Some of the ridership drop could be from increased density. For instance, if more students are within walking distance of campus, say Hazel/Hickory, as opposed to Hazel/Albert, they may choose to walk instead.
I also wonder if their methodology changed for counting passengers over the past few years. At one time, if a passenger took three busses using transfers to get to their destination, they counted as three passengers; whereas, in some other jurisdictions, that passenger only counts as one passenger.
I believe they still press the green button every time anyone gets on the bus regardless of means of payment (cash, pass, transfer, Student ID, etc).
(10-30-2015, 07:32 AM)Viewfromthe42 Wrote: [ -> ]If you're starting out at Conestoga Mall, and heading to Kitchener, I'm pretty sure the 6 and iXpress are both better options.
The iXpress, yes. The 6, unfortunately, still has terrible frequency, only twice an hour. It's a good route for those "employment lands" up on Northfield, but that's not very good service. I wonder if it has had an uptick in ridership as a result of the 7 and iXpress detours.
It does have terrible frequency. For me, I'll time the end of my workday so I can hop right on after a short walk from those employment lands, or give myself time to hit the mall Zehr's or other quick purchases. The first run of the bus, which leaves Charles terminal ~5:45, probably has 12-16 people get on by the time it hits the mall. Buses around 4:00pm going the reverse direction will see ~15-25.
On the one hand, the circuitous routing of the 6 seems illogical to me. On the other hand, I know people who use it on a regular basis to get to jobs on Northfield, and it serves Bridgeport, which is otherwise only served by the 5, which also has poor frequency.
Viewfromthe42, I'm curious why you don't take the iXpress instead? Are you just a bit too far east?
Any time I've taken the 6, there seems to have been enough riders on it that it seems like it could clearly be made three or four times an hour during peak. And I've known many people who have depended on it (like you) and arranged their schedules around it. It seems to have utility; too bad it's still such terrible frequency.
The 6 takes 30 minutes, door-to-door. The 7 takes 38 minutes and the bus is a bit more crowded. The iXpress takes 40 minutes. The 7 and iX are slowed down by traffic even more in the afternoon, and are far fuller. Plus, I get off at Davenport and can walk a bit less, while also having the option of buses giving me time to get beer at Innocente, or groceries at FreshCo. In the afternoon especially, there are lots of people getting on mid-route, who would not be served without the 6. I think it's incredibly streamlined, without any circuitous bits. Sure, it takes a wider path from downtown to conestoga, but it's the westerly 6 (~10km) or the easterly 7 (~8km), and I think it works pretty well to connect as directly as possible so as to give a good north-south option for those west of King.
(11-03-2015, 10:19 AM)MidTowner Wrote: [ -> ]On the one hand, the circuitous routing of the 6 seems illogical to me.
Circuitous? It's one of the straightest routes in the city! And the King closure at the railway tracks made it even more so. I know it is not literally the straightest line from Conestoga Mall to Charles St Terminal via Bridge St, but it's pretty darn close.
I have wondered why GRT seems so hesitant to do 3-times-an-hour routes.
(11-03-2015, 10:40 AM)Markster Wrote: [ -> ]Circuitous? It's one of the straightest routes in the city! And the King closure at the railway tracks made it even more so. I know it is not literally the straightest line from Conestoga Mall to Charles St Terminal via Bridge St, but it's pretty darn close.
Straightest in the city? I guess I'm viewing it as someone who takes it from (more-or-less) downtown Kitchener nearly all the way to the mall- it seems like it goes really far out to get to Bridge, only to eventually come back towards the King corridor on Northfield. I know it's a far cry from the 'U' I see in my mind when I think about it like that, but I wouldn't call it straight either. I also have no good idea of how Bridgeport could be served without it (yes, I do: extremely frequent service along Erb and Bridgeport, and quick connections to Ion along the King corridor).
(11-03-2015, 10:40 AM)Markster Wrote: [ -> ]I have wondered why GRT seems so hesitant to do 3-times-an-hour routes.
I don't understand this. Routes like this one could probably justify twenty minute frequency. Maybe not fifteen minutes, but it seems like they don't consider three buses an hour to be an option. So a lot of routes are stuck with half-hourly service, which is quite bad for the peak period.
On a different note, has anyone heard a timeline as to when Rt 204 stops will be getting shelters? The pads are in place as are conduits for wiring.
I was also told via Twitter a few months back that temporary pads would be added at Westheights/EastForest and Westheights/Westforest to carry through until Highland is reconstructed between Fischer Hallman and Ira Needles in a few years, but no action has taken place yet.
I imagine they will be installed once existing construction on Highland is completed.
(10-27-2015, 05:44 PM)clasher Wrote: [ -> ]Has anyone taken the new 204 express bus to boardwalk? I don't really have business in that part of town but was wondering if anyone knows how it is starting to work out?
Seems good so far in terms of ridership. But is it just me or are there a surprisingly high number of stops for an "express" route? Many of which are close together
Why, I don't think anyone else has noticed that!
(kidding! There was a multi page debate here back in the spring)
(11-03-2015, 11:10 AM)timio Wrote: [ -> ]I was also told via Twitter a few months back that temporary pads would be added at Westheights/EastForest and Westheights/Westforest to carry through until Highland is reconstructed between Fischer Hallman and Ira Needles in a few years, but no action has taken place yet.
Crews were out yesterday preparing the sites for pads and access. Should be something in place soon.
This year's Budget Paper includes two budget requests from GRT. If approved both services will launch September 2016.
http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/region...Papers.pdf
Conestoga College U-Pass (Page 57)
Cost of the pass will be ~$120/term due to the "peripheral location" of the Doon/Cambridge campuses requiring proportionally more service hours than UW and WLU. 9 expansion buses are required to provide the following service increases (Fall-Winter only unless noted):
- 10 Fairview Park: Weekday peak to every 15 min, Saturday morning/evening & Sunday to every 30 min (year-round)
- 16 Forest Glen: Weekday peak to every 15 min, new weekday evening service every 30 min until 10:30 pm (year-round)
- 61 Cambridge Centre: Weekday peak to every 15 min, new weekday evening service every 30 min until 10:30 pm (year-round), new Saturday service every 60 min 10 am - 6 pm (year-round)
- 110 Fairview Park Express: Weekday peak to every 15 min
- 111 Ainslie Express: Weekday peak to every 20 min
- 116 Forest Glen Express: Weekday peak to every 20 min
Hanson/Family Centre BusPlus (Page 61)
This proposed route will connect Forest Glen Terminal with the Family Centre on Hanson Avenue. Proposed service hour is Weekdays 8 am to 8 pm and headway is approx. 15-30 min. depending on route length.
(11-16-2015, 10:21 AM)yige_t Wrote: [ -> ]Hanson/Family Centre BusPlus (Page 61)
This proposed route will connect Forest Glen Terminal with the Family Centre on Hanson Avenue. Proposed service hour is Weekdays 8 am to 8 pm and headway is approx. 15-30 min. depending on route length.
It's absurd to me that we would spend $150K per year subsidizing the poor location of the Family Centre. If the public is going to subsidize, wouldn't it be cheaper to subsidize directly the extra rent of a location that has better access to transit?