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nitronuts

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Transit rules!

^ hopefully that counts as keeping things on topic.

Now my real question... has anyone been on I-5 lately? Is the problem with the collapsed bridge that happened in May impeding traffic flow at all? I had heard they were working on a temp replacement, but haven't been able to find out anything else since.

The temp replacement is already in. As for traffic flow, you're required to use a much slower speed limit... But from what I understand, it's not that big a problem.

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Not only that, but it's not easily expandable.

Dedicated curb side lanes with trolley accordion B-lines would be amazing. Getting around town via bus during the olympics was such a pleasure because they removed the street parking and made those dedicated bus lanes. I don't mind sharing that lane with people making right turns - that's fine and doesn't impede traffic much.

Not sure why you love the trolley lines so much but whatever....

However, converting parking into bus lanes as a way to up the capacity of the rapid bus line as it gains traction? Personally I love when I can up ridership at the massive capital costs of paint and signs while actually increasing capacity of the roadway of all users. As an added bonus you put the parking responsibility with the residents and businesses that benefit from it rather than having the average tax payer subsidise it.

Go figure, next thing you know, it's an arterial road. What a concept!

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Not sure why you love the trolley lines so much but whatever....

However, converting parking into bus lanes as a way to up the capacity of the rapid bus line as it gains traction? Personally I love when I can up ridership at the massive capital costs of paint and signs while actually increasing capacity of the roadway of all users. As an added bonus you put the parking responsibility with the residents and businesses that benefit from it rather than having the average tax payer subsidise it.

Go figure, next thing you know, it's an arterial road. What a concept!

Trolleys are quiet, clean, and the "fuel" cost is something like 25% of a diesel bus.

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So the TTC is screwed today in Toronto. A rain storm has flooded the subway and shut down power to a lot of downtown. I had to walk home in the rain without an umbrella or jacket. All the cabs were taken up.

I walked underground as far as I could, despite the flooding of the PATH, power outages leaving sections pitch black, and fire alarms going off. I still had to walk about 15 minutes in the rain.

LAME

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The capital cost is also double that of a diesel bus.

I'm too lazy to do the accounting, but I'd hazard a guess that with $1.40 /L fuel and 8c/kWh electricity (probably more like 6c for translink), you net out ahead with trolleys over their lifespan.

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I'm too lazy to do the accounting, but I'd hazard a guess that with $1.40 /L fuel and 8c/kWh electricity (probably more like 6c for translink), you net out ahead with trolleys over their lifespan.

Well if it turns out that it is cheaper than sure, trolley it up. Though that takes away the flexibility as then they can only run where the wire are. What I would think was best was that if you have a long range plan to put in skytrain (like way on Fraser Highway) then don't put in the trolley wires. But if there's never going to be a need for it (at least in our lifetime) like say on King George Highway (but there would be enough ridership to justify rapid bus lanes and Bline buses) then if it turns out to have even a similar overall total lifetime cost then sure, trolley it up.

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TransLink testing Compass Card technology:

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – You can now pay for things like coffee and movie tickets with your smart phone, but what about using it to ride the bus?

Derek Zabel with TransLink says things like using a smart phone app to swipe your fare, and paying for things like coffee with your Compass Card could be introduced one day, just not this fall.

“In the future we will have some convenience factors for customers, the Compass Card will have that technology. But, for the foreseeable future right now, we want to make sure people understand how this technology is going to change the way that they travel on the transit system.”

Zabel points to what cities like Tokyo and London have done with their smart card systems as a model for TransLink. “The Compass Card right now, you can look at examples of smart cards across the world. They can load up their card and use it at different vendors, for example. It has that kind of technology built into it.”

http://www.news1130.com/2013/07/13/translink-testing-compass-card-technology/?cid=dlvr.it

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TransLink testing Compass Card technology:

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – You can now pay for things like coffee and movie tickets with your smart phone, but what about using it to ride the bus?

Derek Zabel with TransLink says things like using a smart phone app to swipe your fare, and paying for things like coffee with your Compass Card could be introduced one day, just not this fall.

“In the future we will have some convenience factors for customers, the Compass Card will have that technology. But, for the foreseeable future right now, we want to make sure people understand how this technology is going to change the way that they travel on the transit system.”

Zabel points to what cities like Tokyo and London have done with their smart card systems as a model for TransLink. “The Compass Card right now, you can look at examples of smart cards across the world. They can load up their card and use it at different vendors, for example. It has that kind of technology built into it.”

http://www.news1130....gy/?cid=dlvr.it

Why do they even need to "test" it?

I mean, it's already out there. Just seems a bit redundant.

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Now that I live in Toronto, I can say this:

Long contiguous underground trains (8 Canada Line cars long) with full-length platforms underground is the absolute way to go.

Surface level LRT on streets are TERRIBLE. TERRIBLE. Do. Not. Do. This.

Totally agree that LRT sucks. Very unappealing way to get new users. Waste of money.
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  • 2 weeks later...

Stick an RFID into the student card. My old card from SFU Surrey in 2004 had that already. So if those idiots sell their u-pass they are -

1. easily voided

2. screwed for exams.

Edited by trek
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  • 3 weeks later...

Wow.

A compass card costs $6 each. Yikes! that s quite expensive !!! :angry:

"Ling said the Compass card will cost $6, which provides a three-zone trip home, but can be loaded up using credit or debit cards, or cash."

Transit users clamour to be first to 'use' Compass card

http://www.tricitynews.com/news/218878011.html

By Diane Strandberg - The Tri-City News

Published: August 08, 2013 11:00 AM

Updated: August 08, 2013 12:18 PM

Thousands of transit commuters have applied to be the first to try out the Compass card, which will be in use across the Lower Mainland's transit system next year.

These beta testers won't get free rides but they will be the first to tap in and out with the shiny new card that will be used to pay fares on buses and SkyTrain to see if the system is working.

"We want all types of applicants: frequent, infrequent users, people in the Tri-Cities, downtown and Burnaby and elsewhere. We want any type of ridership, we're still encouraging people to apply," said Jiana Ling, TransLink spokesperson.

But time is short because toomorrow — Friday — is the deadline for applying, and already 13,000 people have applied for 5,000 spots.

Once chosen, beta testers will get their Compass cards in the mail and will be able to use them wherever and whenever they need to, Ling explained. "This is just to test the system. We want to find out if there are any glitches before we start the system," she said.

In the second phase, a smaller number of testers will be deployed to refine the system.

It will be the fall before we know the new fare structure for the Compass cards, and for some months next year, TransLink will roll out an education system to help people make the transition. People who currently purchase monthly passes or FareSaver passes at TransLink fare dealers will be able to load up their new Compass card with funds and then use them throughout the system.

Ling said the Compass card will cost $6, which provides a three-zone trip home, but can be loaded up using credit or debit cards, or cash.

"You tap into the system with your card, the system will charge three zones, if you use only one zone, then you'll get a credit for the rest," Ling said explaining how the system will start.

Meanwhile, she isn't surprised at the number of people who have applied to beta test the new Compass card even though they still have to buy their own fare and have proof of purchase along with the card.

"They get to use this system first," she said, "It's a like a novelty thing."

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With new Compass Card, SkyTrain will not accept bus transfers:

When the new Compass Card is rolled out this fall, passengers who use bus transfer tickets from cash fares will not be able to use them on the SkyTrain.

Travellers will have to buy another single trip pass in order to continue their journey.

Translink says it would have cost $25 million to upgrade the fare boxes on the buses, and it is just too expensive to do so. The fare machines would need to be converted to dispense Compass Card compatible tickets.

About 6,000 customers will be affected by these changes – people who hop on the bus, pay by cash, and then hop on the SkyTrain to continue their journey.

When the Compass Card rolls out, there will be a transition period where both forms of payment will be accepted on the buses, but Translink will be encouraging people to buy the cards. It is not known when the Compass Card will come into effect.

Travellers we spoke to this morning were not too happy about the changes.

http://globalnews.ca...-bus-transfers/

Edited by -Vintage Canuck-
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