Grand River Transit

[KevinL]

http://www.grt.ca/en/schedules-maps/bus-...rades.aspx
Looks like a busy summer for upgrades

Some big stuff in here if you look closely, and a lot of it is helpful for pedestrians as well. For example, a better crossing of Ottawa at Elmsdale; King and Riverbank in Freeport; plus Bleams at Fallowfield, and Highland at Fieldgate (these two include refuge islands).

[yige_t]

http://www.grt.ca/en/schedules-maps/bus-...rades.aspx
Looks like a busy summer for upgrades

Looks like they're installing some 205 iXpress stops ahead of time! 

Also interesting they're adding a new stop on the 203 at Maple Grove / Beaverdale (aka middle of nowhere). I thought the new subdivision being built there was further west near Speedsville Road?

[DHLawrence]

It is. Maybe someone influential requested one.

[Pheidippides]

Looks like they're installing some 205 iXpress stops ahead of time! 

Also interesting they're adding a new stop on the 203 at Maple Grove / Beaverdale (aka middle of nowhere). I thought the new subdivision being built there was further west near Speedsville Road?

If you build it, they will come.



I've only come across the new fare boxes and handful of times, but do others find the printing times of the new transfers excessively long (upwards of 30 seconds)?

Maybe fare boxes I've seen and used were just having a bad day, but to me that has the potential to create some operational delays beyond even the learning curve of the new machine.

If you get just 10 cash or ticket fares on a route suddenly you're 5min behind schedule.

They seem pretty quick with reading the barcode, but the actual print time seems slow.

[danbrotherston]

I've only come across the new fare boxes and handful of times, but do others find the printing times of the new transfers excessively long (upwards of 30 seconds)?

Maybe fare boxes I've seen and used were just having a bad day, but to me that has the potential to create some operational delays beyond even the learning curve of the new machine.

If you get just 10 cash or ticket fares on a route suddenly you're 5min behind schedule.

They seem pretty quick with reading the barcode, but the actual print time seems slow.

It has been a long time since I've been on a bus without one.  I'm guessing they're fully deployed now.

Yes, printing is very long.  But I don't think it will be a problem in the long run, as they will only be used for cash fares, when the farecards are available, those won't need printed transfers.

[KevinL]

There is a known software bug causing the long transfer print time, which should be eliminated soon.

[goggolor]

I noticed this morning that there's a new bus stop on Mt Hope St, just south of King (near the GRH ION stop). At first I thought it might just be a shuttle stop for the hospital but it has a GRT electronic signboard. Before construction there weren't any GRT busses that used Mt Hope, anyone know what new route might be using that?

[KevinL]

The reworked route 4 is set to go there after the Ion opening; building those stops is part of GrandLinq's contract, so it's been built now even if it won't be needed for months.

[Pheidippides]

http://www.grt.ca/en/schedules-maps/bus-...rades.aspx
Looks like a busy summer for upgrades

Pretty detailed work plan. I wish there were a similar one for when some of the real-time information boxes are actually going to get displays.

I am still waiting for my "home" stop to get its display and it was purchased back in March of 2016.


Any updates on the University of Waterloo transit plaza? The anticipated start date (they probably meant design) was originally listed as August 2, 2016 (not a typo), and the completion is listed as December 2017. Do they have to wait for GrandLinq to finish up before they can start on this project?

[KevinL]

The track crossing will indeed require the completion of Grandlinq's work if they don't want to be billed for a change order. That doesn't stop them from working on the project away from the tracks.

[KevinL]

So I was buying my August pass earlier (thinking this might be the last time I need to buy a paper pass) at Charles Terminal and asked the clerks there about the smartcard rollout. They are not as optimistic as those at the Region that it will be ready for September rollout - they cited the visible evidence that zero new infreastructure has been installed at their location to support it. I suppose it could be done within three weeks, but...

[DHLawrence]

Considering how long it took to roll out Presto, I doubt it.

[Markster]

I feel like whoever is project managing this file isn't using a Gantt Chart so much as they're using a checklist.

☑ Select e-fare system
☑ Tender contract
☐ Install in buses
☐ Install supporting hardware in terminals
☐ Launch

[danbrotherston]

I feel like whoever is project managing this file isn't using a Gantt Chart so much as they're using a checklist.

☑ Select e-fare system
☑ Tender contract
☐ Install in buses
☐ Install supporting hardware in terminals
☐ Launch

Seems like "Install in buses" is at least complete.  It's been a long time since I've seen a bus without the new terminal.

[Markster]

Seems like "Install in buses" is at least complete.  It's been a long time since I've seen a bus without the new terminal.

Route 202 gets all the old and busted buses, it seems. It's maybe up to 50% in my daily commute.