Waterloo Region Connected

(09-06-2016, 07:58 AM)Canard Wrote: [ -> ]Ehhhhhh, I really hate that. I actually just cringed. Why can't it be mixed-case Helvetica? :(

How many inches-per-dot do you think those signs' resolutions are? :)

I'm not sure they aren't using small-caps Helvetica. All I can tell is that it's sans-serif.

I like the change!

The SMALLCAP format is pretty adorable, and it helps quickly determine which phase of the sign you're looking at.

(09-06-2016, 10:10 AM)chutten Wrote: [ -> ]How many inches-per-dot do you think those signs' resolutions are?

I see what you did there

Pretty sure none of those fonts and practices are AODA compliant.

(09-06-2016, 10:41 AM)Pheidippides Wrote: [ -> ]Pretty sure none of those fonts and practices are AODA compliant.

Really? What do the regulations require, then?

I find smallcaps harder to read at a distance than allcaps.

(09-06-2016, 10:10 AM)chutten Wrote: [ -> ]I'm not sure they aren't using small-caps Helvetica. All I can tell is that it's sans-serif.

...this should not be a thing.

Ever.

(...except the Stranger Things intro sequence)

Now this is some beautiful work: https://www.creativereview.co.uk/type-de...right-bus/

I could live with that!

Those are lovely buses, too. I'd take those as a close second behind our Nova's. I really don't like the new buses.

I stand corrected. Apparently there are no specific limitations on the signage in terms of font face, case, or minimum size. Some of those requirements are specified under the trails regulations though (e.g. must be a sans serif font). Best practices for AODA written documents are avoid use of all caps/italics/bolding/underline, use a sans serif font (like Helvetica/Arial), a minimum of 12pt, and row spacing of 1.15pt. With the new consistency and font it actually looks like they are moving toward greater compliance not less.
 
https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/110191#BK65
 
Signage
58. (1) Every conventional transportation service provider shall ensure that all of its transportation vehicles manufactured on or after January 1, 2013 to which this section applies display the route or direction of the transportation vehicle or its destination or next major stop.  O. Reg. 191/11, s. 58 (1).

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), the signage displaying the route or direction or destination or next stop may include pictograms or symbols, but the signage must,

(a) be visible at the boarding point;

(b) be consistently located;

© have a glare-free surface; and

(d) be positioned to avoid shadow areas and glare.  O. Reg. 191/11, s. 58 (2).

(3) Every conventional transportation service provider shall ensure that the signage displaying the route or direction or destination or next stop,

(a) is consistently shaped, coloured and positioned, when used in the same type of transportation vehicle to give the same type of information; and

(b) has text that,

(i) is high colour-contrasted with its background, in order to assist with visual recognition, and

(ii) has the appearance of solid characters.  O. Reg. 191/11, s. 58 (3).

What about tones and chimes? I was told by an internal Rapid Transit team member that our trains for ion can't have a unique chime because there are very specific AODA requirements for this, and so they just wanted to stick with "the TTC chime*".

* - actually the UTDC chime - ask me why!

Looks like a new platform for the 204 was poured at Queen and Homewood. I don't know what else it could be; the placement is quite odd. This is looking down Homewood with my back to Queen:
[attachment=2176]

Also, after reading the discussion today about the GRT signage I was able to notice it on the way home. I definitely like the outside signs better, the inside signs not so much.

They have shortened the inside signs so there is no scrolling on the longer route names and stop names and thus it cycles faster through the "Next stop", "Stop Name", "Date/Time", "Route Name/Number." The problem I see is that the short forms are not always intuitive. I could figure out "Univ. v. Wsmt." pretty easily, but "Fairview v. W&C" took me a minute to unravel as Fairview via Weber and Connaught - and I ride that bus regularly.

Finally, has the GRT policy on children changed or just the wording?
It used to say:
"Children under 5 (maximum three children per paying customer) = FREE"

now it says:
"Children 4 years of age and under (maximum three children per paying customer) = FREE"

To me they mean the same (<5 years are free and you are considered 4 even if you are 4 years 364 days and 23hours old - you are still under until you turn 5), but to some it may not.

(09-06-2016, 08:27 PM)Pheidippides Wrote: [ -> ]but "Fairview v. W&C" took me a minute to unravel as Fairview via Weber and Connaught

Courtland*

To further prove your point.

(09-06-2016, 08:27 PM)Pheidippides Wrote: [ -> ]To me they mean the same (<5 years are free and you are considered 4 even if you are 4 years 364 days and 23hours old - you are still under until you turn 5), but to some it may not.

I think that "under 5" means the same as "4 years of age and under". But it's mostly an honour system anyway, isn't it? Bus drivers aren't going to ask for ID. It's pretty hard to tell a 4-year-old apart from a 5-year-old. On the other hand, 6-year-olds and some older 5-year-olds are usually given away by their smiles. :-)

(09-06-2016, 11:56 PM)D40LF Wrote: [ -> ]

(09-06-2016, 08:27 PM)Pheidippides Wrote: [ -> ]but "Fairview v. W&C" took me a minute to unravel as Fairview via Weber and Connaught

Courtland*

To further prove your point.  

That is horrible. Who thought that was a good idea?! New users and visitors to the city will be totally lost and confused. That is not how you build confident ridership!

This is why I don't like buses - way too confusing to figure out. Trains, dead simple.

(09-06-2016, 11:56 PM)D40LF Wrote: [ -> ]

(09-06-2016, 08:27 PM)Pheidippides Wrote: [ -> ]but "Fairview v. W&C" took me a minute to unravel as Fairview via Weber and Connaught

Courtland*

To further prove your point.  

That's pretty funny. Guess my brain was still booting up after an extra long weekend.