9 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

I've raised this issue before and here I go raising it again

 

BC Transit's route numbering system is woefully inadequate in this region. Bus numbers have little relevance to the final destination and many riders who are not familiar with this region or the transit system have complained about the lack of route information at bus stops and the problems with routes labelled as 14/14A, etc. Heck, even I boarded a 14A the other day and after paying the fare the driver asks me if I know where I'm going, meanwhile he's honking at a guy putting a bicycle onto the bike rack. Turns out his route was ending just one stop away. Nobody at the Yates/Blanshard stop saw that little "a" and began to board.

 

Now imagine if you're a tourist, newcomer or once-in-a-blue-moon transit rider and you're trying to navigate your way around. And then imagine trying to explain to an infrequent transit rider just how you navigate with transit -- it's not easy.

 

I think BC Transit and much of the regular transit riding public have become blind to the problems of navigating this city via transit and negative feedback appears lost in translation. The issues revolving numbering need to be pushed to the forefront and properly addressed by BC Transit. As per other jurisdictions in North America, our numbers should be self-explanatory and meaningful as opposed to the mish-mash we currently have.

 

Urban core 

Currently throughout the urban core we have routes numbered 1-30's, and at times routes in the 40's. This is good.

 

Proposal: 1-99 are numbers reserved for urban core routes.

 

West shore

Currently throughout the west shore we have routes numbered 39, 49, 50's-60's. This is not good and leads to confusion.

 

Proposal: 100-199 are numbers reserved for buses operating to/from the west shore. Transit riders would instantly recognize that any route numbered 100-199 is destined to the west shore or navigates only throughout the west shore.

 

Peninsula

Currently throughout the peninsula we have routes numbered 70's-80's. Not bad, but also meaningless to many transit riders.

 

Proposal: 200-299 are numbers reserved for buses operating to/from the peninsula. Transit riders would instantly recognize that any route numbered 200-299 is destined to the peninsula or navigates only throughout the peninsula.

 

Cowichan

And here the situation becomes even less clear. With the recently introduced transit service to the CVRD, we now have the 66 (which for something like two years shared the same route number as a west shore route) and the 99. Again, nothing about the numbering makes any sense within greater Victoria.

 

Proposal: 300-399 are routes that service the CVRD from Victoria. Easy peasy.

 

Express buses

Currently we have the 70x, the 50x, or what have you. This is silly. Number any express bus heading to one of the above regions as a x00 number. If you have another express service to the same area, number it x01. now the 100 and 101 have meaning and can't be confused with the 150 that runs as the presently numbered 50, or whatever.

[Bernard]

But if we do this we will lose our heritage!  Is it really worth doing something this sensible if it destroys our past history?    How could we continue without the #70 bus?

[Holden West]

What is the oldest route? Are some numbers carried over from streetcar days?

[Mike K.]

One old-timer on the forum once told me that back in the 1960's he used to take the #23 from his home near Uptown to downtown. As a kid I'd take the #23 from Esquimalt to downtown. Now the #23 has been replaced by the #6, and no other route uses #23.

 

I guess some numbers were carried over from the streetcar days but they likely have no relation to the street car route/#'s.

[Holden West]

Today's Route1 goes out to Oak Bay like the streetcar Route 1 did but it takes a more southerly course instead of the old Fort/Oak Bay Avenue route.

[Mike K.]

What about the #2?

[G-Man]

I believe the 3 follows the old route down to May Street.

[LJ]

I've raised this issue before and here I go raising it again

 

BC Transit's route numbering system is woefully inadequate in this region. Bus numbers have little relevance to the final destination and many riders who are not familiar with this region or the transit system have complained about the lack of route information at bus stops and the problems with routes labelled as 14/14A, etc. Heck, even I boarded a 14A the other day and after paying the fare the driver asks me if I know where I'm going, meanwhile he's honking at a guy putting a bicycle onto the bike rack. Turns out his route was ending just one stop away. Nobody at the Yates/Blanshard stop saw that little "a" and began to board.

 

Now imagine if you're a tourist, newcomer or once-in-a-blue-moon transit rider and you're trying to navigate your way around. And then imagine trying to explain to an infrequent transit rider just how you navigate with transit -- it's not easy.

 

I think BC Transit and much of the regular transit riding public have become blind to the problems of navigating this city via transit and negative feedback appears lost in translation. The issues revolving numbering need to be pushed to the forefront and properly addressed by BC Transit. As per other jurisdictions in North America, our numbers should be self-explanatory and meaningful as opposed to the mish-mash we currently have.

 

Urban core 

Currently throughout the urban core we have routes numbered 1-30's, and at times routes in the 40's. This is good.

 

Proposal: 1-99 are numbers reserved for urban core routes.

 

West shore

Currently throughout the west shore we have routes numbered 39, 49, 50's-60's. This is not good and leads to confusion.

 

Proposal: 100-199 are numbers reserved for buses operating to/from the west shore. Transit riders would instantly recognize that any route numbered 100-199 is destined to the west shore or navigates only throughout the west shore.

 

Peninsula

Currently throughout the peninsula we have routes numbered 70's-80's. Not bad, but also meaningless to many transit riders.

 

Proposal: 200-299 are numbers reserved for buses operating to/from the peninsula. Transit riders would instantly recognize that any route numbered 200-299 is destined to the peninsula or navigates only throughout the peninsula.

 

Cowichan

And here the situation becomes even less clear. With the recently introduced transit service to the CVRD, we now have the 66 (which for something like two years shared the same route number as a west shore route) and the 99. Again, nothing about the numbering makes any sense within greater Victoria.

 

Proposal: 300-399 are routes that service the CVRD from Victoria. Easy peasy.

 

Express buses

Currently we have the 70x, the 50x, or what have you. This is silly. Number any express bus heading to one of the above regions as a x00 number. If you have another express service to the same area, number it x01. now the 100 and 101 have meaning and can't be confused with the 150 that runs as the presently numbered 50, or whatever.

I was following this right up to the Express buses then not so much. Do you mean the normal route 100 going to the Westshore would become the X00 if it was an express?  I admittedly know little about the transit system.

[phx]

The proposed numbering scheme could reduce efficiency of the bus system.  Consider this scenario:

 

Mike is at the bus stop on Douglas, near the Cactus Club, and wants to go to Uptown.

 

The 137 bus comes along, which could take him right to Uptown.

 

"Oh, 137 is a Langford bus," says Mike to himself, "I'm not riding on a Langford bus."

 

Mike waits patiently for a bus befitting his station in life.

 

 

 

Mike may not be that snobbish, but I'm sure some people are.

Edited by phx, 06 February 2014 - 09:00 PM.

[Mike K.]

I was following this right up to the Express buses then not so much. Do you mean the normal route 100 going to the Westshore would become the X00 if it was an express?  I admittedly know little about the transit system.

 

I should have been more clear. I meant a west shore express would be the 100 and the peninsula express would be the 200. If additional express routes are required (say a Sooke express or a Sidney express) they could be the 101 or 201, etc, but riders would know anything below 110 and 210 is reserved for an express.

 

Having ridden buses in other cities that had a rigid system behind the numbering, it made things so, so, so much easier.

 

 

The proposed numbering scheme could reduce efficiency of the bus system.  Consider this scenario:

 

 

Mike may not be that snobbish, but I'm sure some people are.

 

You know, I bet some people would be like that. But then at the end of the day whether they take a 31 or a 150 to Uptown it's still earning the system revenue