9733 replies to this topic

[BCTransitLTC]

@GaryOak, I don't think there's going to be a Belmont Market Terminus, at least in 2024. It's so close to Langford Exchange (10 minute walk). 

[GaryOak]

Oh yeah, the top one is the long term 25 year plan

[Victoria Watcher]

Give me a break.  They could have found dozens of employees willing to do this on their own time.

 

 

 

 

For the last 34 years, a bus with a large reindeer nose and antlers has carried Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves, offering free rides and candy cane on a variety of routes and participating in the Santa Claus and Lighted Truck parades.

 

But this year, no bus is available, B.C. Transit said.

 

“It was tough for us, as we know what the Santa Bus means to employees and public alike, but we had to make some difficult decisions this year,” said Jamie Weiss, B.C. Transit spokesperson.

 

“We have a rigorous preventative maintenance program and we are short of mechanics to service the fleet this year. With their increased workload, we could not find the time and resources to allocate to decorating the bus.”

 

With buses sidelined for regular maintenance, creating the Santa Bus would also have required taking one out of regular ­service — potentially affecting service, he said.

 

 

https://www.timescol...transit-7908427

 

 

 

 

Hopefully the union steps up here and make it right.

[FogPub]

^They've been advertising for mechanic applicants lately, so that part at least seems legit.

[Mike K.]

Yes, it’s been an issue for well over a decade. Heavy mechanics take a pretty big pay cut to work at organizations like transit. It’s a hard job, and the pay elsewhere is much higher so you might as well take it.

[BCTransitLTC]

https://www.bctransi...s/1529723934497

[FogPub]

^Reading that report would suggest they want to put bike and-or bus lanes on Douglas right through downtown.  Wonder how they're going to pull that off south of (about) Fisgard where the roadway narrows from three lanes a side to two?

[Victoria Watcher]

^Reading that report would suggest they want to put bike and-or bus lanes on Douglas right through downtown.  Wonder how they're going to pull that off south of (about) Fisgard where the roadway narrows from three lanes a side to two?

 

Never underestimate the ability of planners to f*ck up almost anything when they set their minds to it.

[Victoria Watcher]

Black Press:

BC Transit has a new bus, and this isn’t a photo of it.

https://www.vicnews....ictoria-7283492

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 13 December 2023 - 05:21 AM.

[Nparker]

🤣

[Victoria Watcher]

They could have just gone to the company website to get a photo:

 

 

https://creativecarr...rit-of-freedom/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 13 December 2023 - 07:48 AM.

[Mike K.]

NextRide upgrade coming:

🔹BC Transit upgrading NextRide live bus tracking technology in Victoria🔹

More from BC Transit:

The Victoria Regional Transit System will receive a NextRide technology replacement to help provide increased certainty, convenience and bus predictability for transit customers.

Starting on January 15, 2024, new Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) hardware will be installed on all buses that operate conventional transit service. New digital full-colour passenger information displays will also be installed inside all heavy-duty and high-capacity buses. These displays will offer trip information to passengers including multiple upcoming stops, current route, and service alerts.

There are expected to be no service interruptions during the replacement process, and riders will continue to have the ability to use smart mobile devices and desktop services to see the real-time location of their bus along its route and its predicted arrival time at an identified stop.

Customers are also advised that the NextRide desktop trip planning tool will no longer be available starting January 16. We understand that some customers prefer to use a desktop computer to plan their trips and they can continue to do so using the trip planning tool on our website homepage that uses Google Maps technology.


For the most current route information, it is recommended that customers use:


Transit App (mobile only);
Google Maps (desktop and mobile);
BC Transit Website;
Umo Mobility App (mobile only);
Their own favorite trip planning app; or
Refer to the rider’s guide.

By downloading the Transit App, customers know exactly when their bus will arrive and allow them to see how full a bus is at any given time. This spring, BC Transit also started providing riders with free subscriptions to Transit Royale, an upgrade to the existing version of the Transit App, which now provides a wider geographical range for real-time bus tracking, a view of the full transit schedule instead of just short-term departures and fun, interactive features to make the transit journey more enjoyable.



Umo is BC Transit’s new contactless fare payment system that allows riders to pay their fare with the payment method and fare product that best suits their lifestyle and travel habits. The Umo Mobility App provides riders with additional travel tools including real-time information, maps, and alerts, and is BC Transit’s recommended payment method for riders with access to a mobile device.

The NextRide Technology replacement is funded through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. This project is being cost shared with the Government of Canada contributing 50 per cent, the Province of British Columbia contributing 40 per cent and local government partners contributing the remaining 10 per cent. The cost for the entire project is $16.8 million.

NextRide falls under BC Transit’s Smart Bus program, which introduces new technologies on buses that improve the customer experience, while also helping grow ridership by making transit more accessible, safer, and enjoyable. This initiative aims to leverage recent technology advances to provide improved information for our customers and bus operators, while also providing greater flexibility, scalability, and value to BC Transit and its local government partners.

[BCTransitLTC]

No more NextRide web-based website once that new NextRide 2.0 rolls out. 

https://nextride.victoria.bctransit.com 

[Victoria Watcher]

‘Big changes’ coming to Greater Victoria transit routes in new year

 

Tillicum Centre route will be restored after complaints

 

 

 

 

 

As well, Route 95 Langford/Downtown RAPIDBUS will now serve the bus stops on Goldstream Avenue at Veterans Memorial Parkway, said a release.

 

“This service change also includes a major restructure of the West Shore Transit Network,” said BC Transit.

 

 

 

https://www.vicnews....ew-year-7287786

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 19 December 2023 - 12:57 PM.

[Mike K.]

That’s the stop I stood at and got passed up.

They also need to bring back the Burnside Road stop at Douglas.

[Victoria Watcher]

BC Transit is sending out a reminder to its customers that commencing on Jan. 15, 2024, Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) hardware upgrades will be rolled out across all buses operating within the conventional transit service. Additionally, digital full-colour passenger information displays will be installed within all heavy-duty and high-capacity buses. These displays will furnish passengers with valuable trip information, including details on multiple upcoming stops, the current route, and service alerts.

The transition to this new technology is expected to occur without causing any service interruptions. Riders can continue utilizing smart mobile devices and desktop services to monitor their bus’s real-time location along its route and gauge its predicted arrival time at designated stops.

https://www.vicnews....rriving-7292929

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 05 January 2024 - 09:47 AM.

[Nparker]

Can I tap my debit card to pay my fare?

[BCTransitLTC]

Can I tap my debit card to pay my fare?

 

Soon, you'll be able to tap your credit card to pay your fare. There are no plans on having Interac tap on buses. 

[Nparker]

...There are no plans on having Interac tap on buses. 

Then I have no plans on riding on buses any more than now.

[Matt R.]

Soon, you'll be able to tap your credit card to pay your fare. There are no plans on having Interac tap on buses. 

 

That's crazy.