9623 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

If the writer of the above letter believes there are "wealthy" people who will voluntarily fund a "free" bus service, then I suggest they need to start knocking on some doors in the Uplands and see where that gets them.

[Mike K.]

Don’t we want more people driving so they pay more into the 5.5 cent per litre transit tax?

[Cats4Hire]

I think it was Fred Haynes that said what needs to improve to get more people on Transit isn't the price but the service. I agree with that. It's already cheaper to buy a $85 monthly pass than buying gas, paying for parking, refilling oil/washer fluid/etc. The main issue is no one wants to leave their East Sooke house at 6:20 AM to get to 17 Mile house at 6:45 and wait until 7:07 to catch the next 61 which gets them Downtown just before 8. Hell if they work somewhere like Dockyard or the hospital with 7:00 AM start it's literally impossible to bus. 

[Nparker]

In addition to service levels, the biggest barrier for increased transit use personally is payment methods. The fact that I have to either pre-purchase a monthly pass, bus tickets or carry the exact cash fare means I am very unlikely to spontaneously use public transit. If I could simply tap my debit/credit card to pay I would likely ride buses more often because of the convenience.

[Cats4Hire]

In addition to service levels, the biggest barrier for increased transit use personally is payment methods. The fact that I have to either pre-purchase a monthly pass, bus tickets or carry the exact cash fare means I am very unlikely to spontaneously use public transit. If I could simply tap my debit/credit card to pay I would likely ride buses more often because of the convenience.

if it's "free" you wouldn't have to worry about that . I agree and really don't see why this has taken so long. My parents have been paying with plastic rather than cash as long as I can remember and they're far from the first to adapt new payment options. How many buses on the road currently are older than say 2000? Why not slowly roll it in as they got new buses and eventually they'd just have to replace the older ones before opening up the system. They've added driver doors, "next stop" screens, GPS tracking, security cameras, two separate call out systems and probably more to every bus but can't add a debit/credit reader? 

[Victoria Watcher]

I think it was Fred Haynes that said what needs to improve to get more people on Transit isn't the price but the service. I agree with that. It's already cheaper to buy a $85 monthly pass than buying gas, paying for parking, refilling oil/washer fluid/etc. The main issue is no one wants to leave their East Sooke house at 6:20 AM to get to 17 Mile house at 6:45 and wait until 7:07 to catch the next 61 which gets them Downtown just before 8. Hell if they work somewhere like Dockyard or the hospital with 7:00 AM start it's literally impossible to bus.

not sure about that last bit. buses leave sooke at like 5am.

[Cats4Hire]

not sure about that last bit. buses leave sooke at like 5am.

first 64 of the morning (the one you'd need to take if you live in East Sooke unless you're up for a 20-30 minute walk first thing) is what I was using there https://www.bctransi...erview?route=64. It arrives at 17 Mile House at 6:45 with the previous 61 being 6:27 and the next at 7:07 so no one in East Sooke can bus to any job starting at 7 AM.

[Rob Randall]

If someone has to be Downtown at 7 am why the hell are they living in East Sooke? Maybe BC Transit should send someone to fix them oatmeal in the morning, too.

[Victoria Watcher]

sometimes I think the same when we put bus service into bear mountain etc. enough already.

[Nparker]

I think the same thing about bus service north of Saanich Road and west of Douglas Street. 

[Cats4Hire]

If someone has to be Downtown at 7 am why the hell are they living in East Sooke? Maybe BC Transit should send someone to fix them oatmeal in the morning, too.

neither VGH or Dockyard are downtown. It's not like that's the only area. If someone lives in Deen Park, the earliest 87 trips in either direction are after 8 AM (with the one leaving Saanichton leaving at 8:22) although they aren't as far from the 72 as East Sooke residents are from 61. Bussing to VGH or Dockyard using the 72 is annoying anyway (I think that McKenzie/Admirals route will help with Dockyard). 

 

In general the westshore is terribly timed. The only 46 that gets to Dockyard before 7 AM leaves Colwood exchange at 6:22. The previous 61 is scheduled to get there at 6:20 with the one before it at 6:50. Would you honestly say if you live anywhere in Sooke and worked at Dockyard you would take the bus in? You either wait half and hour on the side of the road or risk being late to work if your bus is even 2 minutes late and that's only if you happen to be able to walk to the 61. If you need 63 or 64 to get there forget it.

[kxl]

If you live out there, you probably have a car. There’s a park-and-ride lot at 17 mile for your connection to #61

[Cats4Hire]

If you live out there, you probably have a car. There’s a park-and-ride lot at 17 mile for your connection to #61

the original topic was about making transit free to get more people using it. I said it's more about service than price and pointed out a couple glaring issues for if someone wanted to ditch their car and take the bus in certain areas. Park and Rides are fine but if everyone is expected to drive to one to meet up with the 61 why even bother having the 64 period?

[Mike K.]

I think it was Fred Haynes that said what needs to improve to get more people on Transit isn't the price but the service. I agree with that. It's already cheaper to buy a $85 monthly pass than buying gas, paying for parking, refilling oil/washer fluid/etc. The main issue is no one wants to leave their East Sooke house at 6:20 AM to get to 17 Mile house at 6:45 and wait until 7:07 to catch the next 61 which gets them Downtown just before 8. Hell if they work somewhere like Dockyard or the hospital with 7:00 AM start it's literally impossible to bus.

Oh yeah, it’s terrible.

We have a great system over a very small part of the region, but if you’re outside of that good service area you’re out of luck.

[Victoria Watcher]

we have a great system over the part of the region most live in.  if you choose to live in east sooke or munn road or willis point or shirley sorry you don't get frequent bus service.

 

and don't call me shirley.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 June 2020 - 06:30 PM.

[On the Level]

If someone has to be Downtown at 7 am why the hell are they living in East Sooke? Maybe BC Transit should send someone to fix them oatmeal in the morning, too.

 

Probably because they can't afford a safe family home downtown or on the Westshore but can afford one in Sooke and still afford a car, insurance and gas.  

[UserofVic]

we have a great system over the part of the region most live in.  if you choose to live in east sooke or munn road or willis point or shirley sorry you don't get frequent bus service.

 

and don't call me shirley.

 

The last bus from the Langford exchange to Westhills is at 10:30pm. Walmart closes at 11pm. And that's one of the better service spans in the Westshore, it ain't great. The built up areas of Happy Valley Road before Latoria currently has a last bus at 7:35pm, and before COVID it was only 8:40pm. The latest Triangle Mountain and Latoria road between Desmond and Wishart gets is a little before 10pm. UVic holds some classes until 9:30pm and final exams until 10pm. It takes 40-60 minutes to bus from UVic to the Langford Exchange meaning the bus isn't an option. These areas aren't farmland, they've got packed together subdivisions, townhomes, and even some apartments and retail. Oh and they're all hourly. The route that travels down Happy Valley is chronically overcrowded so there's a very real possibility that the bus that comes every 1-2 hours is just full and you're f***ed. That's without COVID restrictions btw, not sure if the ridership drop is higher than the capacity limits. Although from what I understand at the start of June they removed the stupid little community shuttles from conventional service so like that'll help a little. Good riddance to them.

 

Sure if we're gonna get pedantic less than 50% of the region's population lives in the Westshore, but service expansions are lagging far behind population growth, and a significant portion of car traffic could be diverted with better bus service. Also frequency isn't even the issue being cited, it's service span. As in when the first bus is, and when the last one is. Can't leave before the first bus, can't get home after the last one.

Edited by UserofVic, 16 June 2020 - 07:25 PM.

[Mike K.]

If someone has to be Downtown at 7 am why the hell are they living in East Sooke? Maybe BC Transit should send someone to fix them oatmeal in the morning, too.

They’d be able to buy plenty of oatmeal for all the transit gas taxes and transit property taxes they pay.

...sorry, I mean transit philanthropy they engage in.

[Victoria Watcher]

A “rapid-bus” system that could send buses along certain routes every nine minutes is being studied by B.C. Transit.

 

The system would be faster, more frequent and more reliable than what exists now, said Matthew Boyd, B.C. Transit’s director of corporate and strategic planning.

_______________

 

“And from a customer-experience perspective it just looks and feels different,” he said. “The buses would be branded, the bus stops would have a ‘station’ feel and there would be much more bus lanes.”

 

________

 

He said the goal of a rapid-bus system is “consistent frequency.”

 

“When a customer arrives at the bus stop and they just missed that one rapid bus, they know that they don’t have to wait any longer than nine minutes for the next one.”

 

The areas that rapid buses would serve have been chosen, he said.

 

https://www.timescol...utes-1.24162286

 

 

 

 

just do it to #50 now and see what happens.  we should have done it to #50 years ago to see if we could reduce highway car traffic.  5-minute service and uncrowded buses would likely be a hit.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 30 June 2020 - 05:51 AM.

[Nparker]

This will be great for the vastly reduced number of transit users.