Grand River Transit

[KevinL]

From GRT's perspective, they're doing their best to restore pre-construction conditions, namely the 7 serving frequent stops on King and the 200 serving an anchor stop at the hospital. This move restores that.

As much as I'd like to see the 200 skip traffic in the LRT lane, I imagine GrandLInq would have far too many issues with that proposal for it to work.

[ijmorlan]

From GRT's perspective, they're doing their best to restore pre-construction conditions, namely the 7 serving frequent stops on King and the 200 serving an anchor stop at the hospital. This move restores that.

As much as I'd like to see the 200 skip traffic in the LRT lane, I imagine GrandLInq would have far too many issues with that proposal for it to work.

You’re probably right, except that we were promised that emergency services could use the LRT lanes. If that is OK, then it should be OK for a bus to use them, especially temporarily and especially when there are no LRVs running.

[danbrotherston]

From GRT's perspective, they're doing their best to restore pre-construction conditions, namely the 7 serving frequent stops on King and the 200 serving an anchor stop at the hospital. This move restores that.

As much as I'd like to see the 200 skip traffic in the LRT lane, I imagine GrandLInq would have far too many issues with that proposal for it to work.

You’re probably right, except that we were promised that emergency services could use the LRT lanes. If that is OK, then it should be OK for a bus to use them, especially temporarily and especially when there are no LRVs running.

These are not even remotely similar:

The bus, which has no direct connection with the LRT ops center, will be using the LRT right of way every 4-20 minutes (two ways remember) for a significant distance along the right of way, while Grandlinq is trying to complete the route so crews will be working in the right of way, and then they will be testing LRT trains in the right of way.

Is completely different from an ambulance occasionally using the LRT right of way during operations of the LRT when the right of way is cleared of Grandlinq contractors and other personnel, for a short distance to bypass traffic, when they have a direct communications with the ops center to gain clearance.

And by September, Grandlinq should be testing trains.

[tomh009]

8 is still going to be running on Weber, is it not? Does that not also server Midtown residents living near Weber?

[KevinL]

There will be a new route much like the 8 (labeled '18' on the proposal map) that will run the length of Weber from University to Fairway, with the exception of Downtown where it will divert to serve Ion. So yes, once Ion launches there will be service in the area.

[Elmira Guy]

At the risk of being repetitive, sure wish they would see the wisdom in running a route on Weber north of University.

[dunkalunk]

There will be a Weber Street Route; 18, running from University to Fairway which will supplant the current ixpress. Unfortunately, this roots and many other improvements to the core network are tied to the opening of ION, which at this point I'd wager will be September next year .

[ijmorlan]

You’re probably right, except that we were promised that emergency services could use the LRT lanes. If that is OK, then it should be OK for a bus to use them, especially temporarily and especially when there are no LRVs running.

These are not even remotely similar:

The bus, which has no direct connection with the LRT ops center, will be using the LRT right of way every 4-20 minutes (two ways remember) for a significant distance along the right of way, while Grandlinq is trying to complete the route so crews will be working in the right of way, and then they will be testing LRT trains in the right of way.

Is completely different from an ambulance occasionally using the LRT right of way during operations of the LRT when the right of way is cleared of Grandlinq contractors and other personnel, for a short distance to bypass traffic, when they have a direct communications with the ops center to gain clearance.

And by September, Grandlinq should be testing trains.

I guess that answers my question in the affirmative. Depending on the nature and duration of commissioning activities, I agree that running bus service on those lanes might be impractical.

However, I do have a couple of contrary thoughts as well:

1) There is no reason why the buses should be unable to communicate with LRT control. Buses and LRT are part of the same system so they should all be able to communicate together.

2) If the LRT had street-running segments, commissioning activities would have to minimize periods of unavailability of the street-running segments for other traffic. Using the LRT lanes as bus lanes is essentially using them as street-running segments, but with much less other traffic and with all other traffic in communication with transit control.

3) Although my original idea was that the 200 would simply run in the LRT lanes, except right at GRT to reach the bus stop (since buses don’t have left-side doors to use the LRT platform), an alternate idea would be for them to use the LRT for one block at a time when needed to pass congestion, whether it is general traffic or a 7 bus. This could be coordinated with commissioning activities by contacting LRT control by radio.

So I’m not convinced it’s definitely impossible, but I would have to know more about what is involved in remaining work on the LRT system to be able to really figure it out.

[danbrotherston]

@ijmorlan

You make good points. I too think it is possible. I was perhaps too abrupt I just thought it was very oversimplified to say it was equivalent to running ems and fire vehicles on the rapidway.

The real question though is what are the benefits. If they only want to stop at GRH then unless King was substantially faster (which, with the lights and without priority I doubt it) then what does it buy you. Perhaps the public perception that the transit lanes are in use even now although on the flip side the impression that buses would have been fine. Either way, I don't think it's worth the effort even if I kind of fancy the idea.

[Elmira Guy]

Just looking at the EasyGO fare card information site, and after seeing this, it made me wonder;
"A 90-minute transfer is automatically loaded on your card when you pay your fare. If you transfer to another bus within 90 minutes, the farebox will read your transfer."

Currently you can use multiple buses within the 90 minutes allotted to the transfer. Will this continue to be the case with the incoming fare card? I find the above info a little ambiguous.

[mpd618]

Currently you can use multiple buses within the 90 minutes allotted to the transfer. Will this continue to be the case with the incoming fare card? I find the above info a little ambiguous.

It should still be a 90-minute timed transfer, regardless of the number of buses.

[KevinL]

Just looking at the EasyGO fare card information site, and after seeing this, it made me wonder;
"A 90-minute transfer is automatically loaded on your card when you pay your fare. If you transfer to another bus within 90 minutes, the farebox will read your transfer."

Currently you can use multiple buses within the 90 minutes allotted to the transfer. Will this continue to be the case with the incoming fare card? I find the above info a little ambiguous.

That's exactly what they're saying, it's just the language isn't so clear.

In essence:

-When you first tap in, the fare is deducted from your card; at the same time, a 'transfer' condition is set with a 90-minute limit.

-Next time you tap, that 'transfer' condition will be read if it is still present, and no fare will be deducted.

[Canard]

So you can transfer as much as you like, so long as your last transfer occurs 89 minutes and 59 seconds from the initial tap? Ie, your total journey time on one fare is 89m59s+Last Ride Time?

[KevinL]

So you can transfer as much as you like, so long as your last transfer occurs 89 minutes and 59 seconds from the initial tap? Ie, your total journey time on one fare is 89m59s+Last Ride Time?

Correct. That's how it's worked for years with the paper transfers, for the record; this just takes the human operator out of the equation.

[Elmira Guy]

Cheers KevinL and mpd618.

I assumed this would be the case but wanted some confirmation.

I also hope that the fare cards are readily available at more places than the two terminals (I know they said some PR crew will also be handing them out).

I'm looking forward to this system being launched.