Grand River Transit

[cherrypark]

Loved that Transit was free, and that they are still offering a lower featured free version, but of all the apps out there Transit absolutely earns a value for what it provides on top of those data sources (to say nothing of how seamless it moved you between cities and systems). There is no app that does a better job of integrating transit and multi-modal transport I've found.

I only hope that adding a paid service level will mean they can chase even more ambitious inputs and cities/services like the GRT would do well to just hand the keys over to their capable hands for presenting their data (and making it better).

[KevinL]

Apparently a number of agencies elsewhere have done just that; Transit gets a subsidy from them, and in turn makes a specially branded version of the app for use in their coverage area, and tweaks the design to match their branding as well.

[plam]

Apparently a number of agencies elsewhere have done just that; Transit gets a subsidy from them, and in turn makes a specially branded version of the app for use in their coverage area, and tweaks the design to match their branding as well.

Yeah that's what I was alluding to. Sounds like the Region of Waterloo should also do that, though I don't know what pricing is. I think it's a fairly good use of money and supports a Canadian company.

[danbrotherston]

Apparently a number of agencies elsewhere have done just that; Transit gets a subsidy from them, and in turn makes a specially branded version of the app for use in their coverage area, and tweaks the design to match their branding as well.

Yeah that's what I was alluding to. Sounds like the Region of Waterloo should also do that, though I don't know what pricing is. I think it's a fairly good use of money and supports a Canadian company.

I think Calgary Transit does this. It's a very good use of money, far better than paying eSolutions for some garbage.

[tomh009]

Yeah that's what I was alluding to. Sounds like the Region of Waterloo should also do that, though I don't know what pricing is. I think it's a fairly good use of money and supports a Canadian company.

I think Calgary Transit does this. It's a very good use of money, far better than paying eSolutions for some garbage.

It's far less expensive than developing (and supporting) an equivalent bespoke app, whether built in-house or outsourced. And in the case of GRT, there is no need for them to differentiate themselves from other transit systems, so using the same app makes sense.

[ac3r]

GRT is altering bus routes due to the pandemic, specifically 10, 110, 61 and 6: https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-...icron.html

[KevinT]

GRT is altering bus routes due to the pandemic, specifically 10, 110, 61 and 6: https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-...icron.html

From the article:

Strickland said he appreciated staff making adjustments to respond to what’s happening with ridership and staff but that council should be involved in service reductions.

Uhm, is council prepared to drive the buses themselves? This reduction was neither planned nor voluntary...

[ac3r]

I sure as hell wouldn't want a politician driving me around haha.

GRT has held on pretty well though. At one point in 2020 they cut back a lot of service to the point where bus drivers were redeployed to other regional facilities (doing laundry and housekeeping in long term care homes for example), but they've managed to keep must routes pretty normal since then which is great. I guess with this new wave of omicron they are just having a lot of staff get sick. Maybe they could reconsider their mask policy if that's the case and get drivers fit tested for N95s. I rarely ever see their staff wearing masks because they think plexiglass will protect them against an airborne virus...somehow they haven't clued into the fact that their driver seat isn't a hermetically sealed room. They are breathing the same disgusting air as the rest of us.

[plam]

I sure as hell wouldn't want a politician driving me around haha.

GRT has held on pretty well though. At one point in 2020 they cut back a lot of service to the point where bus drivers were redeployed to other regional facilities (doing laundry and housekeeping in long term care homes for example), but they've managed to keep must routes pretty normal since then which is great. I guess with this new wave of omicron they are just having a lot of staff get sick. Maybe they could reconsider their mask policy if that's the case and get drivers fit tested for N95s. I rarely ever see their staff wearing masks because they think plexiglass will protect them against an airborne virus...somehow they haven't clued into the fact that their driver seat isn't a hermetically sealed room. They are breathing the same disgusting air as the rest of us.

It is definitely an occupational safety issue and they should be issued fit tested N95s. But I also think that community transmission is such that there would be many drivers off sick anyway.

[jeffster]

I sure as hell wouldn't want a politician driving me around haha.

GRT has held on pretty well though. At one point in 2020 they cut back a lot of service to the point where bus drivers were redeployed to other regional facilities (doing laundry and housekeeping in long term care homes for example), but they've managed to keep must routes pretty normal since then which is great. I guess with this new wave of omicron they are just having a lot of staff get sick. Maybe they could reconsider their mask policy if that's the case and get drivers fit tested for N95s. I rarely ever see their staff wearing masks because they think plexiglass will protect them against an airborne virus...somehow they haven't clued into the fact that their driver seat isn't a hermetically sealed room. They are breathing the same disgusting air as the rest of us.

They could also ask customers to wear masks when on the bus...but no...

[ac3r]

I sure as hell wouldn't want a politician driving me around haha.

GRT has held on pretty well though. At one point in 2020 they cut back a lot of service to the point where bus drivers were redeployed to other regional facilities (doing laundry and housekeeping in long term care homes for example), but they've managed to keep must routes pretty normal since then which is great. I guess with this new wave of omicron they are just having a lot of staff get sick. Maybe they could reconsider their mask policy if that's the case and get drivers fit tested for N95s. I rarely ever see their staff wearing masks because they think plexiglass will protect them against an airborne virus...somehow they haven't clued into the fact that their driver seat isn't a hermetically sealed room. They are breathing the same disgusting air as the rest of us.

They could also ask customers to wear masks when on the bus...but no...

And the LRT. I find the bus is usually okay...most people are compliant because they have to go past the driver, but the LRT is always full of people who don't wear masks. I get that it's hard to enforce that because the driver doesn't have much view of who gets on and off and security/fare inspectors aren't always on there, but it happens all the time. Who knows how many people have contracted this virus from using transit.

[Acitta]

I sure as hell wouldn't want a politician driving me around haha.

GRT has held on pretty well though. At one point in 2020 they cut back a lot of service to the point where bus drivers were redeployed to other regional facilities (doing laundry and housekeeping in long term care homes for example), but they've managed to keep must routes pretty normal since then which is great. I guess with this new wave of omicron they are just having a lot of staff get sick. Maybe they could reconsider their mask policy if that's the case and get drivers fit tested for N95s. I rarely ever see their staff wearing masks because they think plexiglass will protect them against an airborne virus...somehow they haven't clued into the fact that their driver seat isn't a hermetically sealed room. They are breathing the same disgusting air as the rest of us.

They could also ask customers to wear masks when on the bus...but no...

Whenever I ride the bus, everyone is wearing a mask. Only once recently did I see someone not wearing one.

[danbrotherston]

They could also ask customers to wear masks when on the bus...but no...

Whenever I ride the bus, everyone is wearing a mask. Only once recently did I see someone not wearing one.

I've had good luck with this too...only a few nose wearers. I've seen more anti-maskers in the grocery store.

I feel pretty good on the bus though, with the top vent open, there's really good ventilation when the bus is moving.

[KevinL]

The remaining platforms at the UW terminal will fully open on Monday and GRT routes will be spaced among them. No word yet on when the GO buses move over.

[Acitta]

The remaining platforms at the UW terminal will fully open on Monday and GRT routes will be spaced among them. No word yet on when the GO buses move over.

I notice that GRT has two bus routes stopping there with the same numbers as the two GO transit routes.