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TTC: Transit City Bus Plan

ehlow said:
I like that they're looking at branding & marketing as well. If the service is better than a regular bus, sometimes marketing and signage can differentiate it. For example in Waterloo when they had a new express bus they called it "iXpress", they had specially branded buses, stops and simple to understand maps.
Click to expand...

Branding is a great idea. It's been shown to raise the profile of transit and help increase ridership.

I just hope that they don't do it in a typical "missed the point" TTC way. A branded service should not consist of all the express routes, but should be limited to those which also meet a minimum level of service standard. If the 145, with about 4 round trips a day, shares branding with the fast *and* frequent 196 or 199, the branding will be far less effective.

We could end up with a TTC route typology like this:
  • ROCKET NETWORK - Higher speed routes operating every 10 minutes or better
  • FREQUENT NETWORK - Local routes operating every 10 minutes or better
  • REGULAR ROUTES
  • EXPRESS ROUTES
  • LIMITED SERVICE
  • PREMIUM EXPRESS - Peak period only. Additional fare required
 
I am really looking forward to seeing the recommendations. I currently drive to work, as it only takes 15 minutes vs. slightly over an hour by subway + bus. A Don Mills express bus would significantly cut that timing to the point where I actually would consider going back to transit.
 
Tuscani01 said:
I am really looking forward to seeing the recommendations. I currently drive to work, as it only takes 15 minutes vs. slightly over an hour by subway + bus. A Don Mills express bus would significantly cut that timing to the point where I actually would consider going back to transit.
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A 15 min drive would be pretty tough to beat though.
 
ehlow said:
A 15 min drive would be pretty tough to beat though.
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Not really. I miss the free time I had during my commute. I could listen to music, text, read news etc. I would be fine with a 30 minute commute by bus.
 
I figured this was as good a thread as any to post this in. It looks like the TTC is adding new Rocket routes: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/tra...ttc-launches-five-new-express-bus-routes.html

IMO, one that would be really useful is a rocket between Kipling Station, Sherway, and Long Branch GO. Right now connecting from Lakeshore West to Bloor-Danforth is a pain. Adding Sherway onto that route would certainly help boost off-peak ridership.
 
And here's the map.
From this PDF: http://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Com...ss_Bus_Study_Intro_of_First_New_Express_R.pdf

TTC Express2.PNG
 

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Looks like I'm getting my wish! Though, the description for the 185 says daytime and early evening service, but no mention of morning service. Does this mean no morning service at all on the Don Mills Rocket? Some of the other routes specified morning peak period service, so I found it weird that Don Mills is left out of that.
 
Tuscani01 said:
Though, the description for the 185 says daytime and early evening service, but no mention of morning service. Does this mean no morning service at all on the Don Mills Rocket? Some of the other routes specified morning peak period service, so I found it weird that Don Mills is left out of that.
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The only ones that menion peak, don't run mid-day. Most only say daytime, which presumably includes peak.
 
salsa said:
So looks like the express buses survived the mayor's TTC budget cuts?
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Since this was one of the Tory's "pet projects" it had to make the cut. The TTC will still have to find a way to cut something from their budget, but ironically it wont be any of the latest pet project improvements (ie: Sunday morning subway service, New Express Routes, etc..)
 
Amare said:
Since this was one of the Tory's "pet projects" it had to make the cut. The TTC will still have to find a way to cut something from their budget, but ironically it wont be any of the latest pet project improvements (ie: Sunday morning subway service, New Express Routes, etc..)
Click to expand...

Well technically express routes do reduce operating costs, because by running a certain distance express instead of local, you lower the route cycle time. Presumably then you can either increase frequency (more revenue), or lower the fleet requirements for that route and maintain the same headway (less operating cost). The TTC used this approach when they introduced articulated buses. They increased the headway to a point where it kept the overall capacity constant, thereby resulting in a reduction in operating costs for that route.

Either way, shifting long haul riders off of local routes and onto express routes is a good idea as far as the bottom line is concerned. Not to mention it's better for riders.
 
gweed123 said:
The TTC used this approach when they introduced articulated buses. They increased the headway to a point where it kept the overall capacity constant, thereby resulting in a reduction in operating costs for that route.
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Well that was their intention with the articulated buses. Except that they didnt implement the strategy properly when the artics first arrived and they botched the way that they were used. As of late, they've started to figure things out though.
 
That's a good proactive way to look at the high-ridership bus routes.

Sure would like to see a north-south route on Kipling.

- Paul
 
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