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+--- Thread: Inter-region transit (/showthread.php?tid=1518)
Inter-region transit - danbrotherston - 11-13-2020
Not sure if there is a better thread for this.
570 news reported from the Guelph newspaper that Guelph Transit is planning transit to/from KW and Aberfoyle.
That's pretty exciting and something we've been asking for a long time.
The other piece of interesting news is Perth County is launching transit between KW, Stratford, St. Mary's, London, and several smaller surrounding towns.
https://www.perthcounty.ca/en/living-here/community-transportation---perth-county-and-stratford.aspx
This two would be a huge improvement to local inter-regional transit.
Edit the article is now loading: https://www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/plans-would-see-city-buses-eventually-connect-with-waterloo-region-and-aberfoyle-2875770
The article is interesting, because the proposed connections are to Conestoga Mall and Fairview Mall, which both provide good connections to ION. However this struck me as odd:
"The budget documents identify one of the proposed new connections be to downtown Kitchener, but the terminal there has closed, Gerus notes. As a result, that expansion is now to Conestoga Mall."
To my mind, the value of connecting to downtown is the destinations that it opens up, not the transit terminal. Few places in the city have the wealth of walkable destinations that Downtown has, and transit's biggest obstacle is last mile connections. I'm not a transit planning expert, and I seem to be alone here (Wroute also served Fairview mall instead of DTK, and Perth County Connect is serving Conestoga mall), but I feel like DTK would be a better trip generator than the malls.
RE: Inter-region transit - dtkvictim - 11-13-2020
PC Connect seems great, but I can't imagine it being too successful. The schedule seems pretty good, and the fares are reasonable. The whole calling to book your trip thing is a bit odd in this day and age.
Transit between Guelph always seemed like a no-brainer to me, and I don't understand why both regions aren't working to make it happen together. I don't think I know a single person from KW who cares the slightest bit about Cambridge (living there, working there, having something positive to say about it, etc.), but I know quite a few people who work or go to school in Guelph. Every single one of those people complain about the commute.
Edit: Maybe one day GO can help fill the gap between KW and Guelph, but I don't think that should be counted on any time soon.
RE: Inter-region transit - KevinL - 11-13-2020
I imagine their downtown connection was planned when we hoped to have the new transit hub open by now; with the delays there it seems they've gone with an alternative.
As for the Perth service bookings, I understand the call-in is the initial setup and a web or app based service will come later.
RE: Inter-region transit - Acitta - 11-13-2020
Ever since I moved to Kitchener, I would read about events in Guelph that I would be interested in attending, but the complete lack of transit options made it impossible. There used to be a Greyhound bus but they kept cutting back service and required advanced booking and now they are gone. Downtown Guelph is almost as close to downtown Kitchener as downtown Cambridge. It is ridiculous that there is no regular bus service.
RE: Inter-region transit - ac3r - 11-14-2020
Buses to Guelph would be great. There is often a lot of art and music events I'd like to go to but I never have a regular way to Guelph.
As Acitta mentioned, downtown Guelph is roughly the same distance as downtown Cambridge so I've always wondered why they don't have buses that run between the cities. It's only about a 30 minute drive. It would be great for people taking a day trip, or even people who work in Kitchener/Guelph.
RE: Inter-region transit - plam - 11-14-2020
(11-14-2020, 11:17 AM)ac3r Wrote: Buses to Guelph would be great. There is often a lot of art and music events I'd like to go to but I never have a regular way to Guelph.
As Acitta mentioned, downtown Guelph is roughly the same distance as downtown Cambridge so I've always wondered why they don't have buses that run between the cities. It's only about a 30 minute drive. It would be great for people taking a day trip, or even people who work in Kitchener/Guelph.
I wonder how hard it was to get to Cambridge before amalgamation of transit (i.e. formation of GRT). I imagine it's political as much as anything.
RE: Inter-region transit - danbrotherston - 11-14-2020
(11-14-2020, 09:43 PM)plam Wrote:(11-14-2020, 11:17 AM)ac3r Wrote: Buses to Guelph would be great. There is often a lot of art and music events I'd like to go to but I never have a regular way to Guelph.
As Acitta mentioned, downtown Guelph is roughly the same distance as downtown Cambridge so I've always wondered why they don't have buses that run between the cities. It's only about a 30 minute drive. It would be great for people taking a day trip, or even people who work in Kitchener/Guelph.
I wonder how hard it was to get to Cambridge before amalgamation of transit (i.e. formation of GRT). I imagine it's political as much as anything.
If I am understanding my history right, and it is entirely possible that I am not, it was more difficult, but still not impossible. This has to do with the fact that KW and Cambridge are essentially right next to each other, while Guelph and KW have space between them that is neither Waterloo region nor Guelph.
Which means even taking the bus to the extreme edge of both territories leaves significant distance between those two points, where as in Cambridge I believe you'd have been able to transfer between the systems.
That being said, even after GRT formed, I think it probably took until the 200 was created before there was a seamless region wide route (which of course, technically no longer exists, although it should in the future).
RE: Inter-region transit - KevinL - 11-14-2020
The 200 only went to Fairway at first; the 52 was the first route to properly connect the cities. Before the GRT amalgamation you'd have to take a Greyhound or something to connect across.
RE: Inter-region transit - danbrotherston - 11-14-2020
(11-14-2020, 10:11 PM)KevinL Wrote: The 200 only went to Fairway at first; the 52 was the first route to properly connect the cities. Before the GRT amalgamation you'd have to take a Greyhound or something to connect across.
Was there no service to Conestoga College from Cambridge before.
I can only confirm that Kitchener transit had service to Conestoga College before GRT, I was presuming that Cambridge transit would have also had service there, it being a school in Cambridge.
RE: Inter-region transit - trainspotter139 - 11-15-2020
(11-14-2020, 11:32 PM)danbrotherston Wrote:(11-14-2020, 10:11 PM)KevinL Wrote: The 200 only went to Fairway at first; the 52 was the first route to properly connect the cities. Before the GRT amalgamation you'd have to take a Greyhound or something to connect across.
Was there no service to Conestoga College from Cambridge before.
I can only confirm that Kitchener transit had service to Conestoga College before GRT, I was presuming that Cambridge transit would have also had service there, it being a school in Cambridge.
Doon Campus is and always has been in Kitchener, the Cambridge campus across the 401 opened in 2011. But from what I can find they did have a route to Doon Campus before amalgamation of transit services.
RE: Inter-region transit - danbrotherston - 11-15-2020
(11-15-2020, 12:31 PM)trainspotter139 Wrote:(11-14-2020, 11:32 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: Was there no service to Conestoga College from Cambridge before.
I can only confirm that Kitchener transit had service to Conestoga College before GRT, I was presuming that Cambridge transit would have also had service there, it being a school in Cambridge.
Doon Campus is and always has been in Kitchener, the Cambridge campus across the 401 opened in 2011. But from what I can find they did have a route to Doon Campus before amalgamation of transit services.
Interesting, I did not know that.
RE: Inter-region transit - ac3r - 11-16-2020
PC Connect launched today. I'll be curious to see how successful this is. I think it can offer a great way to get to Stratford, London and all the small towns west of us and I'll probably use it if it doesn't get shut down. It's a bit unfortunate they launched it in November because I'm sure the ridership would be higher in warmer months as people can take a day trip somewhere.
RE: Inter-region transit - KevinL - 11-16-2020
The Conestoga Mall stop is on King Street near the Ion platforms.
RE: Inter-region transit - Rainrider22 - 11-16-2020
I would hope that when the transit Centre is built that they will link there...
RE: Inter-region transit - D40LF - 11-17-2020
(11-14-2020, 09:43 PM)plam Wrote: I wonder how hard it was to get to Cambridge before amalgamation of transit (i.e. formation of GRT). I imagine it's political as much as anything.It was pesky government regulation. Intercity rights to bus service were held by Trentway-Wagar and forbid the cities from implementing their own cross border routes.
(11-14-2020, 10:11 PM)KevinL Wrote: The 200 only went to Fairway at first; the 52 was the first route to properly connect the cities. Before the GRT amalgamation you'd have to take a Greyhound or something to connect across.You're thinking of the 101 Express, which operated between Fairview Park and UW from 2003 to 2005 when the iXpress was implemented.
Prior to GRT, one had to take a Trentway-Wagar bus between the cities. Conestoga College students living in Cambridge had to make their way to the Ainslie St. Terminal, then take the Trentway-Wagar bus to the Charles St. Terminal and backtrack to the college on the 7 and 10.
For this reason, the 61 was also one of the first cross border routes, implemented alongside the 52 in September 2000.
The 61 in those days operated between Conestoga College and Preston or Sportsworld (depending on the time) via Highway 401. Trips that operated to Sportsworld were interlined with the 52 to and from Ainslie St. Terminal.
(11-14-2020, 11:32 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: Was there no service to Conestoga College from Cambridge before.There was certainly no service to the college from Cambridge. The 10 and 16 were the only services to the college prior to GRT.
I can only confirm that Kitchener transit had service to Conestoga College before GRT, I was presuming that Cambridge transit would have also had service there, it being a school in Cambridge.