1311 replies to this topic

[malahatdrive]

I hope it works. I do think for it to be really successfully we would need to have those bus lanes up and running completely between downtown and at least McKenzie.

 

But hey - Langford runs its own free Trolley bus system already and that seems to work

[Bingo]

I predict fail, I'm afraid.  Private transit does not exist alongside public in North America in many jurisdictions, and certainly not in West Shore and Victoria.

 

I agree. If the idea had any merit BC Transit would be doing it.

All Langford will be doing is running their service on some conjested alternate route with all the other traffic once work on the interchange begins.

The best alternative is to run SOMETHING on the E&N tracks where you are not competing with other vehicles.

[sdwright.vic]

Are you using a mobile/

Yes

[On the Level]

I predict fail, I'm afraid. Private transit does not exist alongside public in North America in many jurisdictions, and certainly not in West Shore and Victoria.

It's definitely a long shot, but it's only $15 more a month, will be a comfortable coach and won't be stuck pulling in and out of traffic at every bus stop.

The whole "buses for everything" mentality is so 1950s. Someone needs to get on with the E&N before Esquimalt kills it.

[Bingo]

The whole "buses for everything" mentality is so 1950s. Someone needs to get on with the E&N before Esquimalt kills it.

Most VVer's agree (87%) with getting on with the E&N, and I will be on the first trip along with my buddy VHF.

[LJ]

Agreed 100%.  I hope it works, it just looks tough.  Hey, I'd love the fact that it's the same driver every time I get on, he knows my name, I know his, and I get to know every passenger onboard, that would be a great commute.  A real sense of community.  But can we find 50 people that all agree on one set in time, and (I presume) one out time, out of downtown, and are willing to pay the $100?  I'm not sure.  Can we find an employer willing to pay the $100 per passenger.... Hmm, just maybe, right?

Isn't this just like the West Coast Express train service in Vancouver? Except of course this is much cheaper and not financed by BC Transit. I would use it, if I had to commute.

[G-Man]

I think this sounds nice. I mean wifi, coffee and a bathroom? And only a 15 dollar premium? I am sure that there are 50 people that would choose this. That said I would bet that it will be people that currently take the bus at that time or near it and will think that this is a better value.

[VicHockeyFan]

I think this sounds nice. I mean wifi, coffee and a bathroom? And only a 15 dollar premium? I am sure that there are 50 people that would choose this. That said I would bet that it will be people that currently take the bus at that time or near it and will think that this is a better value.

 

I think we could find 50 people, for sure.  I think it becomes tougher when we try to find the same 50 people that like the in time, and the return time.  If there is a return, as I have not really read that yet anywhere.  It has never been made clear that the $100 or $120 is a return fare.  

 

It sounds great, doing work or reading the paper on your way in.  But you can read the paper on the current choice of buses, and are people (for example government managers) really doing work on the way to work, if they have an 8-hour shift in town too?   

 

Let's run the numbers.

 

Full bus means $5000 or more in fares per month.  OK, that pays the driver salary.  M-F, it's really just one almost full-time driver.  Split-shift, or Wilson's figures out a way for a different return driver from among their in-town crew.

 

Langford says they will pay up to $60,000 per year subsidy.  I'm not sure if that pays for a bus time/wear/insurance/fuel.  Probably not.  Advertising will pay for some of the cost.

[Bingo]

I think this sounds nice. I mean wifi, coffee and a bathroom? And only a 15 dollar premium? I am sure that there are 50 people that would choose this. 

 

Have you ever used one of those bathrooms at the back of the bus at the end of the day when it's all backed up.

I can think of 50 people on this forum that would not like that.

[lanforod]

That happens on long tours. Not sure how much it would happen on a local Wilsons bus that never travels for more than 45 minutes before end of line.

[Mike K.]

Ottawa’s light rail transit line has been a planning and financial disaster, and now the newly opened system has faults that are going to take some time to work out.

The usual suspects are behind this project, SNC and Bombardier. I’m not saying they’re solely to blame for the massive delays and cost overruns (political interference was up in their business as well), but this is another example of a Canadian infrastructure project that literally went off the rails.

[Fairbanks]

and....

[Mike K.]

Taxpayers are frustrated, I guess?

[On the Level]

Ottawa’s light rail transit line has been a planning and financial disaster, and now the newly opened system has faults that are going to take some time to work out.

The usual suspects are behind this project, SNC and Bombardier. I’m not saying they’re solely to blame for the massive delays and cost overruns (political interference was up in their business as well), but this is another example of a Canadian infrastructure project that literally went off the rails.

 

Anyone know how much per bus ride we are currently in for with the new bus lanes, new buses and facilities?  

[Torrontes]

The usual suspects are behind this project, SNC and Bombardier. I’m not saying they’re solely to blame for the massive delays and cost overruns (political interference was up in their business as well), but this is another example of a Canadian infrastructure project that literally went off the rails.

 

Alstom is the vehicle supplier, not Bombardier. SNCL is one of the partners in Rideau Transit Group, the consortium in charge of building the LRT Confederation Line. Ellis-Don, ACS and Dragados (the latter two Spanish-based) are the other partners.

 

LRT projects are extremely complicated given their big footprint and the volume of utility re-locations and signalized crossings required. Add in a few tunnels, unexpected geo-tech conditions, and system integration issues, and project costs increase and in-service delays result.

 

Do you have a better solution? Major contractors and engineering firms are now refusing to take on linear projects on a fixed cost basis. If government must share the risks, that means sharing the pain when unforeseen issues arise. Pay now or pay later.

Edited by Torrontes, 15 October 2019 - 05:36 AM.

[Mike K.]

That’s all fine and understandable, but when politicians seek support from taxpayers for a project they never explain it that way. They tell us we’ll have a new bridge for $63 million, on time and with a world-class design.

[Cats4Hire]

because if they started saying "unless..." and listing all the things that could go wrong and delay it, increase the price, or both we would never get any infrastructure built because everyone would just complain they didn't spend enough time finding a good construction company or whatever.

[Victoria Watcher]

because if they started saying "unless..." and listing all the things that could go wrong and delay it, increase the price, or both we would never get any infrastructure built because everyone would just complain they didn't spend enough time finding a good construction company or whatever.

 

maybe 250 more buses for ottawa would have made more sense.

[Cats4Hire]

maybe 250 more buses for ottawa would have made more sense.

Sure for now but in 5 years would it still? I have no idea what Ottawa's situation is so I can't even guess. Also what happens when those 250 buses are all stuck in traffic or there's a line of buses trying to cram into a stop meant for 3? We get that here (especially downtown during rush hour) so I imagine Ottawa has it too.

[Mike K.]

Buses are so much more versatile.

For the initial $2.x billion Ottawa and Canadian taxpayers spent on their first line they could have purchased thousands of buses (literally 8,000 regular buses).

Now their second line has increased in cost by a billion dollars and will land at $3.5 billion or thereabouts. It’s absurd.