The Official Transit Thread

[nitronuts]

American quarters and dimes (and pennies) are nearly identical to Canadian ones in terms of size and shape.

You don't even know him....give him the benefit of a doubt.

[BuckyHermit]

You don't even know him....give him the benefit of a doubt.

I could. If he hadn't nearly confused pennies with quarters, I would've done that.

[Armada]

You know what I would love to see, something at skytrain stations and bus stops where it tells you when the next bus/skytrain and then when the next one after that comes, just like in Paris, it doesn't have to be at every bus stop but at least at the big ones and busy ones

[Common sense]

You know what I would love to see, something at skytrain stations and bus stops where it tells you when the next bus/skytrain and then when the next one after that comes, just like in Paris, it doesn't have to be at every bus stop but at least at the big ones and busy ones

That would be cool, 'cept Translink schedules are as reliable as ye olde "end of the world" predictions were.

[nitronuts]

I could. If he hadn't nearly confused pennies with quarters, I would've done that.

[BuckyHermit]

Yes... Read my rant again. Dimes for quarters, then nearly pennies for quarters.

[Common sense]

^ to be fair, he could've been a recent immigrant.

There were at least 1,500 people waiting at UBC loop today at 4 pm....it was unbelievable, i've never seen anything like it. The lineup for the 99 was 100-metres long, and the island bus platform was HK-style crowded.

well, good thing my classes end at 5pm so I deal with only 1000 other people

[nitronuts]

You know what I would love to see, something at skytrain stations and bus stops where it tells you when the next bus/skytrain and then when the next one after that comes, just like in Paris, it doesn't have to be at every bus stop but at least at the big ones and busy ones

That's the plan for the future Bridgeport Station and Marine Drive Station bus loops, which will be built and fully operational in less than 11 months. Here is what the displays are expected to look like:

There will be three of these displays at Bridgeport Station loop, located at different locations.

As well, the bus schedule for Bridgeport Station loop:

Edited September 11, 2008 by nitronuts

[Armada]

Yes... Read my rant again. Dimes for quarters, then nearly pennies for quarters.

Penises and quarters eh?

[nitronuts]

Yes... Read my rant again. Dimes for quarters, then nearly pennies for quarters.

Maybe he's mentally ill? i don't remember what the illness is called, but those who have it confuse things for other things.

[BuckyHermit]

Maybe he's mentally ill? i don't remember what the illness is called, but those who have it confuse things for other things.

Perhaps. Although he seemed perfectly fine to me. (Yes, I'm aware that mentally ill people can still appear "normal"...)

[nitronuts]

Penises and quarters eh?

[nitronuts]

Last stop Argentina for Vancouver's old trolley bus fleet

Kelly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun

Published: Thursday, September 11, 2008

METRO VANCOUVER - They're too old and not accessible enough to serve the people of Metro Vancouver, but 80 retired trolley buses are being welcomed by a city in Argentina.

TransLink has struck a deal with Mendoza to sell the 25-year-old New Flyer Industries buses for $2,300 each plus shipping costs.

TransLink representative Drew Snider said if TransLink had turned the buses to the wreckers for scrap, it would have received just $1,600 per bus, minus $600 each for decommissioning.

The buses are the only ones left of a fleet of 244 that joined the bus system in the early 1980s. The others were retired from service some time ago, with most of them turned into scrap.

Snider said the buses are "coming to the end of their useful service life" in Metro Vancouver because they aren't accessible to all passengers. The trolleys going to Argentina have steps at the entry doors and poles in the centre aisle.

"The idea was to turn over the fleet as soon as possible," he said. "They just don't meet our needs because we need to get the whole fleet to accessibility standards."

Snider said the buses are still safe and Metro Vancouver wouldn't have sold them to Argentina if they were fit only for scrap. Mendoza, a city of about 900,000, doesn't seem concerned about the accessibility issues, he said.

"They seem to be putting together a fleet of buses from different parts of the world," he said.

The trolley buses are being hauled from Oakridge Transit Centre to the Fraser docks, the first leg of the journey to South America.

The "parade" - with some buses being towed and others carried on flat-deck trucks - will continue today.

TransLink's current fleet of about 228 trolley buses are now 100-per-cent accessible, Snider said. The concern now is how to ensure the bus stops and routes are as accessible as the buses themselves.

ksinoski@vancouversun.com

[Armada]

I must say that's a great way to make money, plus its a good deal for Argentina

[nitronuts]

I must say that's a great way to make money, plus its a good deal for Argentina

It's definitely great....but the New Flyer buses we bought are terrible. Their electric trolleys are alright, though only a year old some already have some rattling problems from loose bolts and screws. The diesels/natural gas buses are the ones that are absolutely ridiculous....not even 6 months into service, some are rattling themselves apart. New Flyer builds the cr@ppiest buses around....they won't last long.

On the other hand, the Nova Bus models we bought are awesome.

Edited September 11, 2008 by nitronuts

[calvin+hobbes]

^ to be fair, he could've been a recent immigrant.

There were at least 1,500 people waiting at UBC loop today at 4 pm....it was unbelievable, i've never seen anything like it. The lineup for the 99 was 100-metres long, and the island bus platform was HK-style crowded.

Yeah it was pretty crazy today.

Glad I hopped on the first available 43 and left within 5 minutes

[Armada]

It's definitely great....but the New Flyer buses we bought are terrible. Their electric trolleys are alright, though only a year old some already have some rattling problems from loose bolts and screws. The diesels/natural gas buses are the ones that are absolutely ridiculous....not even 6 months into service, some are rattling themselves apart. New Flyer builds the cr@ppiest buses around....they won't last long.

On the other hand, the Nova Bus models we bought are awesome.

You make a good point, those things will fall apart any day from now, since I've been driving I haven't been riding buses to often so I haven't been on a Nova Bus, but they sure look stunning on the outside, I always only see them on the 112, do you know why?

[nitronuts]

You make a good point, those things will fall apart any day from now, since I've been driving I haven't been riding buses to often so I haven't been on a Nova Bus, but they sure look stunning on the outside, I always only see them on the 112, do you know why?

I have no idea....the Nova's look stunning inside AND outside (the big windows are awesome, as well as the doors). The only thing that lacks with the Nova's is the paint job in my opinion, the grey outside looks terrible and isn't consistent with the better looking New Flyer paint job.

If there's another thing that Translink does poorly, it's maintaining a standard brand....you've got buses painted with all different sorts of colours.

[BuckyHermit]

I have no idea....the Nova's look stunning inside AND outside (the big windows are awesome, as well as the doors). The only thing that lacks with the Nova's is the paint job in my opinion, the grey outside looks terrible and isn't consistent with the better looking New Flyer paint job.

If there's another thing that Translink does poorly, it's maintaining a standard brand....you've got buses painted with all different sorts of colours.

They're following the Canucks' logo trend.

But yeah, the Novas definitely have their advantages. They hold more people than the New Flyers (NF's capacity is around 78, I believe... Nova's capacity is in the 90s, the last time I checked). And when there's a gang of people wanting to get in who have bus passes, the driver can open the mini-door next to the main front door as well.

Not to mention it's possible to literally move all the way to the back (since the engine is vertical, not horizontal).

The only minor beef I have with the Novas is how their back doors have a delayed reaction when people open them. They have to go "hissssss" and fart first before they open.

[Armada]

They're following the Canucks' logo trend.

But yeah, the Novas definitely have their advantages. They hold more people than the New Flyers (NF's capacity is around 78, I believe... Nova's capacity is in the 90s, the last time I checked). And when there's a gang of people wanting to get in who have bus passes, the driver can open the mini-door next to the main front door as well.

Not to mention it's possible to literally move all the way to the back (since the engine is vertical, not horizontal).

The only minor beef I have with the Novas is how their back doors have a delayed reaction when people open them. They have to go "hissssss" and fart first before they open.

Ahaha