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One thing I never figured out why monthly tickets have to start on the first day of the month, 20 years ago when I worked in London UK I could buy a monthly travel card for example on the 27th November and it would be valid until the 26th December, with modern technology you should be able to buy a travelcard on any given day and it would be valid for a fixed period, ie, 7 days, one month or one year from that day.

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1 minute ago, Centralsmt said:

One thing I never figured out why monthly tickets have to start on the first day of the month, 20 years ago when I worked in London UK I could buy a monthly travel card for example on the 27th November and it would be valid until the 26th December, with modern technology you should be able to buy a travelcard on any given day and it would be valid for a fixed period, ie, 7 days, one month or one year from that day.

Policy. That simple. 

Right now if you have a paper monthly pass you must have an ID card with picture, whereas with Presto the pass is without ID card and fully transferable at the same price. 

Technology is not responsible for that example. 

Sometimes however the policy assumptions will determine the business rules, if not careful that could put in unnecessary restraints in the code. 

We should have flexibility, that's the main advantage of using such tech.

 

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13 minutes ago, chimo said:

Policy. That simple. 

Right now if you have a paper monthly pass you must have an ID card with picture, whereas with Presto the pass is without ID card and fully transferable at the same price. 

Technology is not responsible for that example. 

Sometimes however the policy assumptions will determine the business rules, if not careful that could put in unnecessary restraints in the code. 

We should have flexibility, that's the main advantage of using such tech.

 

When I lived in Geneva between 2011-2015 our paper travelcards with id could be bought and valid from any date, an electronic Oyster card from London or Octopus card from Hong Kong also has no fixed date restrictions, as you say a modern efficient organisation must have flexibility when it comes to things like ticketing, that's how you attract additional custom, placing restrictions discourages people from using the technology

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2 minutes ago, Centralsmt said:

When I lived in Geneva between 2011-2015 our paper travelcards with id could be bought and valid from any date, an electronic Oyster card from London or Octopus card from Hong Kong also has no fixed date restrictions, as you say a modern efficient organisation must have flexibility when it comes to things like ticketing, that's how you attract additional custom, placing restrictions discourages people from using the technology

I think you put your finger on something important. 

Perhaps we are faced with a municipal administration that is not interested in having more passengers. Reading your comments and going by my observations the thought does cross my mind. 

I have never lived outside Canada but had the chance to travel and use different transit systems and can see quickly those who encourage transit versus does who don't. 

 

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The STO announced today that a new transferable, no-photo Occasional Multi card is now available at its customer service locations.  The card normally costs $8 and requires a minimum initial balance of $10, but it will be issued for free until the end of January.  The per-ride fare will be the same as the PME fare, and will include a two-hour transfer on the STO or OC Transpo.

Press release: Lancement de la Multi occasionnelle (in French only)

Quote

The Occasional Multi

Simple and easy to use, as its name suggests, this pass is ideal for occasional trips! In addition to using it like an e-wallet, this new Multi is transferable so it can be shared easily among riders in the same family. No matter who uses it, the Occasional Multi lets you pay for your trip using an e-fare. It can be loaded at the service points and retail outlets.

The Occasional Multi is the Multi that lends itself well!

In addition:

It is cheaper than a paper ticket
There is no need for change to take a bus
Paperless transfers
the balance is protected if it is lost or stolen 
It can be loaded at one of the 4 service points and recharging sites
You can put from $10 to $110 on it

By tapping the card on the reader when boarding the bus, the reader:

Confirms that your trip is valid
Debits the fare from your Multi card
Displays the balance available on your Occasional Multi
A fare debited from your Multi entitles you to an e-transfer that is valid for 2 hours starting from when you first boarded an STO bus.
Simply tap the reader again during the validity period and the transfer will be accepted.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Destination signs and systems are now updated with new routes. And, preloaded stop announcements go off at certain stops of each route to announce the new route change and fare changes apparently at Mackenzie King.
 

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3 hours ago, JCL said:

Free transit service for OC Transpo after 4:30pm on December 31, New Years Eve: http://ottawa.ca/en/news/free-bus-service-starting-430-pm-new-years-eve-help-kick-2017-celebrations

Hmm, 16:30, eh? That's an odd time. Goes along with the theme of a weird fare, I guess.

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3 hours ago, Waiting for 30 Minutes said:

Hmm, 16:30, eh? That's an odd time. Goes along with the theme of a weird fare, I guess.

My local transit agency starts free service at 5 PM. 

Most transit agencies start free transit service at around 7 PM in the evening. I don't expect any additional service unless there is demand of course. The 95 is frequent enough (New Years Eve is on a Saturday) with 15 minute service until 2:14 AM from Place D'Orleans alternating between full trips and Fallowfield. 

Don't let people know that paying with Presto is 5 cents cheaper than paying with cash fare at 3 AM January 1, 2017. I will admit, the strategy to make people use Presto instead of cash really isn't going to work well saving a nickel. 

12 hours ago, OCtranspo10 said:

Just saw the new system map. Route 93 Kanata North now replaced with Route 63. Along with the Connexions routes included. 

Before Route 93, Route 101 would do the Kanata North portion. Just a lot of change with the same coat of paint, different numbers. 

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The only issue with 'New Year's' late evening service is "Local routes"? Most end between midnight & 1 AM depending on the route. Most part goers part way pass that time. I have yet to see OC transpo extend ALL LOCAL ROUTES!!!! not just some but ALL LOCAL ROUTES past 1 AM to 3 AM!! whats the point of having free evening service if don't have a bus to get home? Calling uburec or taxi from the transitway station won't really help as thats one of their bussiest nioghts and your probably looking at a 30 min+ wait time. Not everyone lives next to a transitway station, most don't and live away from one and most likely a good 20 mins+ walking distance from one and if New Years  eve is a cold one -20C or more thats a DAM COLD WALK.

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3 hours ago, MCIBUS said:

The only issue with 'New Year's' late evening service is "Local routes"? Most end between midnight & 1 AM depending on the route. Most part goers part way pass that time. I have yet to see OC transpo extend ALL LOCAL ROUTES!!!! not just some but ALL LOCAL ROUTES past 1 AM to 3 AM!! whats the point of having free evening service if don't have a bus to get home? Calling uburec or taxi from the transitway station won't really help as thats one of their bussiest nioghts and your probably looking at a 30 min+ wait time. Not everyone lives next to a transitway station, most don't and live away from one and most likely a good 20 mins+ walking distance from one and if New Years  eve is a cold one -20C or more thats a DAM COLD WALK.

 

Where do you suggest they find the extra drivers to provide local services into the night? 

They still need drivers to run the service on the 1st January, and drivers must have rest periods by law.

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2 hours ago, MCIBUS said:

Have they ever asked drivers if they wanted extra hours? I'll bet alot would take the over time?

 

And you don't necessarily need to ask those working that night.

Tom

By mid afternoon today OC had tweeted over 50 cancellations in service, that doesn't include the ones they didn't notify, that is on probably the busiest shopping day of the year . They can barely provide a scheduled service on any given day due to a shortage of drivers or vehicles, what makes you think they would be able to find enough drivers to run any semblance of a scheduled service at 2am in the morning???

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3 hours ago, MCIBUS said:

Have they ever asked drivers if they wanted extra hours? I'll bet alot would take the over time?

I believe they do this for extra trips on Canada Day.

This sort of thing will get easier after the LRT's 2 phases open as the LRT system can be run with much less labour (only driver per 600 person train), meaning extending service on one night will be easier as more of the system can be covered with less labour.

5 hours ago, Centralsmt said:

 

They still need drivers to run the service on the 1st January, and drivers must have rest periods by law.

Given that the 1st of January is a statutory holiday, wouldn't there be reduced service with a lot of drivers not working as a result?

They run extra trips on Canada Day and that's harder than New Year's Eve because July 2nd is often a standard workday.

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45 minutes ago, 1overcosc said:

Given that the 1st of January is a statutory holiday, wouldn't there be reduced service with a lot of drivers not working as a result?

Correct.

Octranspo will be running Regular Sunday service on the 1st with Saturday service on the 2nd.(Holiday in lieu)

Same with the 25th 26th & 27th of December.

 

from Octranspo.com

 

 

Christmas Day:

Sunday, December 25, 2016

Winter Sunday Service
Boxing Day:

Monday, December 26, 2016

Winter Saturday Service
Holiday in Lieu:

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

New Year's Day:

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Winter Sunday Service
Holiday in Lieu:

Monday, January 2, 2017

Winter Saturday Service
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6 hours ago, MCIBUS said:

Have they ever asked drivers if they wanted extra hours? I'll bet alot would take the over time?

 

And you don't necessarily need to ask those working that night.

 

3 hours ago, Centralsmt said:

Tom

By mid afternoon today OC had tweeted over 50 cancellations in service, that doesn't include the ones they didn't notify, that is on probably the busiest shopping day of the year . They can barely provide a scheduled service on any given day due to a shortage of drivers or vehicles, what makes you think they would be able to find enough drivers to run any semblance of a scheduled service at 2am in the morning???

of 1600 drivers

 On weekday service about 1500 drivers are needed.

Saturday Service is about 600-700

Sunday is about 500 or so.

 

There are no driver shortages, but it's weather the city wants to pay for it or not 

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5 hours ago, 1overcosc said:

^ With reduced statutory holiday service there could very well only be 450-500 drivers working on January 1st. Meaning there are at least 1,100 drivers who aren't working that day and could work on New Year's Eve.

I agree but OCTranspo10 has put its finger on it, it's all about whether the city wants to pay for it. 

While OC doesn't do a strict private sector profit and loss analysis when it looks at route performance it does take into consideration revenue when deciding what service to provide. 

This all goes back to politicians being unable to let go of the fiction that because once upon a time private companies provide transit that it might do so again. It's the persistent refusal to accept that transit is a public good like hospitals and schools and roads and therefore should be paid for from general revenue and not be a pseudo commercial operation. 

That taints their whole thinking. Not blaming OC management they can do only so much with their budget, it's about the province refusing to take its responsibilities as they are the ones with the real revenue tools, the city can only tinker at the margins.

This is why when there's a real societal need to ensure maximum transit service (new year eve and day) we just can't and won't. 

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On ‎2016‎/‎12‎/‎18 at 0:09 AM, OCtranspo10 said:

 

of 1600 drivers

 On weekday service about 1500 drivers are needed.

Saturday Service is about 600-700

Sunday is about 500 or so.

 

There are no driver shortages, but it's weather the city wants to pay for it or not 

From what I have been told from a very reliable source driver shortages were the explanation for the excessive amount of cancellations last weekend

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