9623 replies to this topic

[DustMagnet]

we have "free" parking so why not "free" busses

 

What? Where's the free parking?  On residential streets you mean (that aren't marked Resident Only)?  Or in malls?  Maybe buses need to ditch the static ad boards and go with full LCD screens to get more ad money.

[Victoria Watcher]

Welcome to the real world beyond the Victoria’s core.

Not sure how a law degree would shorten the commute time, though.

well if she became a lawyer she could be driven in a limo like Matthew mcconaughey.

[Mike K.]

Right! Ok yeah that makes sense.

Just to Ismo’s point, 25% of the CRD’s population lives 1.5-2 hours commute one way by bus from the downtown area. It could even be 30%.

If you don’t live immediately along a trunk route and if you need to transfer you’re hooped. Even on a good day the ride via the 61 from Sooke is over an hour at off peak periods due to the layover in Langford. Walking to the stop and walking to the destination from the bus is easily 1.5 hours. Metchosin is in the same boat, as is much of Langford and areas of the peninsula. Door to door is a loooong time for many.

[Cats4Hire]

I wonder what the % of users who don't need to do any transfers is. Judging by the amount of people who get on at Douglas/Quadra/Shelbourne for 4 and 26 (none of these stops are the closest to the closest residential area) I would guess at least UVic oriented routes it's a pretty low percent.

[Mike K.]

Well consider that CFB Esquimalt is the largest single location employer in this region, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.

It has a single piddly connection from the West Shore that runs relatively infrequently. A huge source of congestion from the West Shore is a direct result of people commuting to the base.

[Cats4Hire]

If people want the 46 boosted they should fill out the Transit Future thing for View Royal/Esquimalt. That's one of the proposals and they'd only do it if people express interest.

[Mike K.]

After years of asking for improvements nothing has improved and the schedules are poorly aligned. People will tolerate missing a connection a few times then throw in the towel.

[Coreyburger]

Just to Ismo’s point, 25% of the CRD’s population lives 1.5-2 hours commute one way by bus from the downtown area. It could even be 30%.

It's probably actually closer to 70%. 30 minutes bus from downtown covers all of Oak Bay & Esquimalt plus most of urban Saanich (and of course all of Victoria).

[Cats4Hire]

April 2020 service change: https://www.bctransi...s/1529707956839

Additional trips for 47 and 48 (both morning and afternoon)

 

September 2020: 

All 50 trips to be double deck, additional peak trips

general schedule adjustments to improve service

 

Jan 2021:

Realign westshore routes

additional trips to cross town routes

 

Local Area Transit Future: Remember these are all proposals although everything in James Bay was approved

 

Sooke: https://www.bctransi...s/1529707946008 (maps and full explanations starting on page 24)

 

New Route: Sooke to Victoria via Westhills (I don't know Sooke area all too well but seems different than 65) 15 Min peak service, 30-45 during the day

New Route: Sooke to Langford via Beecher Bay and East Sooke (replaces 64)

Realignment of 63 

New Route: Loop through Sunriver/Billings neighbourhoods

New Route: Grant/Whiffen loop (meant to potentially replace neighbourhood loop of 61/65)

New Route: Broomhill/Core Sooke loop

Increase in earlier and later running 61 service on weekends

61 proposed to alternate between Langford and Victoria bound trips during the day

6-8 new 61 round trips on weekdays between 7-3 and after 6

Proposed Transit exchange on Wadams Way (required for any expansion, currently at capacity) 

Appendix on page 94 has recommendations for when these items would be implemented) 

Burnside/Tillicum https://www.bctransi...s/1529707946055

 

Realign 8 to serve Burnside instead of Gorge

Increase 9 to Frequent (15 minute or better) service (reduce 11 service to do this)

all 21 trips terminate at Royal Oak Exchange

All 22 trips run 22A routing

23 covers now skipped portions of 22 route. Most trips terminate at Tillicum Mall but some peak trips run Downtown. Aligns with 53 at VGH

24 (via Gorge) and 25 (via Obed) extended to Tillicum Mall

New Route from Dockyard to UVic via Admirals and McKenzie. Trips to Dockyard early enough for 6:00AM shift

Pedestrian access from Burnside bridge to Burnside/Interubran for transfers

Transit priority (don't really specify what) on Interurban road

Expand Royal Oak Exchange and Tillicum Mall capacity

Jubilee https://www.bctransi...s/1529707946094

 

 

Revise Route 1 and interline it with new route to replace 22 service in Fernwood and 2 service off Oak Bay avenue

Terminate 2 at Oak Bay Marina

Extend 3/10 service an hour later

Realign 14 to Foul Bay Road (no mention here but the original proposal had 7 serve Richmond)

Terminate 8 at Jubilee hospital 

realign 22 to Bay street over Haultain

Increase Jubilee and UVic exchange capacity

 

I think I grabbed everything of note (excluding stats stuff but you can go find that on your own if you're interested lol)

[Victoria Watcher]

well if she became a lawyer she could be driven in a limo like Matthew mcconaughey.

 

lincoln. my bad.

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 February 2020 - 05:21 PM.

[Mike K.]

Thank you for the recaps! Super helpful, cats!

[Brantastic]

It's probably actually closer to 70%. 30 minutes bus from downtown covers all of Oak Bay & Esquimalt plus most of urban Saanich (and of course all of Victoria).

Mike was talking about 1.5-2 hour bus rides though, not 30 minutes. Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay and Esquimalt make up the majority of Greater Victoria residents (~64%). Commuting from most of Sidney to downtown isn't 1.5-2 hours either. I know I commute in the reverse direction from downtown to Brentwood Bay for work and it takes 42 minutes on the bus in the morning. This is not to say I think transit is an easy option for the majority of people. I can't get to work on time on weekends and have a deal with my boss that I can come 15 minutes late as there are no other transit options for me. 

[Mike K.]

Yes, and that includes door to door. When you’re driving you don’t need to walk to the stop and wait.

[Mike K.]

Holy smokes. BCT just released this:

 

There are potential issues with the following trips on Tuesday, February 25, 2020:

4 UVIC – from Douglas and Kings at 7:44 a.m.
4 UVIC – from Fairfield and Blanshard at 7:59 a.m.

6 Downtown – from Royal Oak Exchange at 8:08 a.m.
6 Royal Oak via Emily Carr – from Douglas and View at 8:40 a.m.

7 UVIC – from Douglas and View at 8:06 a.m.

11 Tillicum Centre – from UVIC at 8:47 a.m.

14 UVIC – from Vic General at 7:21 a.m.
14 Vic General – from UVIC at 8:32 a.m.

15 Dockyard – from Yates and Broad at 7:49 a.m.

16 UVIC – from Carey and Ravine at 8:03 a.m.

21 Downtown – from Camosun College Interurban at 7:44 a.m.

26 Dockyard – from UVIC at 8:10 a.m.
26 UVIC – from Dockyard at 8:15 a.m.

27 Gordon Head – from Shelbourne and McKenzie at 7:58 a.m.
27 Downtown – from Tyndall and Grandview at 8:11 a.m.

30 Downtown – from Royal Oak Exchange at 7:35 a.m. – not running
30 Downtown – from Royal Oak Exchange at 8:05 a.m.
30 Downtown – from Royal Oak Exchange at 8:25 a.m.

31 Downtown – from Royal Oak Exchange at 7:04 a.m. – not running

35 Ridge – from Royal Oak Exchange at 8:06 a.m.

39 UVIC – from Island Highway and Ocean at 7:36 a.m.
39 Interurban – from UVIC at 8:54 a.m.

46 Dockyard – from Westhills Exchange at 8:16 a.m.

50 Downtown – from Langford Exchange at 6:54 a.m. – not running
50 Downtown – from Langford Exchange at 7:56 a.m.
50 Langford – from Government and Superior at 8:18 a.m.

59 Triangle Mountain – from Langford Exchange at 8:22 a.m.

[Cats4Hire]

So we got 4-5 new buses (based on the IDs of the CNG buses I've seen) and we end up with far more cancellations than we had. Rip

[Nparker]

More winning.

A motion spearheaded by Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps to make bus passes free for youth across the Capital Regional District was defeated by the Victoria Regional Transit Commission Tuesday...

https://www.iheartra...ated-1.10604963

 

[Nparker]

Why do the CoV and Saanich have 2 members on the Transit Commission while Esquimalt, View Royal, Langford, Metchosin, Sidney and Central Saanich appear to have no representation?

...Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps, Victoria Coun. Sharmarke Dubow, Oak Bay Mayor Kevin Murdoch and North Saanich Mayor Geoff Orr voted in favour. Saanich Coun. Susan Brice, Colwood Mayor Rob Martin, Saanich Mayor Fred Haynes and Sooke Mayor Maja Tate voted against...

https://www.cheknews...ses-crd-649348/

 

[Mike K.]

Maja Tait, not Tate.

Sooke is currently the only town in BC of its size without any inter-municipal transit services, save for a couple of routes that run a handful of times a day (literally, like four times). Obviously they don’t want to be funding “free” transit for youth in the region.

Before we find ways to subsidize a significant portion of the population let’s focus on building up the system so it doesn’t fail every morning due to broken buses or insufficient HR.

[Cats4Hire]

They seem to be running the Cowichan Commuter buses (slightly smaller, some seats face backwards like lower floor of double-decker, no NextRide) today. Was just on one for 30 and passed a 50 near Uptown also running them. Guess if they can get them back downtown in time to start their scheduled trips that works to get 6 extra buses.

[Jackerbie]

Why do the CoV and Saanich have 2 members on the Transit Commission while Esquimalt, View Royal, Langford, Metchosin, Sidney and Central Saanich appear to have no representation?

 

Them's the rules!

 

(7)The following persons must be appointed under subsection (4) as members of the regional transit commission for the greater Victoria metropolitan area:

(a)the Mayor of Victoria;

(b)a Victoria councillor;

©the Mayor of Esquimalt or Oak Bay;

(d)the Mayor of Saanich;

(e)a Saanich councillor;

(f)one of the following:

(i)the Mayor of Sidney;

(ii)the Mayor of North Saanich;

(iii)the Mayor of Central Saanich;

(g)one of the following:

(i)the Mayor of Colwood;

(ii)the Mayor of Metchosin;

(iii)the Mayor of View Royal;

(iv)the Mayor of Langford;

(v)the Mayor of the Highlands;

(vi)the Mayor of Sooke;

(vii)the electoral area director of the Juan de Fuca electoral area.