GOA transit news, info etc

[HB_1024]

Right, let's postpone all the necessary construction/sidewalk repair works while there are tourists. Oh, wait, there are always tourists...

Better yet, redirect all of the buses to downtown where the most ridership is, and certainly the most need. Never mind the fact that suburbanites will then just buy cars and clog up downtown streets even more than they already do, thus destroying any reliability those routes have left.

I am not denying that there are problems with cancellations, certainly those are obvious with the miles and miles of cancellations listed even outside of rush hour. OC Transpo needs more buses and/or weekend staff. But, ultimately, where is the money going to come for that?

[MCIBUS]

When you have events like Winterlude you'd expect there be traffic delays.With the weather being so mild this weekend you can expect more patrons to visit winterlude.

 

Construction is part of life and you'll never get rid of it. Yes it may cause delays depending the type of construction you have, it may be a short term or long term delays, but you've got no choice to repair infrastructures or other wise everything will go "Hell In A Hand Basket"  

 

As for restricting cars in the downtown core, don't laugh because its being done in many European cities.

Now grant you I'm not sure of the cities or the exact details on how its being done, but there are some restrictions on auto traffic in many Euro cities for downtown traffic?

[Guest]

Accident on Nicholas

[1overcosc]

Nicholas & Laurier is the achilles heel of the whole transit system. They need to have a police squadron dedicated to that area to ensure fast clearance of accident sites. The OPP agreed to do this for the section of the 417 between Nicholas & the 174 during the Transitway detours, OPS needs to follow suit for its part of the detour route.

[Centralsmt]

13 hours ago, CyrusKafaiWu said:

Accident on Nicholas

No there wasn't.

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Centralsmt said:

No there wasn't.

Sorry, stalled truck

[Gregory]

So, I just went to the OC Transpo website to check a schedule and noticed they've got new route numbers listed that I'm assuming will go into effect in April. They are as followed:

• Route 2 will become route 11.
• Route 6 will become route 56.
• Route 92 will become route 62.
• Route 96 will become route 61.
• Route 118 will become route 88.
• Route 150 will become route 50.
• Route 151 will become route 81.
• Route 156 will become route 83 with an extension to/from Tunney's Pasture.
• Route 172 will become route 82 with an extension to/from Tunney's Pasture.
• Route 176 will become route 80.
• Route 178 will become route 84 with an extension to/from Tunney's Pasture.
• Route 182 will become route 66.

It also looks like there will be some modifications for the following routes: 63, 64, 155, 170, and 256.

[GTAmissions1]

4 hours ago, Gregory said:

So, I just went to the OC Transpo website to check a schedule and noticed they've got new route numbers listed that I'm assuming will go into effect in April. They are as followed:

• Route 2 will become route 11.
• Route 6 will become route 56.
• Route 92 will become route 62.
• Route 96 will become route 61.
• Route 118 will become route 88.
• Route 150 will become route 50.
• Route 151 will become route 81.
• Route 156 will become route 83 with an extension to/from Tunney's Pasture.
• Route 172 will become route 82 with an extension to/from Tunney's Pasture.
• Route 176 will become route 80.
• Route 178 will become route 84 with an extension to/from Tunney's Pasture.
• Route 182 will become route 66.

It also looks like there will be some modifications for the following routes: 63, 64, 155, 170, and 256.

The modernization of changing over some more routes to the new network. Along with addressing issues for Routes 63 and 64 (they had a meeting recently regarding concerns). 

Next service change is April 23, 2017. Adjusting demand because of the college/universities are done for the semester. 

A staged approach to ensure that the transition goes well and integrate people onto the new network. 

[JCL]

5 hours ago, Gregory said:

So, I just went to the OC Transpo website to check a schedule and noticed they've got new route numbers listed that I'm assuming will go into effect in April. They are as followed:

• Route 2 will become route 11.
• Route 6 will become route 56.
• Route 92 will become route 62.
• Route 96 will become route 61.
• Route 118 will become route 88.
• Route 150 will become route 50.
• Route 151 will become route 81.
• Route 156 will become route 83 with an extension to/from Tunney's Pasture.
• Route 172 will become route 82 with an extension to/from Tunney's Pasture.
• Route 176 will become route 80.
• Route 178 will become route 84 with an extension to/from Tunney's Pasture.
• Route 182 will become route 66.

It also looks like there will be some modifications for the following routes: 63, 64, 155, 170, and 256.

Most likely a safe bet. Bus drivers will probably start selecting their work shifts for the April Booking around either the first or second week of March. As such, a lot of key details would have been finalized at this point. 

Also, one afternoon trip on Route 261 to Stittsville will be converted for double decker assignment, according to the area Councillor: http://stittsvillecentral.ca/update-qadri-responds-to-bus-service-complaints/

[OCtranspo10]

7 hours ago, Gregory said:

It also looks like there will be some modifications for the following routes: 63, 64, 155, 170, and 256.

Where does it say anything about these changes?

 

Using the drop down tab on the routes and maps, it says the 61 and 62 only go Stittsville to Tunney's. 

[tomsbuspage]

18 hours ago, Gregory said:

So, I just went to the OC Transpo website to check a schedule and noticed they've got new route numbers listed that I'm assuming will go into effect in April. They are as followed:

• Route 6 will become route 56.

I noticed that route 6 Hurdman <-> Tunney's Pasture is changing to 56 King Edward <-> Tunney's Pasture.  Sounds as if there will be a major rerouting in addition to a new number...

Here's a photo of 6686 operating on route 6 Holland in 1973, crossing Bank Street while heading west on First Avenue in the Glebe.  Route 6/56 is the longest-running bus route in Ottawa (as opposed to converted streetcar route), with service along Carling/Glebe Avenues between O'Connor Street and Parkdale Avenue being almost unchanged since the late 1920s.

Photo from ebay, courtesy of Vintage-Vault75, used for display purposes only.

[Gregory]

8 hours ago, OCtranspo10 said:

Where does it say anything about these changes?

 

Using the drop down tab on the routes and maps, it says the 61 and 62 only go Stittsville to Tunney's. 

If you look at the drop-down list, it shows routes 63, 64, 155, 170, and 256 are listed twice.

[MCIBUS]

It appears that OC will start announcing routes & destination  come this Spring on the external speakers? according to CBC?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/oc-transpo-buses-external-speakers-to-help-visually-impaired-riders-1.3994245

 

Do we need it? Yes & No.

 

If you get a DD Bus,Arttic or a Orion VII bus no because you can read the sign & route.

 

If you get a Invero? Yes because the destination sighs are SHIT!! you can't really read them If you have a visual disability like I do, it'll help.

 

The only catch is if you get 2 more buses arrive at the sme time its going to get noise and a bit confusing.

 

Now grant you I'm not Blind, have about 85% of my vision, so can't comment on how a individual with total eye sight loss ho3w he or she can tell voice detection from which direction iits coming from?

[MCIBUS]

26 minutes ago, Gregory said:

If you look at the drop-down list, it shows routes 63, 64, 155, 170, and 256 are listed twice.

Can you provide a link I still can't find it on OC web site not even the info you gave?

[JCL]

10 minutes ago, MCIBUS said:

Can you provide a link I still can't find it on OC web site not even the info you gave?

1) Go to OC Transpo's web site;

2) Click 'Routes and Maps' on the main horizontal navigation menu (alternatively, go this link URL: http://www.octranspo.com/routes);

3) Locate the text that says "Select Route Number" and click the drop-down menu below it. You'll see the new route numbers that board member Gregory is talking about.

[OCtranspo10]

1 hour ago, MCIBUS said:

It appears that OC will start announcing routes & destination  come this Spring on the external speakers? according to CBC?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/oc-transpo-buses-external-speakers-to-help-visually-impaired-riders-1.3994245

 

Do we need it? Yes & No.

 

If you get a DD Bus,Arttic or a Orion VII bus no because you can read the sign & route.

 

If you get a Invero? Yes because the destination sighs are SHIT!! you can't really read them If you have a visual disability like I do, it'll help.

 

The only catch is if you get 2 more buses arrive at the sme time its going to get noise and a bit confusing.

 

Now grant you I'm not Blind, have about 85% of my vision, so can't comment on how a individual with total eye sight loss ho3w he or she can tell voice detection from which direction iits coming from?

 

I rather see it go as a pilot project instead. Reason's why are because we all know how reliably the NSAS are. And the way Stephen Blais is talking, it sounds like the software will be run through Clever Device. Second of all if a driver is doing a time point at Mackenzie King or somewhere, that announcement will be playing every 10 to 20 seconds. Playing at every stop it will get annoying, but on the other side, that's what i said when OC got interior announcements.

 

Now, I am not blind or visually impaired, but I find drivers ask the person who is waiting at the bus stop what bus they want, or tell the person what route they are. If it is not rush hour, you often hear Code 50's being put out for the next Bus along Bank street or something to look for a person who is visually impaired waiting somewhere.  

 

And finally, after playing around with half the buses, these external speakers do not even work. I'd say about 40% of buses do not have a working external speaker. 

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, OCtranspo10 said:

 

I rather see it go as a pilot project instead. Reason's why are because we all know how reliably the NSAS are. And the way Stephen Blais is talking, it sounds like the software will be run through Clever Device. Second of all if a driver is doing a time point at Mackenzie King or somewhere, that announcement will be playing every 10 to 20 seconds. Playing at every stop it will get annoying, but on the other side, that's what i said when OC got interior announcements.

 

Now, I am not blind or visually impaired, but I find drivers ask the person who is waiting at the bus stop what bus they want, or tell the person what route they are. If it is not rush hour, you often hear Code 50's being put out for the next Bus along Bank street or something to look for a person who is visually impaired waiting somewhere.  

 

And finally, after playing around with half the buses, these external speakers do not even work. I'd say about 40% of buses do not have a working external speaker. 

234 Orléans, 33 Portobello, 30 Millenium, 24 Beacon Hill, 228 Navan, 94 Millennium, 91 Trim, 92 St-Laurent, 293 Blossom Park, 97 Aeroport, 97x south keys. I can't wait to make a rap remix out of this.

[1overcosc]

2 hours ago, MCIBUS said:

The only catch is if you get 2 more buses arrive at the sme time its going to get noise and a bit confusing.

 

Now grant you I'm not Blind, have about 85% of my vision, so can't comment on how a individual with total eye sight loss ho3w he or she can tell voice detection from which direction iits coming from?

Blind people almost always have much better hearing (as well as sense of smell) than typical humans. This is because without their eyes functioning the brain repurposes all of the grey matter used to process vision (which actually takes up a big chunk of our brain's capacity), to process audio instead. The ability of blind people to tell where sounds are coming from, and to tell very similar sounds apart, makes us seeing people seem deaf by comparison.

Example: Most blind people can actually count money by dropping a whole pile of coins and listening for the sounds the different coins make as they hit the floor.

[Oc4526]

5 hours ago, MCIBUS said:

If you get a Invero? Yes because the destination sighs are SHIT!! you can't really read them If you have a visual disability like I do, it'll help.

The problem with the inveros is how the glass is angled in front of the sign .

I've noticed Oc trying to fix some of the issues with the signs on the Inveros 

Heres a couple of examples 

4307 sign not angled 

4320 with the sign angled (if I'm seeing correctly)

[Transitfan39]

6 hours ago, MCIBUS said:

It appears that OC will start announcing routes & destination  come this Spring on the external speakers? according to CBC?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/oc-transpo-buses-external-speakers-to-help-visually-impaired-riders-1.3994245

 

Do we need it? Yes & No.

 

If you get a DD Bus,Arttic or a Orion VII bus no because you can read the sign & route.

 

If you get a Invero? Yes because the destination sighs are SHIT!! you can't really read them If you have a visual disability like I do, it'll help.

 

The only catch is if you get 2 more buses arrive at the sme time its going to get noise and a bit confusing.

 

Now grant you I'm not Blind, have about 85% of my vision, so can't comment on how a individual with total eye sight loss ho3w he or she can tell voice detection from which direction iits coming from?

I do remember they tried this once when I took a 85 in 2009-2010 and they had a announcements saying which route it is and where it was terminating, I also do know that some buses had (or still have) the ability to play audio outside the bus because some morning routes used to play Christmas music the week before the break, granted I haven't seen a bus do that in over 6-8 years when I make morning trips to school

[MCIBUS]

8 hours ago, Oc4526 said:

The problem with the inveros is how the glass is angled in front of the sign .

I've noticed Oc trying to fix some of the issues with the signs on the Inveros 

Heres a couple of examples 

4307 sign not angled 

4320 with the sign angled (if I'm seeing correctly)

Yes 4320 does look better even in the photo. If OC is going to keep the Invero's for a long time and they "Truly" want to make it easy with visually impaired riders then they should do that with the entire Invero fleet. Especially now that their going in for rebuilds.

 

[Centralsmt]

2 hours ago, MCIBUS said:

 

 

The newest Inviros are 10 years old, the oldest 14, spending any great sum of money on them is just a waste, we should be looking at starting to replace them, refurbishing them is merely papering over the cracks.

I thought only 35 were getting refurbished anyway?

[HB_1024]

Gladly chip in the rather large sum of money it is going to take to replace around 320 of them then.

TTC's lifespan for buses is around 18 years. No reason we can't get 18 years out of buses here.

[Centralsmt]

48 minutes ago, HB_1024 said:

Gladly chip in the rather large sum of money it is going to take to replace around 320 of them then.

TTC's lifespan for buses is around 18 years. No reason we can't get 18 years out of buses here.

a large number of them are already falling apart, no one is suggesting replacing all of them, but a phased replacement programme is needed.

In any case winter operating conditions are significantly greater than Toronto, and the buses are susceptible to problems like chassis corrosion due the amount of salt on the roads. 

 

[Oc4526]

For those interested the 2017 OCTranspo maps are now availble (Billing Bridge has some)