The Official Transit Thread

[old_time_hockey]

But it'll be a gas hog. And being a small vessel, it'll probably be dependent on weather and water conditions, and subject to delays and canceled sailings.

How about commuter rail to Lonsdale Quay, to bypass North Shore traffic congestion and a quick transfer to SeaBus instead?

A hydrofoil craft is what is needed.

It can operate even in choppy water that the Strait of Georgia can see and it is fast and ECONOMICAL.

[Common sense]

I live at 41st and Yew. I've lived here for over 5 years and commute to UBC most days. Standing at W. Boulevard where the 41, 43 and 480 all stop I've been passed by 5 full buses during the morning rush. I've also ridden the bus all the way from W. Boulevard to UBC without stopping because the bus has been full. Several times. It's much worse in September and on poor weather days, but it definitely does happen.

I find that it really REALLY depends on what time the bus arrives at UBC as well.

Say, if the bus arrives at :50, then it'll be full, of course. However, if the bus gets in at :30 or so, then it's usually empty. The buses I take in the morning are usually of both varieties (I got an odd schedule...), so I too have bared witness to the phenomenon of passups.

[tom_1]

Transit planners eye growing Fraser Valley, Squamish-Lillooet regions

Light rail transit might be a solution, but it’s very expensive and won’t happen overnight, he said, while reviving the old Interurban rail line isn’t viable because it runs along old milk routes, not through residential neighbourhoods.

funny how he's talks about a lack of transit for Langley and Surrey and then he discount the viability of the interurban. Newton, Scott Road, Clovedale, North Delta and the heart of Langley isn't exactly a milk run.

[-SN-]

That milk run excuse is ridiculous.

[silverpig]

I find that it really REALLY depends on what time the bus arrives at UBC as well.

Say, if the bus arrives at :50, then it'll be full, of course. However, if the bus gets in at :30 or so, then it's usually empty. The buses I take in the morning are usually of both varieties (I got an odd schedule...), so I too have bared witness to the phenomenon of passups.

Definitely true. That's why I've learned to time my bus catching

[YaK]

I may be moving back to Vancouver in the fall and I plan on relying on public transit. I'd like to find somewhere that is within a half hour's transit of the Lonsdale Quay area that isn't too expensive rent-wise (relative to Vancouver's high rent regardless). Could anyone familiar with the transit routes give me some idea of what regions these criteria would include? Ideally I wouldn't have to make any transfers from one bus to another so if there are any major transit corridors I should be aware of I'd really appreciate being told about them.

Edited April 3, 2009 by YaK

[tom_1]

That milk run excuse is ridiculous.

It's the same excuse every negative politician says about it; there has been no research, so really they should keep their mouths shut until they have factual information they can base their statements on. People who don't think and just act on their opinion without using facts should not be in office. Unfortunetely too many of these idiots are in charge and the state of the current transit system shows it.

[ronthecivil]

How is a ferry supposed to be faster or more cost effecient than land based transit over the same distance?

It wouldn't. If it was, nobody would build any bridges.

[ronthecivil]

A hydrofoil craft is what is needed.

It can operate even in choppy water that the Strait of Georgia can see and it is fast and ECONOMICAL.

No, what is needed is an express bus like the ones that service white rock and tswassen.

[ronthecivil]

It's the same excuse every negative politician says about it; there has been no research, so really they should keep their mouths shut until they have factual information they can base their statements on. People who don't think and just act on their opinion without using facts should not be in office. Unfortunetely too many of these idiots are in charge and the state of the current transit system shows it.

The only excuse really is that beyond the junction in cloverdale it starts having to compete with a lot of freight. If they got that sorted out it wouldn't matter if the stations were a little out of the way, build park and ride facilities and tie bus routes into it.

[Buggernut]

It wouldn't. If it was, nobody would build any bridges.

So what are those Squamishers thinking? Do they want a daily commuter transport vehicle, or a scenic cruise for tourists paid for by the regional and provincial taxpayers?

No, what is needed is an express bus like the ones that service white rock and tswassen.

If possible, wouldn't a train be better for that distance, on which passengers can stretch out their legs, plug in their notebooks and enjoy a capuccino from the concession stand?

[ronthecivil]

So what are those Squamishers thinking? Do they want a daily commuter transport vehicle, or a scenic cruise for tourists paid for by the regional and provincial taxpayers?

If possible, wouldn't a train be better for that distance, on which passengers can stretch out their legs, plug in their notebooks and enjoy a capuccino from the concession stand?

A scenic cruise doesn't sound like a bad idea, but I dont' want to pay for it.

If possible, a train COULD be better. Frankly, I don't know the rail traffic on every corridor, or how straight the alightment is. With the highway upgrades an express bus would probably be faster. Probably easier to build a few bus slip lanes to get it though the north van traffic to the seabus than it is to upgrade the rail corridor. Note that I said probably though.

Either would far faster and cost effective than a redundant boat though.

[nitronuts]

CANADA LINE PASSENGER INFORMATION DISPLAY - NEXT THREE TRAIN ARRIVALS

There will be two double sided PDI's at each Canada Line station, one for each direction.

Canada Line stations are currently being finished - this involves installing tiles, windows, telephones, CCTV cameras, ticket vending machines and furniture. It also involves installing and checking the LED PID monitors. PID is short for Passenger Information Display. PIDs show the destination and arrival time of the next train and subsequent trains. You can see from the picture that the next Waterfront train will be in 1 minute, then 5 and then 8 minutes later.

PIDs are currently used on some of the express bus stops in the Lower Mainland and on the SkyTrain Lines. Canada Line PIDs use amber lights as opposed to red ones. Amber lights make it easier for people to read the displays especially for those with visual impairments. As well as

PIDs on the platform, the train itself also has some new features to assist travelers. The front and side of the train will display the destination. Scrolling LED PIDs inside the train will point out which station is next. A computer activated digital recording of a person also announces the stations just prior to arrival.

[nitronuts]

Lamar Gearing Up for Olympics

By the time the 2010 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Vancouver launch next February, Lamar Transit Advertising Ltd. expects to have 46” LCD screens on every platform station of Vancouver’s existing 31 station Skytrain line and the city’s new nine station Canada Line subway line due to open later this year.

Further, following a recent pilot project with digital signs on the side of one city bus, Lamar is hoping for approval to similarly equip between 10 and 25 buses by the start of the Olympic Games – part of a plan to eventually have digital signage on 100 buses of the Vancouver Transit System.

And Lamar’s plans don’t stop there. Under its 20-year contract with the BC Transit system, it is also planning for in-bus screens by 2011, and digital bus posters on double deckers in Victoria and Kelowna in the unspecified future.

“In Vancouver, we plan to have a total of 165 screens on all Skytrain and Canada Line station platforms by the opening of the Games,” says Byron Montgomery, Lamar’s vice-president general manager in Vancouver. “We’ll have Canada’s only full system rapid transit network, the Lamar Commuter Digital Network.”

There are currently about 52 screens up or going up in about 11 stations. The screens use Omnivex software provided by NEC, and commuters see content that’s a combination of transit information, Global BC’s news, and advertising.

As far as the buses go, “We believe digital bus screens will be the future,” says Montgomery. While the pilot project used the UK’s Litelogic LED screen, “We’re looking at a variety of vendors,” says Montgomery.

“All this is costing an investment in the high seven figures over a two year period, but Lamar firmly believes that now is the time to invest,” he says.

In 2005, Lamar, a 107-year-old company with head office in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, took over Obie Media Group which had the contract for transit advertising services with BCTransit, the transit authority serving Vancouver, Victoria and more than 30 smaller municipal systems in BC. Its contract runs to 2020.

“In the first 11 years of the contract, we’ve increased revenue for the transit company by 290% and, with our digital offerings, we have a firm goal to double that,” says Montgomery,

Gail Chiasson

http://www.dailydooh.com/archives/8493

[inane]

Not sure why you choose to bold some sentences and not others. If anything there I would have bolded this: "The screens use Omnivex software provided by NEC, and commuters see content that’s a combination of transit information, Global BC’s news, and advertising."

Ie. Get used to more, faster, louder, in your face advertising on public transit.

[nitronuts]

^ lol, i didn't bold it because it's nothing new, for nearly a year now we've seen stations being installed with LCD screens showing transit info, Global BC news, and advertising. What we don't know, or rather learned just now, is that all of the other stations will all see installation by 2010.

[trek]

interior screen too eh? Maybe they'll include the GPS map that shows the bus's route and current location like when i was down in Cali riding OCTA. Oh and their stop announcements don't sound like robolady we have here either

Edited April 3, 2009 by trek

[BuckyHermit]

interior screen too eh? Maybe they'll include the GPS map that shows the bus's route and current location like when i was down in Cali riding OCTA. Oh and their stop announcements don't sound like robolady we have here either

OCTA is miles ahead of us in terms of technology.

"Now approaching Main Street at Katella Avenue. Transfer points for routes 50 and 53." -- a much better annuncement system than TransLink's. (That's usually where I get off for Honda Center when I'm in OC, actually. )

Not to mention their fareboxes don't confuse people in terms of validating your farecards (ie. swiping your transfer like a credit card instead of stabbing the box with your transfer repeatedly until it works).

Edited April 3, 2009 by BuckyHermit

[Common sense]

OCTA is miles ahead of us in terms of technology.

"Now approaching Main Street at Katella Avenue. Transfer points for routes 50 and 53." -- a much better annuncement system than TransLink's. (That's usually where I get off for Honda Center when I'm in OC, actually. )

Not to mention their fareboxes don't confuse people in terms of validating your farecards (ie. swiping your transfer like a credit card instead of stabbing the box with your transfer repeatedly until it works).

Swiping it just means people will screw that up as well. Ever worked as a cashier inside a grocery store? You get to see people swipe their credit and debit cards. Not funny at all.

[trek]

Not to mention their fareboxes don't confuse people in terms of validating your farecards (ie. swiping your transfer like a credit card instead of stabbing the box with your transfer repeatedly until it works).

RFID like in HK and London is the best. I've seen hongers actually sit on the turnstyles to validate instead of the arduous task of sticking their hand in their rear pocket, removing their wallet, and producing the card...