9623 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

15-years late, but hey, now that transit popularity is through the roof...

[On the Level]

 

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.

_______________

 

 

Isn't "Rapid" and "Bus" an oxymoron?  

 

Given we are in a pandemic where transportation needs are lower, only a politician would promote spending money on empty buses driving around aimlessly.  Not only is this economically ludicrous, how does this help the climate emergency?

[Cats4Hire]

Why is everyone acting like something that's been in every BC Transit future planning report for the last decade is going to suddenly be implemented amid a pandemic?

They "started looking at" all the local area planning areas at least 2013 and only 3 have been completed (https://www.bctransi...a-transit-plans)

How many times have they "started looking at" the rail stuff? Or improving service in the Westshore? If any rapid bus service is implemented before everything is back to normal I will be shocked.

[On the Level]

^ Because of cost and the fact that revenue that pays for bus service is going to tank.  

 

The last "Victoria Region Transit System Overview" I reviewed was a couple of years ago where they admitted that bus passes recovered only 3% of operating costs.  The don't factor in capital costs and don't consider bus lanes and other infrastructure as any cost, capital or otherwise.  No-one really knows how much they spend and on what.

 

I would love to see an apple for apple comparison of Rail and Bus costs.....it would be an eye opener.

[splashflash]

The E&N corridor rail operating costs could be worse than buses in the bus lanes. Labour costs drive up transit operating costs; a low frequency, light ridership rail line would have high, high-cost maintenance of dedicated rails, unlike sharing of rails as is the case for the West Coast Express CP line. The trains would be short, despite their low frequency, and wage rates would likely be high than bus drivers'.

High operating costs would piggyback on outlandish capital costs as shown by the recent E&N report. The cost for new rider would be worse for rail than ferries to the West Shore or bus lanes. The January update to the CRD was presented with this info as a high level report.

[Nparker]

If at first you don't succeed, throw more CoV money at it.

Victoria council is considering extending free youth bus passes until December. In a motion coming to the committee of the whole on Thursday, council will look to approve funding up to $200,000 for youth bus passes between September and December...Council wants to continue the free fare for youth, but due to low ridership, will instead buy and provide passes upon request rather than purchasing the 7,200. The City will receive a lower discount from BC Transit this way, but because there is less demand for the passes, the monthly cost is expected to only be about $30,000...

https://www.vicnews....sses-for-youth/

 

[Nparker]

...In June, the city issued about 620 passes, which means 6,580 passes purchased went unused. When the city launched the program in December, it agreed to purchase 7,200 passes — the number of school-aged children in Victoria — at a discounted rate of $11.25 per pass per month for a total of $81,000 per month. At a committee of the whole meeting Thursday, Mayor Lisa Helps said it’s “ridiculous” that the city is on the hook for the full $81,000 a month, despite drastically reduced ridership in Victoria...Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the city issued an average of 2,367 passes per month from December to March, still well below the 7,200 passes purchased...The bus-pass program is funded through parking fees collected from on-street meters on Sundays, but so far, that revenue has not been enough to fully cover the cost. The balance is funded through the city’s contingency fund...

https://www.timescol...sses-1.24171980

Do you know what's really ridiculous Ms Helps? Continuing on with a program few people wanted before the pandemic and even fewer people will access now. 

[Victoria Watcher]

and of course it's not her fault they are paying $130 for $45 passes.

 

 

 

 

 

Deputy city manager Susanne Thompson told Helps the city did not pay the monthly fee from mid-March to the end of May when transit was free. However, the payments kicked in again in June, when B.C. Transit started charging again.

 

The contract with B.C. Transit required three months’ notice to change or terminate the agreement, Thompson said.

 

“Why wouldn’t we have terminated when transit became free, why wouldn’t we have triggered that termination clause?” Helps asked.

 

Thompson said city staff was not aware that B.C. Transit would start charging again in June. “Had we known that, then perhaps we would have terminated.”

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 17 July 2020 - 07:15 AM.

[Nparker]

When has Lisa Helps ever taken responsibility when something within her purview has gone wrong?

[On the Level]

^ I posted similar in the CoV Council thread.

 

And to think that the CRD wanted to direct Covid recovery funds to "build out" bus services.  What will having a bunch of empty buses driving around accomplish?  How is this getting the economy going?

[spanky123]

I was quite amazed when I read the TC article this morning on the bus pass discussion at City Hall yesterday. Council debated what to do with the program now that it has become apparent to everyone that the poorly thought out, haphazardly planned steaming pile of poop dumped of City staff to implement, wasn't such a good idea after all.

 

https://www.timescol...sses-1.24171980

 

What I didn't expect however was the Mayor to blame the people tasked with implementing her poor decision for its failure. Why didn't City staff cancel her pet program after it became apparently it was a failure? I don't know, maybe because the Mayor promised free passes during the election, maybe because the Mayor told us the costs would be covered by parking fees, maybe because staff were directed to implement the program? 

 

I hope that anyone considering hiring the Mayor in the future refers to instances like this. When it hits the fan you know who she is going to blame and it won't be herself.

[Mike K.]

One could say, that staff where thrown under the multi-passenger public transport vehicle.

[Nparker]

It must be pure hell for CoV employees having to constantly take the fall for the asinine decisions of the mayor and council.

[Nparker]

...What I didn't expect however was the Mayor to blame the people tasked with implementing her poor decision for its failure...

Really? This is standard operating procedure whenever one of Lisa Helps' schemes goes wrong (and that's pretty frequent).

[GetLisaSomeHelps]

Why didn't City staff cancel her pet program after it became apparently it was a failure? I don't know, maybe because the Mayor promised free passes during the election, maybe because the Mayor told us the costs would be covered by parking fees, maybe because staff were directed to implement the program? 

 

I imagine it went something like this:

 

Mayor & Council to staff: "WE NEED A PROGRAM WHERE EVERY YOUTH RIDES FREE NO EXCEPTIONS NOW DO IT".

 

Staff to BC Transit: "Hey, what are our options here"

 

BC Transit to staff: "Pay full price for every pass, or sign a contract buy in bulk at a discounted rate but unused passes won't be refunded"

 

Staff to Council: "Here are the options"

 

Council to staff: "Well, obviously every youth will take advantage so buy in bulk"

 

Staff to BC Transit: "Ok we'll take the bulk option"

 

BC Transit to Staff: "Sounds good, remember...no reimbursement for unused passes & this is a contract for x months"

[spanky123]

Really? This is standard operating procedure whenever one of Lisa Helps' schemes goes wrong (and that's pretty frequent).

 

True but she usually throws away people she views as expendable or insignificant to her cause. This time she tossed her own Deputy City Manager to the curb before she backed up and ran over her again for good measure.

Edited by spanky123, 17 July 2020 - 09:43 AM.

[Mike K.]

VICTORIA – To encourage the use of face coverings on board our buses, BC Transit will be deploying street teams across the Victoria Regional Transit System to hand out branded masks during the morning commute on Monday, July 20. Times and locations are available below.

 

Following the guidance of the Provincial Health Officer and WorkSafeBC, and drawing on the best practices of the transit industry worldwide, BC Transit has implemented safety measures to respond to COVID-19. Our practices and procedures also align with BC’s Restart Plan.

 

One of those measures is to encourage customers to wear face coverings (unless medically unable to do so) as physical distancing is not always possible on board. Although the wearing of face coverings is not currently mandatory, it can help to promote a more comfortable transit experience for all.

 

For more details about BC Transit’s response to COVID-19, and a list of the safety measures in place, please visit bctransit.com.

 

Street teams will be in the following locations:

Downtown core – Douglas/Fort area 7:30am-9:00am

Legislature exchange and surrounding area 9:00am-10:30am

Uptown Shopping Centre area 7:30am –9:00am

Mayfair Mall area 9:00am-10:00am

Langford Exchange 7:30am-9:00am

Colwood Exchange 9:00am-10:30am

[Nparker]

Although the wearing of face coverings is not currently mandatory, it can help to promote a more comfortable transit experience for all

That's a very subjective statement. Personally, wearing any sort of face covering is a very uncomfortable experience for me. Better to have said "wearing of face coverings helps to promote a safer transit experience for all". At least this is a statement with some evidence to support it.

Fortunately, I have no reason to ride public transit, so it's a moot point for me.

[Midnightly]

and of course it's not her fault they are paying $130 for $45 passes.

 

 

 

 

 

Deputy city manager Susanne Thompson told Helps the city did not pay the monthly fee from mid-March to the end of May when transit was free. However, the payments kicked in again in June, when B.C. Transit started charging again.

 

The contract with B.C. Transit required three months’ notice to change or terminate the agreement, Thompson said.

 

“Why wouldn’t we have terminated when transit became free, why wouldn’t we have triggered that termination clause?” Helps asked.

 

Thompson said city staff was not aware that B.C. Transit would start charging again in June. “Had we known that, then perhaps we would have terminated.”

 

 

well they had to have known that BC transit would start charging again.. the free ride wasn't going to last forever... the contract doesn't suddenly cancel because BC transit goes free for a few months due to a pandemic... that's like a tenant being shocked that a landlord expects the rent

[spanky123]

well they had to have known that BC transit would start charging again.. the free ride wasn't going to last forever... the contract doesn't suddenly cancel because BC transit goes free for a few months due to a pandemic... that's like a tenant being shocked that a landlord expects the rent

 

Like Thompson was going to, on her own, cancel the Mayor's pet project. Less than a 3rd of bus passes were being used in Jan/Feb and the Mayor was quite happy with that, only when it became an embarrassment did she decide to screw over staff and try to blame them for her failure.