Miscellaneous TTC Discussion & Questions

[PCC Guy]

Is the 175 supposed to stop running in time for Thanksgiving Day, or after that day? The messaging on the TTC's site isn't too clear, not helped at all by the tagline that says "Effective date: Continues until October 10, 2020"...

http://ttc.ca/Service_Advisories/Service_changes/Sep175.jsp

[Shemar]

On 9/26/2020 at 7:59 PM, PCC Guy said:

Is the 175 supposed to stop running in time for Thanksgiving Day, or after that day? The messaging on the TTC's site isn't too clear, not helped at all by the tagline that says "Effective date: Continues until October 10, 2020"...

http://ttc.ca/Service_Advisories/Service_changes/Sep175.jsp

The 121D and 175 seasonal services will run until Thanksgiving Day. They will stop running after that holiday.

[leylandvictory2]

maybe not.  The new board period starts 2 sundays from now.  

[Xtrazsteve]

I'm pretty sure they'll fill those 2 days with RAD buses.

[TTC Guy]

On 10/2/2020 at 7:19 PM, Xtrazsteve said:

I'm pretty sure they'll fill those 2 days with RAD buses.

It’s 8 days from now not tomorrow 

[Xtrazsteve]

2 hours ago, TTC Guy said:

It’s 8 days from now not tomorrow 

The new board starts next Sunday, not tomorrow.

[Jason_W]

Hello folks,

I just moved back to my family in Toronto (lived/worked in Italy for about 3 years). Being forced to quarantine for 14 days I'm trying to pass the time, I turned on my old Uniden scanner that I bought many years before with all the GTA frequencies programmed in it. I used to be able to listen to the TTC on it, it was quite busy with chatter and quite informative on what was happening.

Does anyone know if something has changed, I've had it on for the past day, and I haven't heard a thing. Do I need to get my scanner reprogrammed?

Any info would be appreciated,

Thanks, Jason.

[MK78]

1 hour ago, Jason_W said:

Does anyone know if something has changed, I've had it on for the past day, and I haven't heard a thing. Do I need to get my scanner reprogrammed?

Unfortunately yes, the TTC has changed its radio system from the old analog system to a new, digital system that is not capable of being monitored on any scanner even the most modern. The system is called TETRA. There is a way of listening, but it involves using a computer, a SDR (Software Defined Radio) USB dongle and some general knowledge on how to use a SDR.

However, there is an online stream you can listen to, it's basically the same dispatch & supervisor channels that used to be on the analog radio system. Works fairly well.

Toronto Transit Control stream

[Jason_W]

24 minutes ago, MK78 said:

Unfortunately yes, the TTC has changed its radio system from the old analog system to a new, digital system that is not capable of being monitored on any scanner even the most modern. The system is called TETRA. There is a way of listening, but it involves using a computer, a SDR (Software Defined Radio) USB dongle and some general knowledge on how to use a SDR.

However, there is an online stream you can listen to, it's basically the same dispatch & supervisor channels that used to be on the analog radio system. Works fairly well.

Toronto Transit Control stream

Wow, thanks. Didn't expect that they replaced the entire system.

Yeah I'm not a techy person so I don't think I'll be trying my luck with this SDR radio.

Tried the stream, it works!

[Ultimate]

Took a walk down Kingston Rd this morning, they've installed banners all along the roadway for the RapidTO bus lanes. They also began painting a few small sections on Kingston Rd they will be done within the next two days. I also found a map of all of the updated stops and they are removing alot of stops which is gonna cause alot of complaints because of the walking distances between stops now. 

[wil9402]

2 hours ago, Ultimate said:

Took a walk down Kingston Rd this morning, they've installed banners all along the roadway for the RapidTO bus lanes. They also began painting a few small sections on Kingston Rd they will be done within the next two days. I also found a map of all of the updated stops and they are removing alot of stops which is gonna cause alot of complaints because of the walking distances between stops now. 

They installed the banners on Morningside as well. I have my doubts they'll be done painting the lanes by Sunday judging by how long it took them to do Morningside. After starting a little over a month ago, they just finished doing the red paint on Morningside yesterday. They still got some final touches to do on the southbound Morningside lane (bold white line, diamond lane markings and right turn lane markings). The northbound lane is pretty much complete unless they plan on adding more diamond lane markings, there is currently only one at Kingston Rd where the lane starts.

[Ultimate]

Looking at the 905 Schedules, it shows it now services Guildwood Parkway but the map that states the new stops along the bus lanes shows Guildwood Parkway as a local only stop

[MK78]

On 10/10/2020 at 3:49 AM, Ultimate said:

Looking at the 905 Schedules, it shows it now services Guildwood Parkway but the map that states the new stops along the bus lanes shows Guildwood Parkway as a local only stop

I would love it if it served Guiildwood stop.

Are you referring to this?

Resumption of express service

905 Eglinton East Express - new express stops
905 Eglinton East Express will resume and new express stops at Guildwood Parkway and West Hill Collegiate Institute will be introduced to provide additional transit access to the area. Stops 6486 and 4229, and 2936 and 2932 will be designated as stops on route.

Edit: I went to the Kingston & Guildwood stop today, and the label on the post that identifies which routes serve the stop does not show 905, neither does the map posted about the changes.

Perhaps this was a decision made very late in the process of the Eglinton/Kingston/Morningside RapidTO project?

 

[MK78]

Apparently the TTCWatch app has already pulled the updated stops data, and it appears that Guildwood Parkway is now shown as serviced by route 905. It also shows the removed stops.

[Ultimate]

Buses have still been servicing these so called "removed stops". Are the announcements removed for them? And all they've done at the stops is put the "Stop out of service Board at:" signs that you normally see a stop that has construction around it. 

[MK78]

2 hours ago, Ultimate said:

Buses have still been servicing these so called "removed stops". Are the announcements removed for them? And all they've done at the stops is put the "Stop out of service Board at:" signs that you normally see a stop that has construction around it. 

I have seen some today as well, while on a bike ride along Kingston Rd. Maybe its a courtesy for the first week or so, while customers get educated. Not sure about the announcements. The shelters aren't even taped up on the removed stops.

[smallspy]

15 hours ago, MK78 said:

I have seen some today as well, while on a bike ride along Kingston Rd. Maybe its a courtesy for the first week or so, while customers get educated. Not sure about the announcements. The shelters aren't even taped up on the removed stops.

The shelters aren't owned or maintained by the City or the TTC. If previous experience holds true, they'll likely remain until the spring or summer.

 

Dan

[MK78]

1 hour ago, smallspy said:

The shelters aren't owned or maintained by the City or the TTC. If previous experience holds true, they'll likely remain until the spring or summer.

 

Dan

Right, its the advertising companies... Astral or Pattison?

[Someguy3071]

15 hours ago, smallspy said:

The shelters aren't owned or maintained by the City or the TTC. If previous experience holds true, they'll likely remain until the spring or summer.

 

Dan

Shelters are owned and maintained by Astral. 

https://www.toronto.ca/311/knowledgebase/kb/docs/articles/transportation-services/public-realm-section/street-furniture-management/street-furniture-bus-shelters-benches-litter-bins-automated-washrooms-poster-columns-maintenance-graffiti-damaged-litter.html#:~:text=This program is a public,transit shelters and info pillars.

[MK78]

Today I've taken the 905 Eglinton East Express from Kennedy and got off at Guildwood Parkway stop, and I can indeed confirm that the stop announcement as well as the display both indicate the new stop, so I can only assume the West Hill collegiate one is also in the system.

[ViaRail6440]

Hi All:

Was thinking today, when TTC buses are Not In Service, what does the rear display read? NIS, scrolling Not In Service, an X? 

[John Oke]

13 minutes ago, ViaRail6440 said:

Hi All:

Was thinking today, when TTC buses are Not In Service, what does the rear display read? NIS, scrolling Not In Service, an X? 

Not In Service 

[splendidwizardplayer]

12 minutes ago, ViaRail6440 said:

Hi All:

Was thinking today, when TTC buses are Not In Service, what does the rear display read? NIS, scrolling Not In Service, an X? 

 

[Ultimate]

Well this didn't take long... 

[MK78]

28 minutes ago, Ultimate said:

Well this didn't take long...

Not surprising... I don't understand why they removed so many local stops. It forces people to walk to a stop that is also more likely to be served by the 905 as well, which will reduce it's effectiveness because it will now be loaded with more people, and will have longer time spent at many of the same stops that the local buses stop.

By a rough count, the local 86 Scarborough has 15 stops from Kingston & Lawrence to Kennedy, and the 905 has 10 stops. That's not a huge difference over quite the same distance, which renders the 905 much less of an express service than it used to be.

Myself I live roughly in between two spots, one of which was removed - which was my preferred stop but the other one isn't that much farther, but its more of a pain in the winter, as it's more sidewalk that's rarely cleared of snow in the winter. But I did gain a 905 stop at Kingston & Guildwood.

I think who it hurts the most is the elderly & people with disabilities, who are now out of a stop and they have to venture further to get to a stop. Especially pain in the butt in bad weather.