8116 replies to this topic

[vortoozo]

Is there anyway to get up to Duncan for the day, or does the commuter bus just go in the other direction? I want to visit someone up there and really don't want to drive up. Wish there was a train. 

 

Vancouver Island Connector | Convenient Motor Coach Travel (viconnector.com)

[mbjj]

Thanks for the info. Not sure if that will work but now I have an idea. I think service was better in 1970, lol. 

[vortoozo]

Thanks for the info. Not sure if that will work but now I have an idea. I think service was better in 1970, lol. 

 

I imagine it would have been. Rail would have been an option then, too.

[splashflash]

Yes, the 1970s service was quite good, both Greyhound and Pacific Stage Lines and Vancouver Island Coach Lines and then in 1979 Pacific Coach Lines. My granny used the services to both ferries in the 1980s and across to the Mainland. The frequencies were high then and dwindled over the years.

The train was bare-bones, one trip daily from Victoria to Courtenay and back. It ceased in 2011.

[Cats4Hire]

I notice there seems to be an unscheduled 75 running the full route (when they should be interlined with 30/31) today. I was at Royal Oak Exchange and noticed it, checked the schedule and didn't see anything for it, a 30 continuing as 75 came not long after (neither bus had many people on it). When I was home checked Next Ride and the same ID was a 75 Downtown near the Legislature (it arrived as I started typing this). There's still 31/30s running as 75s and this 75 isn't scheduled so I assume it's part of the "if demand is there we will increase 75 service" but it really doesn't seem to be there and if it was they should probably try and time it to be a bit further from the 30/31 as well as actually update the online schedule to indicate it exists and when it runs.

[Cats4Hire]

Surveys for Peninsula and 64 East Sooke are up https://engage.bctransit.com/

• Peninsula starts by asking about the Rapid bus concept (basically current 70 but skipping the final/first two stops between Legislature and Douglas/Fort.
• Asks a couple options for how Sidney routing would work (same as 70, turn onto Bevon instead of Beacon and use Fifth until Mactavish, barely enter Bevon, turn up Seventh, back to highway, add stops on PatBay at Beacon at don't enter Sidney. 
• Frequent service (15 min or better) between Mactavish and Airport (would be introduced with Rapid transit)
• Questions about better aligning 85 timing with 71/72
• Proposed 81 extension to serve Keating and Tanner Ridge
• Questions about Saanichton Exchange Infrastructure (sidewalk widening, bike parking, more shelters, more seating, more lighting)
• Question about which routes two need frequency increase 
• Areas on Peninsula you want more service to
• Questions where else in the region you want service to
• They have a map you can click and add suggestions related to other things

 

 

64 Updates coming Jan 3 (similar to how 53 had the survey a few months before route changes were made)

• More trips will go to Langford via Beecher Bay (a map provides the exact routing), survey which of the 3 AM trips and 3 PM trips you would prefer (the noon trip that already goes to Langford will be adapted to this new routing
• What times you want boosted service to the route (can select up to 2)

[Victoria Watcher]

https://twitter.com/...019500248866823

 

[Cats4Hire]

Did they ever say (or does anyone know) which museum (or at least state) it's going to?

[sebberry]

A million kilometers.  I hope they let the driver have some bathroom breaks.

[sebberry]

That's 1,855km short of the distance from earth to the moon, back and to the moon again.  Come on BCT, you didn't even get that right?

[Victoria Watcher]

That's 1,855km short of the distance from earth to the moon, back and to the moon again.  Come on BCT, you didn't even get that right?

 

that's not their regular route.  

 

they have no expertise.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 13 July 2021 - 02:18 PM.

[Cats4Hire]

Here's a thing with what Mike talks about with poor service in Sooke (using a screen shot since they'll delete this soon) . If you go over to https://www.bctransi...erview?route=63 you'll notice that's both it's morning trips. If you lived along the 63's route today and relied on bus service you were screwed (although since the last trip of the day starts at 4:25 I'm not sure many do). I get if too many drivers can't work or too many buses break stuff needs to be cancelled but do we really need nearly empty 2s running every 15 minutes? Cut one of them instead of the 63. Or other frequent routes like 7/21, 9, 11, 30/31, etc.

[Cats4Hire]

Just checked, to get on the final 63 of the day you would need to be on the 50/61 that leaves from the legislature at 2:42. No one who works traditional hours (or anything even close to) can use the bus without upwards of 30 minutes walking if they live along the 63 route. 

[Mike K.]

Oh yeah, it's pretty bad if you live in 60% of the region's footprint that doesn't have early AM to late PM bus services 200 meters away.

 

The folks in the city centre can bang on the alternative transportation drum all day long but they don't realize how much money is pouring into keeping empty and half-empty buses running around central Victoria all day long while the rest of the region is almost entirely auto-dependant.

[Vin]

Need more efficient buses on Victoria's streets? Solution: Build denser in Victoria and Saanich, and stop the urban sprawl.

 

 

 

Did they ever say (or does anyone know) which museum (or at least state) it's going to?

I too am wondering. is there space in the Royal BC Museum to accommodate this DD? It has a really nice livery that all Victoria BC Transit buses should have. 

Edited by Vin, 05 August 2021 - 01:10 PM.

[Cats4Hire]

 

I too am wondering. is there space in the Royal BC Museum to accommodate this DD? It has a really nice livery that all Victoria BC Transit buses should have. 

They did say it was a US museum so it's not there unfortunately. I agree on the livery. I don't mind the single deck buses but I think the red/blue looks much nicer on the double deckers than the green/white. 

[Cats4Hire]

August meeting documents live https://www.bctransi...ngs/aug-10-2021

 

Things of note:

 

• First electric buses (10) expected to arrive in Victoria in 2022
• Current trip cancellations due to driver shortages rather than mechanical issues
• summer (so far) beginning to resume to pre-covid levels of ridership 
• BC Transit now allows "full buses" again (I was unaware they weren't allowing that or what exactly the cut off was)
• No major additions/expansions to service in September, just resuming the usual service while adjusting schedules to help with reliability
• A Westshore "service expansion and network realignment" is coming April 2022
• Uvic Exchange Refurbishment Project (replacing bus pads, adding more shelters, improving pedestrian concerns, adding more layover bays, also includes improvements on the stops along Ring Road), Construction planned to start 2022.
• Transit Priority along Island Highway 
• Update to the 25 year plan to be complete end of summer 2021 (cutting it close here)
• Rapid Bus studying to begin fall
• Expanding bus bay area at Uptown on Carey as a temporary measure before the Uptown exchange is built (the one heading downtown always felt too small)
• Study for Uptown exchange pending approval (from Saanich, MOTI, VRTC)
• MOTI exploring "transit priority treatments" along Highways 1 and 17

 

[Mike K.]

I’m glad to see they’re pursuing the rapid transit ideas. But gosh golly this plan should have been implemented a decade ago.

[Cats4Hire]

Buses will be free in all of BC for children 12 and under starting Sept 1 https://www2.gov.bc....os/get-on-board (including HandyDART)

[Nparker]

Buses will be free in all of BC for children 12 and under starting Sept 1....

Not free so much as more of my tax dollars going to subsidize this service.