park buses away from pesky motorists.

[Calgary transit fan]

3 hours ago, agott said:

Is bus service returning to the track/road along 7 Ave S in downtown? I see many training buses and was wondering if routes like the 1 or 7 would be using it again

I mean the 30 and the 69 technically use it still

[CTrainDude]

Yeah, I wouldn't read anything into it - they never stopped training operators on 7th Avenue.

[aroy40]

Has this signup been bad lately for anyone else? I will preface this by saying that prior to the last 2-3 weeks my commute has been as good as can be; this has not been the case recently for the busses I take daily (64, 301 and 32/46). The first two have been having issues with drivers not knowing the routes and skipping stops (the 301 yesterday drove past 4th and Centre just to stop at the Chinatown stop; the 64 this morning was about to turn down Berkley Dr. and had to backup back onto Berkshire Blvd. to get back on route. It also rarely stops at the correct stop on 6th even if there is room for it to pull in).

It's the 32/46 I'm most puzzled with though.

It's a very busy route due to high school kids (and not sure if something changed here as well because there seems to be a lot more kids on the route lately) and because of this they added a school service bus to complement the regularly scheduled bus. Lately though one or the other is not showing up and we're back to pre-pandemic overloads and skipping stops (on a route where if you don't make one of those busses it's back to 30 minute frequency). All of this was never really an issue before this latest signup so wondering what might have changed.

I know this probably seems like petty griping but it's more frustration on my part since these all used to be pretty reliable.

[vicinity]

It’s only going to get worse as transit brings on up to 400 new operators this year, the best way to help fix the operators mistakes is to file CSR’s through the web or 262-1000. 

[Kubsss]

1 hour ago, vicinity said:

It’s only going to get worse as transit brings on up to 400 new operators this year, the best way to help fix the operators mistakes is to file CSR’s through the web or 262-1000. 

Or that will just make more drivers in trouble, get them discouraged and worst case will make them quit their job. Best way is try to help the driver on the spot if you see them struggling with not knowing the route and guide them as much as you can.

[R. Meu]

7 hours ago, aroy40 said:

Has this signup been bad lately for anyone else? I will preface this by saying that prior to the last 2-3 weeks my commute has been as good as can be; this has not been the case recently for the busses I take daily (64, 301 and 32/46). The first two have been having issues with drivers not knowing the routes and skipping stops (the 301 yesterday drove past 4th and Centre just to stop at the Chinatown stop; the 64 this morning was about to turn down Berkley Dr. and had to backup back onto Berkshire Blvd. to get back on route. It also rarely stops at the correct stop on 6th even if there is room for it to pull in).

It's the 32/46 I'm most puzzled with though.

It's a very busy route due to high school kids (and not sure if something changed here as well because there seems to be a lot more kids on the route lately) and because of this they added a school service bus to complement the regularly scheduled bus. Lately though one or the other is not showing up and we're back to pre-pandemic overloads and skipping stops (on a route where if you don't make one of those busses it's back to 30 minute frequency). All of this was never really an issue before this latest signup so wondering what might have changed.

I know this probably seems like petty griping but it's more frustration on my part since these all used to be pretty reliable.

Yeah with all the new drivers coming in you can’t really blame them, it’s best to help them if need be for directions. As more new guys come in, give a little room for them to settle in.

 

I will say though, the rides have sucked more in the last couple of weeks for a different issue, which has become a pet peeve of mine.  Constant capacity issues recently during rush hour and even during the the day sometimes on the 3 and 301 (and probably the MO too) because of the fact that some daytime keys that run until 1800/1900 are getting novas more often on the daily instead of artics (on Artic keys) than they should (despite the fact there hasn’t been a snowstorm in awhile) which really adds to the problematic full standing loads even though the the frequency is better during peaks. I get artic availability is likely being stretched thin at times with school runs (with SF), but it gets frustrating when you see slow dispatches of things that are sent out extremely late like the 123/124 extras, as well as the MO and the 8 and to see those get artics for example and run awkwardly being so behind, its just a letdown and a disappointment for what it is.

[D40LF]

7 hours ago, aroy40 said:

Has this signup been bad lately for anyone else? I will preface this by saying that prior to the last 2-3 weeks my commute has been as good as can be; this has not been the case recently for the busses I take daily (64, 301 and 32/46). The first two have been having issues with drivers not knowing the routes and skipping stops (the 301 yesterday drove past 4th and Centre just to stop at the Chinatown stop; the 64 this morning was about to turn down Berkley Dr. and had to backup back onto Berkshire Blvd. to get back on route. It also rarely stops at the correct stop on 6th even if there is room for it to pull in).

It's the 32/46 I'm most puzzled with though.

It's a very busy route due to high school kids (and not sure if something changed here as well because there seems to be a lot more kids on the route lately) and because of this they added a school service bus to complement the regularly scheduled bus. Lately though one or the other is not showing up and we're back to pre-pandemic overloads and skipping stops (on a route where if you don't make one of those busses it's back to 30 minute frequency). All of this was never really an issue before this latest signup so wondering what might have changed.

I know this probably seems like petty griping but it's more frustration on my part since these all used to be pretty reliable.

New drivers are literally thrown into the deep end when they first start. They have to learn the routes very quickly, sometimes minutes before taking over if they are on standby. There is also the problem of drivers driving around a certain area on one route and them driving that same area on another route and missing a turn (I know as I did this myself!!!)