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+--- Thread: Grand River Transit (/showthread.php?tid=13)
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RE: Grand River Transit - zanate - 10-20-2016
[quote pid='28181' dateline='1476987624']
So I'm having a conversation with GRT on Twitter that started with my now-bog-standard complaint report of a bus zooming past a stop ahead (-2min) of schedule. Half kvetch (to make me feel better) and half data transfer (so GRT knows it happened and that it mattered to some random rider).
[/quote]
This seems relevant. From the Service Standards working paper from the GRT business plan to 2014 (which is still in effect.)
Their advice about arriving early is pragmatic and useful. But, I'd be curious why they think the bus was "within schedule parameters". Perhaps they have details and a slightly different clock?
RE: Grand River Transit - danbrotherston - 10-20-2016
At least on regular routes not every stop is a time point.
RE: Grand River Transit - ijmorlan - 10-20-2016
(10-20-2016, 05:32 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: At least on regular routes not every stop is a time point.
Which, with modern technology, is the wrong way to run things. Every stop should be a time point. Since the bus will never be significantly early, waiting a few seconds for schedule isn’t a significant impediment to traffic. Alternately the driver can just drive a bit more slowly if they’re in danger of running hot.
RE: Grand River Transit - curious_look - 10-20-2016
(10-20-2016, 05:54 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:(10-20-2016, 05:32 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: At least on regular routes not every stop is a time point.
Which, with modern technology, is the wrong way to run things. Every stop should be a time point. Since the bus will never be significantly early, waiting a few seconds for schedule isn’t a significant impediment to traffic. Alternately the driver can just drive a bit more slowly if they’re in danger of running hot.
Yeah this is something I don't get. Regularly in the morning lately when I cross the Margaret Ave bridge there is an 8 idling waiting for their time to catch up while blocking the bike lane right past the temp stop on the bridge. I get this could happen if the driver is new to that route/shift or if the route changes yet again and they aren't sure of the timing yet, but this seems to occur too frequently for that.
It seems like it should be more encouraged for the drivers to drive slower rather then rush and wait. But what do I know, I can't drive a bus!
RE: Grand River Transit - DHLawrence - 10-20-2016
In the Cambridge Transit days if the bus was early in my neighbourhood it would wait at a stop until it was back on schedule.
RE: Grand River Transit - danbrotherston - 10-20-2016
I have seen many drivers try to drive slower to not be early, but there's only so much a driver can do. If there are an unusually few number of stops, or if many lights are green, it's just random chance, but they may end up waiting. If a driver is frequently waiting, then most likely the schedule is simply too slack (likely for the reasons of achieving better on time performance, ironically).
RE: Grand River Transit - kps - 10-21-2016
(10-20-2016, 02:18 PM)Viewfromthe42 Wrote: They've already kowtowed to the all-property-tax-increases-must-be-below-inflation but GRT-increases-must-all-be-multiples-of-inflation, so...
When did that happen? Regional tax increases have been 3% for last couple years, while inflation was 1–2%.
RE: Grand River Transit - Markster - 10-21-2016
(10-21-2016, 11:51 AM)kps Wrote:(10-20-2016, 02:18 PM)Viewfromthe42 Wrote: They've already kowtowed to the all-property-tax-increases-must-be-below-inflation but GRT-increases-must-all-be-multiples-of-inflation, so...
When did that happen? Regional tax increases have been 3% for last couple years, while inflation was 1–2%.
Oops I slipped on my keyboard
(note: the alignment for the "year" of these may be off by 1, I haven't thought hard about whether they should round up or down a year)
So yes, property tax increases have been above inflation, but still much lower than the GRT monthly pass' increases.
Data:
Code:
Year Property Tax Increase Inflation GRT Pass Tickets
2010 2.60% 0.26% 0.0% 0.0%
2011 1.89% 1.84% 5.0% 8.3%
2012 2.53% 2.92% 7.9% 7.7%
2013 2.74% 1.50% 5.9% 9.5%
2014 1.86% 0.90% 5.6% 7.4%
2015 2.58% 1.95% 3.9% 4.0%
2016 2.96% 1.12% 3.8% 3.5%
2017 2.30% 1.11%RE: Grand River Transit - MidTowner - 10-21-2016
Fare increases have outpaced property tax increases, but it is not fair to say that the Region kowtows to ratepayers who might believe that taxes should never increase above the rate of inflation. I personally think the the fare increases have been unacceptable and don't think they serve the transit goals the Region has, but we should put credit where credit is due and acknowledge that Regional leadership has chosen to increase tax rates to make strategic investments. Not all of our municipal neighbours do that- influential Londoners routinely call for "tax freezes," and politicians routinely acquiesce. Their previous mayor won on a platform of four years of tax freezes, short-sighted at best.
Anyway, I expect that the Region will be able to successfully blame the GRT's revenue shortfall on construction, and most people will be satisfied with that and service cuts won't be necessary.
RE: Grand River Transit - KevinL - 10-24-2016
Routes 3 and 22 are no longer detouring around Ottawa/Mill! Obviously they don't cross the tracks, but there's no need to on the directions they travel.
Definitely lets you get a good view of the progress of Ion construction through there.
RE: Grand River Transit - Canard - 10-24-2016
Ottawa/Mill is essentially fully open so they can cross the tracks if they want!
RE: Grand River Transit - nms - 10-28-2016
I notice that one of the reasons that they cited for lower ridership numbers was changes in school board transportation policies. If the school boards shift more students towards free school buses and away from student GRT specials, does that influence long-term transit ridership growth? For instance, is a student with a GRT bus pass more likely to explore the GRT system outside of their typical route rather than a student who is more used to riding the school bus?
RE: Grand River Transit - danbrotherston - 10-28-2016
(10-28-2016, 12:19 PM)nms Wrote: I notice that one of the reasons that they cited for lower ridership numbers was changes in school board transportation policies. If the school boards shift more students towards free school buses and away from student GRT specials, does that influence long-term transit ridership growth? For instance, is a student with a GRT bus pass more likely to explore the GRT system outside of their typical route rather than a student who is more used to riding the school bus?
Were students able to use the pass for other routes? I know some places gave students restricted passes that only let them on the bus to/from school.
RE: Grand River Transit - D40LF - 10-28-2016
When I graduated in 2012, our school board 'term' passes were valid on any route at any time between Monday and Friday. That fall, term passes were restricted to <6PM but GRT allowed students to 'top-up' their passes to include evenings, weekends, and holidays. I'm almost certain this was the case prior to when I started high school as well.
RE: Grand River Transit - KevinL - 10-28-2016
High schooler 1990-96 here. I had a 'school day only' pass valid any time of day, issued term by term.