9623 replies to this topic

[Cats4Hire]

Nothing is truly free, but some of us are too lazy to type "free at point of purchase" every time to appease grumpy people on the internet 

[Victoria Watcher]

12 and under have to be less than 2% of the ridership. not sure it’s a big deal.

[Cats4Hire]

Service change is up (as well as schedule previews). No real info, just school related routes and west shore and peninsula routes are all having service increases. 17 shows up as a route but not 16 or 76 when on the preview pages. Google doesn't have the new schedules in yet https://www.bctransi...ice-change-2021

[Cats4Hire]

Rider's Guide is also live which confirms no 16 or 76 returning and UVic routes being on pretty much exactly the schedule they're currently on (39 is quite a bit boosted, 26 has a few extra trips, 4/11/14/15 run like 2 minutes more frequently than they currently do). Not really sure why BC Transit doesn't seem to think Uvic in nearly full session (I believe a few classes are going to be online only but all of mine are currently in person) won't need any extra service compared to the cut back summer service.

[North Shore]

76?  Is that the UVic-Swartz Bay route?

 

Hard to figure out BCTransit sometimes.  I have a constant rant about Swartz Bay - lots of people coming to Vic for the day, and using transit to commute into town.  No indications whatsoever that the bus is cash only (and most people would expect that, in this day and age, one could use a card of some sort to pay for the bus..)  How difficult would it be to commission a credit/debit card ticket machine at Swartz Bay to print out day passes and single fares?

[Mike K.]

You’re asking this of an organization that took 15 years to procure GPS, and we still don’t have the long-ago promised digital readers advising travellers of bus arrival times.

[Cats4Hire]

76? Is that the UVic-Swartz Bay route?

Yeah. Not sure exactly how long it took, currently BC Transit says getting to Swartz Bay from UVic takes around an hour and a half which I'm sure is much longer. I saw the 76 leaving a few times and it was packed so I imagine 70/72 are going to have pass up issues brought by this too. I don't get why they didn't just bring back the service from January 2020 instead of this weird basically no increase.

[vortoozo]

76?  Is that the UVic-Swartz Bay route?

 

Hard to figure out BCTransit sometimes.  I have a constant rant about Swartz Bay - lots of people coming to Vic for the day, and using transit to commute into town.  No indications whatsoever that the bus is cash only (and most people would expect that, in this day and age, one could use a card of some sort to pay for the bus..)  How difficult would it be to commission a credit/debit card ticket machine at Swartz Bay to print out day passes and single fares?

 

Some sort of stand alone machine at Swartz Bay would be a waste of time & money, given BC Transit is already well into the introduction of a credit card / smartphone payment project.

You’ll be able to use your smartphone to pay bus fare | Times Colonist

 

Still in the works, pilot expected within a year: BC Transit planning to bring digital option for fares in Quesnel – Quesnel Cariboo Observer (quesnelobserver.com)

[Mike K.]

Just sell day passes through a vending machine. It shouldn’t be rocket science.

Luckily drivers just let me ride for free when I arrive without sufficient change or even cash. You don’t think about it until you’re at the door.

[vortoozo]

Just sell day passes through a vending machine. It shouldn’t be rocket science.

Luckily drivers just let me ride for free when I arrive without sufficient change or even cash. You don’t think about it until you’re at the door.

 

There's no such product as a "day pass" anymore that is sold at retail. That went away when you could purchase them on the bus. They'd have to come up with an entirely new product for a single use case with a short life span, plus the installation and maintenance of a one-off vending machine. Why invest resources into that when they already have credit card payments on the way? People have managed with the current system for several decades, they will manage another year or two.

[Mike K.]

It’s simple. You print 20,000 cards, with a scratchable month and date, you get Ryan Vending to manage the machine when they refill chips at the other machines. You make things super convenient for your passengers, and more than recover the revenue.

This is how a private organization would conduct its affairs because it doesn’t have the luxury of imposing fees on fuel and property taxes, and getting huge government dollars.

[Nparker]

.. You make things super convenient for your passengers, and more than recover the revenue...

If I can tap my debit card to pay at an ad hoc farmer's market, I should be able to tap to pay on BC Transit.

[vortoozo]

It’s simple. You print 20,000 cards, with a scratchable month and date, you get Ryan Vending to manage the machine when they refill chips at the other machines. You make things super convenient for your passengers, and more than recover the revenue.

This is how a private organization would conduct its affairs because it doesn’t have the luxury of imposing fees on fuel and property taxes, and getting huge government dollars.

 

The private sector (Wilsons' BC Ferries Connector) charges $15-$25 depending on whether you are a BC Resident and purchase in advance and operates 2 services a day. BC Transit charges $2.50 and meets every sailing.

When you are paying 90% less, your expectations shouldn't be the same.

[Victoria Watcher]

ease of use should be a reasonable expectation. Like nparker says there are simple tools.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 August 2021 - 11:24 AM.

[Mike K.]

When you are paying 90% less, your expectations shouldn't be the same.

 

Wowzers, that's not appropriate.

 

Taxpayers on the south Island subsidize this service to the tune of many tens of millions of dollars annually, with provincial taxation subsidizing another portion, and gas taxation supplementing that, too, in addition to local taxation and provincial taxation.

 

We are not paying "less." We are being forced to pay vast sums of money for this system and we should have a reasonable expectation of simplified access with limited barriers for ridership.

[Mike K.]

Masks are back:

Following the guidance of the Provincial Health Officer and WorkSafeBC, and in alignment with TransLink, BC Transit is requiring the use of face coverings in BC Transit communities across the province, effective Wednesday, August 25.

Our ongoing goal is to create a comfortable and safe environment for all customers and drivers. This includes the mandatory use of face coverings on buses and at bus stops, unless a customer meets the exemption criteria.

The remainder of BC Transit’s safety measures, reviewed by both the Provincial Health Officer and WorkSafe BC, also remain in place to ensure a safe environment for our employees, customers and communities.

[Nparker]

Masks are back...

Starting tomorrow, but change twice again before Labour Day. 

[vortoozo]

Wowzers, that's not appropriate.

 

Taxpayers on the south Island subsidize this service to the tune of many tens of millions of dollars annually, with provincial taxation subsidizing another portion, and gas taxation supplementing that, too, in addition to local taxation and provincial taxation.

 

We are not paying "less." We are being forced to pay vast sums of money for this system and we should have a reasonable expectation of simplified access with limited barriers for ridership.

 

Private sector bus operators in BC just received $10 million.

[Mike K.]

A transit bus crashed on the TCH today, near Thetis Lake. It was apparently travelling empty. Traffic is a mess.

It happened just after 6AM. It sounds like a tow truck has now righted the bus, which was on its side.

[Victoria Watcher]

wow.  you'd likely have to go right off the road to flip a bus.