10136 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

You’re keeping two arguments going it’s so confusing lol.

 

True.

 

I like:

 

no transfers.

park and ride so I can get to the exchange and then take ONE bus in.

 

 

 

I suspect that almost nobody that owns a car or has one in the household, instead chooses to take a local bus, then transfer to another every day, both in and out on their commute.  The second bus is a breaking point.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 05 September 2025 - 05:54 AM.

[Mike K.]

Yes, the transfer can be awful.

[lanforod]

I dunno that someone who lives say, by Beaver lake would drive over to a park and ride just to get on a bus vs just driving direct to their destination, Parking costs and traffic would have to be a lot worse than they are now.

[Victoria Watcher]

Do you know a single person that uses park and ride?

I know a few. But a bus transfer would be the point where they would just prefer to drive to town and pay for parking.

Royal Oak exchange serves a purpose for very casual riders and the very poor. Not work commuters. And certainly not commuters with a car option.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 05 September 2025 - 12:15 PM.

[Brighton]

I rode an electric bus for the first time. Route 26 UVIC - Dockyard. It smells clean, like a CNG bus, but it's even quieter. Finally buses that are relatively pleasant to ride on.

[LJ]

^The buses are pleasant maybe, it's the people on them that is the problem.

[FogPub]

Why?

So riders can get from bus to bus without having to cross busy streets.  Also, ideally, the bus stops would be closer together - spaced-apart drive-through parallel parking rather than bays like at Uvic.

[Victoria Watcher]

Long-running Cowichan transit strike ends with mediated deal

 

 

Unifor members were to return to work Thursday after the union and transit operator Transfev agreed to abide by provincial mediator Vince Ready’s recommendations.

https://www.timescol...d-deal-11232716

[Mike K.]

From B.C. Transit:

It’s been more than a decade since BC Transit last refreshed its long-term vision for regional transit. Starting this October and continuing throughout 2025 and early 2026, BC Transit is launching a major planning process that will shape the future of how people move around our communities. Over the next year, BC Transit will be connecting with the public, Local Government Partners, Indigenous communities, and other key interest groups to refresh the Victoria Regional Transit Plan to reflect the needs and aspirations of the people we serve.



This feedback will ensure Greater Victoria’s Regional Transit System continues to evolve as the best transportation solution for the region, building on the successes accomplished from the last plan while shaping new priorities for the future. The refreshed and updated plan will be the foundation used for future service as BC Transit continues to roll out RapidBus and invest in service to meet the needs of the growing communities until 2050.



The upcoming engagement this fall will focus on:



Refreshing the 2011 Transit Future Plan along with the 25-year network vision to help guide future transit service and infrastructure investment
Aligning the plan with current and anticipated future demographic trends, land use changes, commuter patterns, and sustainability goals
Developing a comprehensive transit network and route design guidelines


This planning process will also confirm key infrastructure investments needed to support increasing transit demand across the region, including exchanges, park and rides, transit priority treatments, and operations and maintenance space. While early work is underway on many improvements, including site works for a new Saanich Transit Centre on Glanford Avenue, it is expected that investment from all levels of government will be needed to meet future infrastructure and service demands.



Watt Consulting has been hired to support BC Transit with the Victoria Regional Transit Plan refresh process. The feedback collected will help shape the future of the transit network, including connections to future transit hubs like the one being planned at Uptown, and future Rapid Transit investments. BC Transit encourages all residents to share their experiences and ideas to help build a modern, accessible, and resilient transit system that meets today’s needs and plans for tomorrow.

[Victoria Watcher]

Why wait for a decade between updates? Just do it continually and on the fly to be most efficient.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 23 September 2025 - 09:47 AM.

[Mike K.]

Getting closer to allowing credit and debit card payments:

BC Transit is working towards providing more digital payment options for riders in transit systems that operate the Umo fare payment system. In the coming months, BC Transit will upgrade and test the system in preparation to enable fixed-route transit riders to pay their fares by tapping a debit card, credit card or mobile wallet.

As part of the upgrade to support new payment methods, an update will be made to the Umo system. As a result of the update, any credit card information saved in Umo accounts will be deleted over the coming weeks.

What this means for riders:

Riders who saved a credit card to speed up future purchases, set up automatic payments, or linked a dependent account will need to re-enter their card information before their next purchase following the update to their transit system.
Riders who did not save their card information, or who buy fare products in person at retail vendors, will not be affected.
Riders will need to re-enter and save their credit card information the next time they buy a pass or add money to their Umo card, if they choose to store a card on file.


Testing contactless credit and debit payments

In the coming months, BC Transit will test Umo’s updated system on buses in service across the province in preparation to make it available to all riders. Riders should present only their Umo card or have their QR code open in the Umo app to prevent being inadvertently charged to a credit or debit card in their physical or mobile wallet. If this happens, riders will be automatically refunded.

BC Transit apologizes for any inconvenience caused by the update as we prepare to launch additional easy-to-use payment options for our customers. Our goal is to introduce these new payment options in the near future, and we’ll share further updates soon. For support before or after the update, please contact BC Transit’s Umo Customer Service team toll-free at 877-380-8181.

[Matt R.]

Wild!

[Victoria Watcher]

It's not rocket science.  But I think it's a bit tricky to do for transfers and stuff if the system and all swipe pads are

not connected real-time for transfers and stuff.  You don't want to charge one person three times as they transfer.  Even if you reconcile/refund later.  People will flip.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, Today, 12:52 PM.

[Matt R.]

Gee I wonder how they manage this is Vancouver and every other city in the world. Why do we have to make things so special over here.

[vortoozo]

Gee I wonder how they manage this is Vancouver and every other city in the world. Why do we have to make things so special over here.

 

Having travelled considerably throughout North America the past few years, I would say that direct credit card tap is still more the exception than the rule on mid-sized transit systems. Even larger cities like Montreal, along with provincial capitals like Halifax & Quebec require an app, cash or transit card. In the US, the same applies to St Louis, New Orleans etc. Glad to see progress being made here.

[Matt R.]

Yes, I guess Vancouver is indeed living in the future.

[vortoozo]

Yes, I guess Vancouver is indeed living in the future.

 

I wouldn't say that - the largest cities - New York, Boston, Chicago, etc. definitely have it as well. But Victoria is not comparable.