MiWay

[MiExpress]

Rode the 103 this morning, was actually impressed with the scheduling, as it actually runs like an express bus. No driving slow or sitting at every stop to kill time. Loads on the 19 were light as everyone was using Zum, and I noticed some of the Zum buses (mostly new 1150s) did not have the sign programmed and were using the route 2 exposures instead.

[Gil]

The picketers at Sheridan College in Brampton are forcing MT to stop off campus. Buses continue north to Steeles, west to Windmill, south to Kingknoll and back to McLaughlin. In an ideal world, both the 66 and 61A would simply have been rerouted to Shopper's World. Which of BT's new routes got the old 19/102/202 platform?

Interestingly, if you zoom in enough on the map of the detour notice you can actually see the stops identified by location and number. I'm sure these types of maps are available for the rest of the city.

Speaking of which, with the recent stop changes at Meadowvale Town Centre has anyone been able to get a map or visualize the new allotments? They're simply listed on MT's website, but that doesn't tell me where they are physically at the terminal.

[UrbanToronto]

The picketers at Sheridan College in Brampton are forcing MT to stop off campus. Buses continue north to Steeles, west to Windmill, south to Kingknoll and back to McLaughlin. In an ideal world, both the 66 and 61A would simply have been rerouted to Shopper's World. Which of BT's new routes got the old 19/102/202 platform?

Interestingly, if you zoom in enough on the map of the detour notice you can actually see the stops identified by location and number. I'm sure these types of maps are available for the rest of the city.

Speaking of which, with the recent stop changes at Meadowvale Town Centre has anyone been able to get a map or visualize the new allotments? They're simply listed on MT's website, but that doesn't tell me where they are physically at the terminal.

At Shoppers World, the 502 stops on both sides of the old MT platform (southbound buses use west side, face north like the MT 19/102/202), and is shared with the Miway 103. Northbound 502 stop on the east side of the old MT platform island, facing south.

[drum118]

Aug 28, 2011

I finally found time to take a walking tour of Phase I for Mississauga BRT ROW from Rathburn Rd to Fieldgate Dr.

From what I saw, this phase will not be completed until the end of 2013.

Have seen no signs of work for Phase II that's to go to Renforth, considering work was supposed to start this year.

At the same time, various issues are holding up the building of the Regional Terminal at Kipling.

No work has started on the west section of the BRT under GO control.

At the rate this thing is moving, 2014 looks like the opening day for this thing.

I have broken the photo tour in to 5 parts to keep them short.

[collegekid13]

Aug 28, 2011

I finally found time to take a walking tour of Phase I for Mississauga BRT ROW from Rathburn Rd to Fieldgate Dr.

From what I saw, this phase will not be completed until the end of 2013.

Have seen no signs of work for Phase II that's to go to Renforth, considering work was supposed to start this year.

At the same time, various issues are holding up the building of the Regional Terminal at Kipling.

No work has started on the west section of the BRT under GO control.

At the rate this thing is moving, 2014 looks like the opening day for this thing.

I have broken the photo tour in to 5 parts to keep them short.

I know this a noob question but my google foo is failing me; is there any information on this (BRT Row). I saw this being built but had no idea that it was for BRT and the BRT page on MiWays site is not very helpful.

[nfitz]

I know this a noob question but my google foo is failing me; is there any information on this (BRT Row). I saw this being built but had no idea that it was for BRT and the BRT page on MiWays site is not very helpful.

MiWays website for this project is http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/miway/brt

See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississauga_Transitway

[collegekid13]

MiWays website for this project is http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/miway/brt

See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississauga_Transitway

Ahhh. I under estimated the capacity of Wikipedia. Thank you sir!

[meleeman13]

The picketers at Sheridan College in Brampton are forcing MT to stop off campus. Buses continue north to Steeles, west to Windmill, south to Kingknoll and back to McLaughlin. In an ideal world, both the 66 and 61A would simply have been rerouted to Shopper's World. Which of BT's new routes got the old 19/102/202 platform?

Interestingly, if you zoom in enough on the map of the detour notice you can actually see the stops identified by location and number. I'm sure these types of maps are available for the rest of the city.

Speaking of which, with the recent stop changes at Meadowvale Town Centre has anyone been able to get a map or visualize the new allotments? They're simply listed on MT's website, but that doesn't tell me where they are physically at the terminal.

If you know where the previous stops for the buses were before the change, you can do an association with the old stops / new stops listed on the website.

9 - old route 10/89/109 stop

10 - old route 13 stop

13 - old route 48 stop

27 - old route 45 stop

44 - old route 27/57 stop

45 - old route 44 stop

48 - couldn't find it among other routes at Meadowvale

89 - old route 13 stop

90 - old route 9 stop

[TransferCutter]

There was a big billboard at the corner of Orbitor and Eglnton...this was removed 2 weeks ago and City of Mississauga people were out surveying the land on the north side of Eglinton. Somethings starting for the BRT to Renforth.

RETIRED

9730 is parked in the lot on the east side of CP.

9727 is parked beside the repair shop by CX.

Both vehicles have their plates removed.

[Gil]

If you know where the previous stops for the buses were before the change, you can do an association with the old stops / new stops listed on the website.

9 - old route 10/89/109 stop

10 - old route 13 stop

13 - old route 48 stop

27 - old route 45 stop

44 - old route 27/57 stop

45 - old route 44 stop

48 - couldn't find it among other routes at Meadowvale

89 - old route 13 stop

90 - old route 9 stop

I'm going to assume then that if the route/stop isn't listed then it's staying put? Also are they keeping the original route pairings at the relocated stops like 27/57? Looks like 10/89/109 have been split up. Also, weren't there separate stops per direction for the 10 and 45 since they operated through Meadowvale?

One observation of the new destos for the 10 is that northbound they read MDVL. T.C. instead of Meadowvale (southbound they read City Centre). Are they going back to the earlier signage, which was slightly more accurate/useful than simply Meadowvale. Which could be construed as Town Centre, GO station, or simply some point in the community (like the community centre or theatre).

[TransferCutter]

RETIRED

9732 has plates removed and is parked on the east wall of CP.

9730 & 9732 are visible from the street if anybody wants pictures.

[Gil]

Aug 28, 2011

I finally found time to take a walking tour of Phase I for Mississauga BRT ROW from Rathburn Rd to Fieldgate Dr.

From what I saw, this phase will not be completed until the end of 2013.

Have seen no signs of work for Phase II that's to go to Renforth, considering work was supposed to start this year.

At the same time, various issues are holding up the building of the Regional Terminal at Kipling.

No work has started on the west section of the BRT under GO control.

At the rate this thing is moving, 2014 looks like the opening day for this thing.

MiWays website for this project is http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/miway/brt

See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississauga_Transitway

There's also the info from GO Transit's Epxansion Projects website just select the Renforth Gateway BRT Project which states that the project is about to go to review as of September 14. The completion date for the study is winter 2011 (presumably December).

The PIC display boards are also available there which make for some interesting reading where it shows potential connections to the 427 to access Kipling station (pages 12 and 13) as well as potential routing changes once the BRT is implemented (page 17). I'm guessing this will be the final segment of the first phase of construction since it's still under the study. I'm hoping that they'll have everything finalized for the start of construction season next year.

[Orion VIII]

At Malton this weekend, all buses were parked in the back lot and it seems some were parked elsewhere. The canopy and employee parking lots were ground today for repaving.

[drum118]

1036 was seen at the East Mall dropping riders off on Route 3E on Tuesday at 3:45 and the first time I seen it on this route.

[newflyerinvero]

There must've been a problem with the 103 yesterday morning between 10 and 11AM.

When I arrived at Port Credit at about 10:45, I noticed OOS VII 1013 sitting just prior to entering the bus bays.

I had seen 1015 showing the signs for 103 but as I got on, driver told me that it was OUT OF SERVICE. Two supervisors and what looked to be another driver were then discussing that the 103 somehow have been difficulties maintaining schedule. They were also talking about what the 202 was like during rush about....something about being every 15 minutes or so.

They had discussed that for the next few buses (the ones that were supposed to leave at 10:12, 10:18 and 10:30 something to go OOS upon arrival @ PC to deadhead south to Port Credit as soon as possible. 1014 and 1016 came along and went out of service in an interval of roughly 3 minutes. 1019 then showed up about 10 minutes later. The supervisor then asked the driver what his run was like and if he can make it up to Shopper's World if he was to depart at the next depature at 10:55am. We did later depart at 10:55 and got to Shoppers World just after 11:30am.

About 3-4 other VIIs were seen heading south (didn't know if they were 103s are OOS buses) between South Service Road and Robert Speck. Passing over the 403, there was about, another 2-3 every 10 minutes or so.

Whatever the hold up was earlier in the day, it must've had a negative impact on the service levels for the 103. The discussion with the driver and supervisor also included that these circumstances also happened Monday morning, too.

An additional note. No ZUM buses between Square One and Shoppers World that was seen; only when boarding a Brampton 11 at 11:40am that one northbound showed up and two southbounds were then seen at Shopper's World.

[MiExpress]

The September 21 Budget Committee agenda has been posted, recommending a cash fare increase to $3.25 along with other fare structure revisions

http://www.mississauga.ca/file/COM/2011bud...september21.pdf

Also included are recommendations to cut Saturday service on routes 14 and Sunday service on 31 and 68, as well as cutting the 33 entirely. Some other suggestions for cuts were made, such as reducing the frequency of 36 and 39 on Sundays.

[Gil]

The September 21 Budget Committee agenda has been posted, recommending a cash fare increase to $3.25 along with other fare structure revisions

http://www.mississauga.ca/file/COM/2011bud...september21.pdf

Also included are recommendations to cut Saturday service on routes 14 and Sunday service on 31 and 68, as well as cutting the 33 entirely. Some other suggestions for cuts were made, such as reducing the frequency of 36 and 39 on Sundays.

The elimination of the Sunday 68 WINDSOR HILL would tweak the 91 HILLCREST somewhat since the two are interlined (at least from what I can tell based on observations at the City Centre Terminal).

As for other service cut recommendations why not simply combine the routes in Churchill Meadows rather than have 3 smaller looping routes? Start the route at Streetsville GO, run west all the way to Ninth Line along Thomas, north to McDowell, west to Churchill Meadows, finish the 41's loop east on Erin Centre, south on Tenth Line doing some truncated form of the 33 (say bypass Kimbermount for timing's sake and skip entering Credit Valley and just serve it from Erin Mills Pkwy.) before terminating at Erin Mills Town Centre. It'd eliminate a lot of the route duplication in the Erin Mills area. Granted there'll be loss of service on McDowell east of Churchill Meadow, but it's not that far of a walk to either Britannia or Thomas, plus for some people it may take a little longer to get to their destination, but at least it will ensure there is a more connected service. For 33A passengers, with this route they could either ride the long way into Streetsville, or make a transfer north from Erin Mills Town Centre and catch the route again at Thomas. Granted it's not a single-seat ride, but if the scheduling works it'll get you there.

The 29 and 31 look like another candidate for route merging. The 29 PARK ROYAL mirrors most of the 13 GLEN ERIN. If they're trying to make up for the 48 ERIN MILLS which got cut back to South Common then fine, but there is the 110 UNIVERSITY EXPRESS, which while it does not make local stops does cover the same segment from South Common to Clarkson GO. Combine the southern portion of the 29 PARK ROYAL up to Sheridan Mall with the northern portion of the 31 FOLKWAY-HOMELANDS. Running north to Erin Mills Town Centre/Credit Valley would allow for two-way service to return to Folkway.

What I like about the little presentations on each of the proposals is that they show where people are using each segment of the route. It unfortunately doesn't say where they're getting off which is another piece of the ridership puzzle.

One final observation, the chart showing ridership by route lists only the all-day routes (i.e. no rush hour, school or GO shuttle routes listed). It does however include the 27 MATHESON. Either this was an oversight, or the ridership on that particular route was high enough to make it into that segment of the chart. It'd be interesting to see where the other rush hour routes fall on (or I guess below) the chart. I realize due to their nature they may not meet the $5 subsidy threshhold, but it'd be nice to see anyway. Perhaps with a disclaimer or on a separate chart. Perhaps if funding allows, the 27 could get upgraded to full-day service, or at the very least two-way rush hour service.

[ngdvd]

The September 21 Budget Committee agenda has been posted, recommending a cash fare increase to $3.25 along with other fare structure revisions

http://www.mississauga.ca/file/COM/2011bud...september21.pdf

Also included are recommendations to cut Saturday service on routes 14 and Sunday service on 31 and 68, as well as cutting the 33 entirely. Some other suggestions for cuts were made, such as reducing the frequency of 36 and 39 on Sundays.

No cuts were suggested for 39. As with the potential cuts for 38, 41, 49, 51, it is only presented for consideration by council and not recommended at all by the staff. I think 39's ridership has improved a lot ever since they (finally!) built the sidewalks along Britannia east of Creditview this summer, including in the Heartland area.

The loss 33 is a shame though. Not because it is a mistake but a shame because it never got the ridership. Maybe it will become viable again as development of the area continues.

The current 13/29 setup is a bit excessive for Sundays anyways, and the 31 also covers much of the same ground as 13/29/48. Cancellation of 68 is surprising though. This route might perform much better if it were extend, maybe to Heartland or something, or make the loop bigger to serve Fallingbrook, maybe combined with a rerouting along Ceremonial.

Check out the ridership and performance statistics in that document though. The 22 and 110 are even crazier than the 19, at least on weekdays. On the other hand, sadly the 13, 26, 48 and 51 are but a shadow of their former selves. But 35 and 61 look to have the potential to be major routes.

The stats also make it quite clear that the 28 and 66 should be merged. These two routes have almost identical frequencies, ridership, and efficiency throughout the whole week, and serve the same corridor, so why not?

[Gil]

TTC track work at Long Branch next week will have the 5/5B DIXIE and 23 LAKESHORE routes running further into Toronto. After serving a drop-off stop across from the Long Branch loop, buses will continue east to 30th, north to Horner, west to Brown's Line and then back to Lake Shore into Mississauga. I guess turning around within the GO station was a little trickier than this large on-street loop.

[MT0603]

1042 is on the 53 right now, should be at Derry now.

[Ed T.]

TTC track work at Long Branch next week will have the 5/5B DIXIE and 23 LAKESHORE routes running further into Toronto. After serving a drop-off stop across from the Long Branch loop, buses will continue east to 30th, north to Horner, west to Brown's Line and then back to Lake Shore into Mississauga. I guess turning around within the GO station was a little trickier than this large on-street loop.

I was wondering why all these Mississauga Transit buses were heading east on Lake Shore. They didn't say OUT OF SERVICE, and they didn't duck up the ramp to northbound Brown's Line which is their usual route to the garage.

I'll have to take a look at how the construction is affecting the bus loop. The streetcar loop is all dug up, but the east end of the loop where the TTC buses visit was in service last I looked. Considering that the west end of the bus loop which is used by MT is on the far side of the shelter, I'm surprised it's not in use due to track construction. Maybe supplies are being staged there.

[Gil]

Looks like Council has approved the fare hike for next year. Cash fares go to $3.25, bringing them in line with neighbouring GTA agencies (I wonder how long until the TTC caves?). Then again, I wonder if the NDP wins and they keep that particular promise whether or not the hike will go through. They could use the cash the additional revenue would bring in, or would that invalidate the promise of additional provincial funds?

They've also agreed on the staff recomendations to cancel 14 LORNE PARK on Saturdays, 31 FOLKWAY-HOMELANDS and 68 WINDSOR HILL on Sundays and 33 ERIN CENTRE all week while adjusting Sunday service to 29 PARK ROYAL and 36 COLONIAL.

Another suggestion for restructuring would be to use the Ridgeway overpass and combine the 36 COLONIAL, 47 RIDGEWAY and part of the 33 ERIN CENTRE. Everything south of Burnhamthorpe on the 36/47 stays as is. They can keep the directional split along Colonial and Ridgeway north of Burnhamthorpe, continue north on Ridgeway to either Aquinas or Angel Pass over to Sebastian and then follow the 33's routing into Erin Mills Town Centre. Modify it if needed, but run it to the mall. The only area that would lose service would be the segment of the 36/47 from South Common to Unity/Colonial. Looping the route through South Common via Collegeway-South Common-Burnhamthorpe-Glen Erin would add additional two-way service along Glen Erin and reduce the service loss to Burnhamthorpe/Glen Erin and Unity/Colonial. You could tweak the northbound routing so that at Colonial/Burnhamthorpe it goes east to Loyalist and then follows the 36's routing back to Unity/Ridgeway. Less service lost, but a slightly larger "bubble" in the middle of the route.

If they insist on renaming/renumbering the route I'd go for 37 RIDGEWAY as a compromise, though they'd probably hyphenate it with -ARTESIAN at least on paper. All of these large one-way looping routes aren't conducive to the riding public as you either need a pair of them as with the 36/47 or you're forced to ride the long way around if you want to backtrack as with the 33.

Also, I just noticed on the maps now while looking all of this up: There's a line with the 45 WINSTON CHURCHILL's colour running from South Common to Winston Churchill along Collegeway. I'm pretty sure it's not a rerouting but a miscolouring of the OT 24 SOUTH COMMON which isn't shown leaving South Common but does travel along Collegeway when it does.

[drum118]

Council refused staff recommendation in report 2 of cutting service hours plan for rest of the year. I opposed staff report in my presentation.

Council also refused to look at cutting other routes as noted in report 3 as additional cuts. I opposed cutting 38 and 51.

All the benches at Sq One Terminal were replace today with new ones. They need to add more on Rathburn platforms. They need to add more bike space.

It looks like the dead trees are going to be replace this week and long over due.

[miwaylucas]

Council refused staff recommendation in report 2 of cutting service hours plan for rest of the year. I opposed staff report in my presentation.

Council also refused to look at cutting other routes as noted in report 3 as additional cuts. I opposed cutting 38 and 51.

All the benches at Sq One Terminal were replace today with new ones. They need to add more on Rathburn platforms. They need to add more bike space.

It looks like the dead trees are going to be replace this week and long over due.

Those benches look so much better! The old ones were pretty painful. Yes, they do need more bike racks, preferably sheltered ones. Now that I think of it, the city centre transit terminal is pretty shabby. The whole thing should be reversed so buses enter at the lights at rathburn and station gate and exit further east, but then the bus door would be on the wrong side. The entire platform should be covered, and you shouldn't have to go inside to check the times. The washrooms are pretty bad too. I think the "bus terminal" at erin mills pales in comparison though.

[Gil]

There's also the info from GO Transit's Epxansion Projects website just select the Renforth Gateway BRT Project which states that the project is about to go to review as of September 14. The completion date for the study is winter 2011 (presumably December).

The PIC display boards are also available there which make for some interesting reading where it shows potential connections to the 427 to access Kipling station (pages 12 and 13) as well as potential routing changes once the BRT is implemented (page 17). I'm guessing this will be the final segment of the first phase of construction since it's still under the study. I'm hoping that they'll have everything finalized for the start of construction season next year.

The Environmental Project Report for the Renforth Gateway BRT Project is now completed and available for viewing on GO Transit's webiste. It's mostly a technical report if you want to see all of the details for that segment of the project.

Of particular interest to this thread is Appendix A which is the Opening Day BRT Operating Plan Concept. The report is written with 2006 as the benchmark. There is the odd discrepancy between this report and the above Renforth report (see page 123), which does state the final routing plan will be left to the individual transit operators. I'm not sure which of the two reports reflects the prevailing thinking.

Appendix B of the report (page 33) has a more detailed map of the services using the BRT. The following page is a list of the route changes as a result of the BRT opening. One the map the red route is 100 Winston Churchill-Kipling, dark blue is 109 Meadowvale TC-Kipling via Erin Mills, light blue is 110 Clarkson-Westwood via UTM and Pearson (essentially merging the existing 110 and 107 and routing it through the airport instead of the Viscount LINK station), the light green line is 202 Shoppers World-Kipling via City Centre, the two green routes are the employment routes 205 Drew-Kipling via Dixie and 261 Meadowvale Town Centre-Kipling via Financial and Mavis and the two dark green routes appear to serve more residential areas from Meadowvale Town Centre to Kipling. The 209 would serve Britannia-Creditview-Rathburn before joining the BRT at City Centre, while the 219 (perhaps it should be 245?) would run down Winston Churchill to the BRT. The list on page 34 also shows a route 102 doing what the 103 currently does but also serves the City Center Terminal.

The changes to route network are also outlined here. Keep in mind that it was written using the routes as they existed in 2006 for service in 2014:

8 CAWTHRA is slated to use the BRT from City Centre to Cawthra instead of travelling through Mississauga Valley. I wonder what they'll use to replace the service there.

10 BRISTOL is supposed to run from Ninth Line to City Centre via Thomas and Bristol. The 209's routing on Britannia is likely the cause of this reroute.

17 TIMBERLEA will operate in a loop out of the Dixie BRT station instead of running out of Islington.

18 NORTHWEST will operate only between Westwood and the Dixie BRT station. The later Metrolinx report shows the route terminating at the Renforth BRT station.

31 FOLKWAY-HOMELANDS will operate between Sheridan Mall and the Erin Mills BRT station. It says via Glen Erin, so the northern portion is being transferred to another route. See the 36 below.

35 EGLINTON will operate out of Kipling station and use the BRT ramps at Eglinton to access the 427. The later Metrolinx report has it terminating at the Renforth BRT station.

36 COLONIAL will operate from Dundas/Ridgeway to the Erin Mills BRT station via Colonial and Folkway. I assume it'll be taking over the northern portion of the 31. Looks like it will be bypassing South Common. Essentially this is the northern half of the current loop tied in with the Folkway portion of the 31.

39 BRITANNIA will operate from Meadowvale TC to the Renforth BRT via Britannia and Matheson.

47 RIDGEWAY will operate from Dundas/Ridgway to the Erin Mills BRT station via Collegeway and South Common. This is the southern half of the loop. You could interline it with the rerouted 36.

48 ERIN MILLS will operate from Meadowvale TC to the Erin Mills BRT station.

49 McDOWELL will operate from Ninth Line to the Erin Mills BRT station via McDowell, Winston Churchill, Credit Valley, Erin Mills station and Folkway. I assume the portion east of Erin Mills.

50 CREEKBANK will operate between the Dixie and Renforth BRT stations through the Airport Corporate Centre. The later Metrolinx report shows it continuing on to Kipling using the 427 BRT ramps.

57 COURTNEYPARK not included in this report, but in the later Metrolinx report it show it terminating at the Renforth BRT station.

98 (which is now the 46 TENTH LINE) will operate from Lisgar GO to Winston Churchill BRT station via Tenth Line and Credit Valley (or Artesian Rd., which is the western continuation of the roadway).

99 (lets call this one CHURCHILL MEADOWS) will operate from Meadowvale TC to South Common via Trelawny, Osprey, Churchill Meadows, Ridgeway and Burnhamthorpe.

Routes eliminated as a result of these changes:

1C DUNDAS South Common-Islington

15A DREW Shoppers World-Westwood

49A McDOWELL Ninth Line-Streetsville GO

59 INFIELD Westwood-Infield Cargo Area

60 MEADOWVALE GO SHUTTLE (already cancelled)

The last page of the report has a Station Usage Matrix for opening day. It includes other systems using the BRT stations like GO Transit, Oakville Transit and the TTC.