Grand River Transit

[jeffster]

I've never heard the term "bendy bus" until this article.

Bendy Bus is descriptive. Something a 3 year old would understand. Articulated sounds scholar, like the busses we're trained how to articulate themselves on the roads.

[jeffster]

Bad day for GRT yesterday. Not only did two trains get hit, but someone in a pickup ran a red light and got smoked by a bus at westmount and greenbrook.

https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/crash-invol...-1.4809671

Seeing where the jeep ended up, in perfect alignment to make a left turn onto Greenbrook, I am going to say that I am impressed with the dismount of the Jeep driver. Run a red and do a perfect 180 like nothing happened.

[white_brian]

I lived at the house where this pic was taken for 7 yrs you would be amazed at some of the accidents that happened there

[danbrotherston]

I have availed myself of the free transit weekends most of the weekends this month. I must say I have seen a far larger number of children on the train than I usually do. However, I rarely rode it on weekends before. Does anyone know if this is typical, or if we are seeing a really big surge.

I think this is probably a big surge, which really shows the current fare structure is a huge obstacle to families using the LRT. Cars (even when people think otherwise) are almost always more expensive than transit. But for a family of four, transit probably is going to be more expensive than almost all driving scenarios using a single car.

[panamaniac]

I have availed myself of the free transit weekends most of the weekends this month.  I must say I have seen a far larger number of children on the train than I usually do.  However, I rarely rode it on weekends before.  Does anyone know if this is typical, or if we are seeing a really big surge.

I think this is probably a big surge, which really shows the current fare structure is a huge obstacle to families using the LRT. Cars (even when people think otherwise) are almost always more expensive than transit. But for a family of four, transit probably is going to be more expensive than almost all driving scenarios using a single car.

If the kids you’re seeing are in the under 10 age bracket, my first thought might be that parents are taking advantage to give the kids a “train ride”.

[danbrotherston]

I have availed myself of the free transit weekends most of the weekends this month.  I must say I have seen a far larger number of children on the train than I usually do.  However, I rarely rode it on weekends before.  Does anyone know if this is typical, or if we are seeing a really big surge.

I think this is probably a big surge, which really shows the current fare structure is a huge obstacle to families using the LRT. Cars (even when people think otherwise) are almost always more expensive than transit. But for a family of four, transit probably is going to be more expensive than almost all driving scenarios using a single car.

If the kids you’re seeing are in the under 10 age bracket, my first thought might be that parents are taking advantage to give the kids a “train ride”.

I'm sure some are, and a lot of folks are obviously not frequent riders, but the question is why not, I don't think most are not going anywhere, but are making a trip that either wouldn't have been taken, or would have been driven before.

[timc]

I have availed myself of the free transit weekends most of the weekends this month.  I must say I have seen a far larger number of children on the train than I usually do.  However, I rarely rode it on weekends before.  Does anyone know if this is typical, or if we are seeing a really big surge.

I think this is probably a big surge, which really shows the current fare structure is a huge obstacle to families using the LRT. Cars (even when people think otherwise) are almost always more expensive than transit. But for a family of four, transit probably is going to be more expensive than almost all driving scenarios using a single car.

It seems pretty clear to me that a $25 round trip for a family could easily be done more quickly and cheaply with a car. I have a pass, but my kids do not, and we used transit two times this weekend where we probably wouldn't have otherwise.

[tomh009]

I have availed myself of the free transit weekends most of the weekends this month.  I must say I have seen a far larger number of children on the train than I usually do.  However, I rarely rode it on weekends before.  Does anyone know if this is typical, or if we are seeing a really big surge.

I think this is probably a big surge, which really shows the current fare structure is a huge obstacle to families using the LRT. Cars (even when people think otherwise) are almost always more expensive than transit. But for a family of four, transit probably is going to be more expensive than almost all driving scenarios using a single car.

It seems pretty clear to me that a $25 round trip for a family could easily be done more quickly and cheaply with a car. I have a pass, but my kids do not, and we used transit two times this weekend where we probably wouldn't have otherwise.

I'm thinking we should allow older kids (maybe up to 10?) to ride for free when accompanied by at least one adult.

[plam]

It seems pretty clear to me that a $25 round trip for a family could easily be done more quickly and cheaply with a car. I have a pass, but my kids do not, and we used transit two times this weekend where we probably wouldn't have otherwise.

I'm thinking we should allow older kids (maybe up to 10?) to ride for free when accompanied by at least one adult.

Montreal has that now. Don't think it did when I was a kid.

http://www.stm.info/en/info/fares/specia...ly-outings

1 adult + 5 children up to and including age 11 ride free Friday evening - Sunday, school break, summer, and the holidays.

Boston's MBTA had free companion rides on Sundays for those with passes I think.

[danbrotherston]

I'm thinking we should allow older kids (maybe up to 10?) to ride for free when accompanied by at least one adult.

Montreal has that now. Don't think it did when I was a kid.

http://www.stm.info/en/info/fares/specia...ly-outings

1 adult + 5 children up to and including age 11 ride free Friday evening - Sunday, school break, summer, and the holidays.

Boston's MBTA had free companion rides on Sundays for those with passes I think.

GO Transit and TTC have that soundly beat: Children 12 and under are always free.

[MidTowner]

I have availed myself of the free transit weekends most of the weekends this month.  I must say I have seen a far larger number of children on the train than I usually do.  However, I rarely rode it on weekends before.  Does anyone know if this is typical, or if we are seeing a really big surge.

I think this is probably a big surge, which really shows the current fare structure is a huge obstacle to families using the LRT. Cars (even when people think otherwise) are almost always more expensive than transit. But for a family of four, transit probably is going to be more expensive than almost all driving scenarios using a single car.

My family has taken advantage of the free transit a few times this month, including one trip as the entire family. We have almost never done this, as there are no trips we take within the Region (given cheap parking) that are less expensive by transit than by car. We only have the one car, so if one parent wants to get somewhere with one or two of the kids, we'll take the bus or train for that. I'm thinking that the last time we took transit all of us together was shortly after the Ion started running.

Two of my kids and I encountered friends of ours downtown on Saturday while we were waiting for a bus, and they had apparently taken the train to the market for the first time ever, and the kid was pretty excited about it. I know of a couple of other trips that were planned by acquaintances, specifically so the kids could have the experience of taking the train.

I had an e-mail exchange with a Regional Councillor back in September when staff was proposing to eliminate concession fares for children and seniors to help pay for the new low-income transit pass. At first, the wording in staff's report made it unclear even to the councillor whether concession fares for elementary students were to be eliminated. When it was clear that they would be, the justification was in part that so few kids take transit that it the impact could be considered small.

That seemed backwards to me, but so it is. In a lot of ways, GRT is a commuter system, and its fare structure is just one of them. I think the family pass is a good product, along with the summer pass (though it's still not exactly cheap).

Anyway, good observation, I expect that one positive from these free weekends are that a lot of kids are getting exposure to transit.

[ac3r]

Montreal has that now. Don't think it did when I was a kid.

http://www.stm.info/en/info/fares/specia...ly-outings

1 adult + 5 children up to and including age 11 ride free Friday evening - Sunday, school break, summer, and the holidays.

Boston's MBTA had free companion rides on Sundays for those with passes I think.

GO Transit and TTC have that soundly beat: Children 12 and under are always free.

I think children 12 and under should get a free ride. That's at the right age where they're still kids (as opposed to perhaps someone who is 13+ who starts to take the bus to middle school). It's a good way to get a child introduced to transit and let them have a fun time taking the bus or train around, while perhaps learning the economic, environmental and planning benefits as they grow older. It'd also help low income families who may otherwise not afford to pay $3.25 per person for each single ride. It seems GRT only offers free rides for children 4 and under.

[jeffster]

GO Transit and TTC have that soundly beat: Children 12 and under are always free.

When my kids were under 13, TTC was charging 25¢. I am actually surprised they reduced it as the fair was tiny to begin with.

Either way, it's a good idea to charge younglings less, not just to help parents when the kids are too young to ride by themselves, but also for when the kids are a bit older (12-16) so they get used to the transit. I think charging a young teen $1 to ride per day isn't asking for too much especially during weekends/stats and summer holidays.

[Spokes]

I have availed myself of the free transit weekends most of the weekends this month.  I must say I have seen a far larger number of children on the train than I usually do.  However, I rarely rode it on weekends before.  Does anyone know if this is typical, or if we are seeing a really big surge.

I think this is probably a big surge, which really shows the current fare structure is a huge obstacle to families using the LRT. Cars (even when people think otherwise) are almost always more expensive than transit. But for a family of four, transit probably is going to be more expensive than almost all driving scenarios using a single car.

If the kids you’re seeing are in the under 10 age bracket, my first thought might be that parents are taking advantage to give the kids a “train ride”.

Friends of ours did this

[BruceAshe]

Does GRT post route detours? King is closed downtown tomorrow, and I'm trying to sort out where I would catch the bus but can't seem to find it on the get site.