Durham Region Transit / Pulse

[tmustudent9]

I can try to find out. Given the long-term nature I’d say it’s a good bet programmed signs and Presto readers will be used. Next-stop announcements would probably be used too, but I’d have to check with my mechanic friend about that. Hard to say if they’ll get DRT stripes. Last time they leased buses for a while, they were just all white with DRT logos.

About service: the 920 absolutely has to run more than every 30 mins. I took it twice this week at the start of rush hour and it was crush loaded halfway out of Scarborough. I think it’s scheduled to run every 15-20 minutes, but it’s so inconsistent you end up waiting for 30 minutes or more.

The 920 is scheduled to run every 15 mins. You’re right though, headways are inconsistent and I’ve noticed a lot of trips get cancelled right around the rush hour. Probably because of the cascading delays. It should definitely be at least every 10 mins with the very high ridership it sees

 

[Coolibop]

I can try to find out. Given the long-term nature I’d say it’s a good bet programmed signs and Presto readers will be used. Next-stop announcements would probably be used too, but I’d have to check with my mechanic friend about that. Hard to say if they’ll get DRT stripes. Last time they leased buses for a while, they were just all white with DRT logos..

Rode one of the rebranded busses today. No presto (it's a free ride) or stop announcements. Piece of paper at the front indicating rute and the outside stickers covering ttc logo.

 

[APTA-2048]

Rode one of the rebranded busses today. No presto (it's a free ride) or stop announcements. Piece of paper at the front indicating rute and the outside stickers covering ttc logo.

Interestingly, the TTC buses are still with DRT. I guess they’re here until the long-term leased buses are ready, which I haven’t heard any new updates about.

 

[Coolibop]

September results are out for DRT. I notice that the agency has an on time performance target of 80 percent, versus, 90 percent as compared to the TTC. While the metrics are slightly different (DRT busses are on time if they arrive at a stop between 0 and 5 minutes late; TTC I believe is -1 to 5), they do slightly favor for the TTC. Anyone have insight as to why the agencies have differing metrics? I would have thought the (higher) target is harder to achieve in a larger system like the TTC....

Septembers OTP was a dismal 69%...yikes. Rationale:

Other points of interest

The report concludes with DRT experiencing pressures due to high ridership numbers (good). However, they are having to pull or even suspend other bus services to maintain the core network (bad). Expect a service cut/adjustments announcement in mid-November for implementation in January.

With public pressures (at least in Pickering where I am familiar) to keep the increase of property taxes well below the proposed 10% for the region, I fear there will be additional stress on DRT in the coming year. The region had a suggestion to increase funding by 2 percent next year, however, this is looking more unlikely, unless they can find significant cuts to the planned budget (or funding) elsewhere.

 

[tmustudent9]

September results are out for DRT. I notice that the agency has an on time performance target of 80 percent, versus, 90 percent as compared to the TTC. While the metrics are slightly different (DRT busses are on time if they arrive at a stop between 0 and 5 minutes late; TTC I believe is -1 to 5), they do slightly favor for the TTC. Anyone have insight as to why the agencies have differing metrics? I would have thought the (higher) target is harder to achieve in a larger system like the TTC....

Septembers OTP was a dismal 69%...yikes. Rationale:

View attachment 517509

Other points of interest
View attachment 517506
The report concludes with DRT experiencing pressures due to high ridership numbers (good). However, they are having to pull or even suspend other bus services to maintain the core network (bad). Expect a service cut/adjustments announcement in mid-November for implementation in January.

With public pressures (at least in Pickering where I am familiar) to keep the increase of property taxes well below the proposed 10% for the region, I fear there will be additional stress on DRT in the coming year. The region had a suggestion to increase funding by 2 percent next year, however, this is looking more unlikely, unless they can find significant cuts to the planned budget (or funding) elsewhere.

Interesting to note that in the agenda, it states that some routes will be restructured, others will have services hours reduced or suspended entirely until the number of buses DRT has increased. That is for the upcoming Jan 2024 service changes. Any word on when replacements might come?

 

[APTA-2048]

Interesting to note that in the agenda, it states that some routes will be restructured, others will have services hours reduced or suspended entirely until the number of buses DRT has increased. That is for the upcoming Jan 2024 service changes. Any word on when replacements might come?

Last I heard was six buses at the end of October, but that didn’t happen. I haven’t received any updated news as to when they should be delivered.

 

[yrt+viva=1system]

Was out in Durham and managed to catch one of the TTC buses in service.

 

[ShonTron]

Was out in Durham and managed to catch one of the TTC buses in service.

View attachment 517915

Is that Whitby GO?

 

[yrt+viva=1system]

Is that Whitby GO?

Yes it is.

 

[tmustudent9]

Updates from last week's Transit Executive Meeting. Last month, DRT reached record level ridership with 1.13 million. For the period of Fall 2023, there were 67,000 weekday boardings on the system. Post-secondary boardings also doubled from ~527,000 last year to over 1 million this year.

DRT is also facing heavy network pressures, record ridership has resulted in the highest number of "bus full occurrences" at around 900 for October. All of the 2023 revenue service hours are currently deployed, which means no room for network growth. It was stated earlier in this thread, the service changes in January will have to require re-allocating resources from lowest-performing routes to the ones with the highest ridership & reliability issues.

Note that staff have said this is only a draft plan, and changes could be made based on how ridership levels play out for the next two months. As well in the report, fare integration between the TTC and DRT is set to launch in early 2024. This means cross-boundary trips will now only be one fare. If a customer is connecting from the TTC to DRT, they will now only pay the $3.30 TTC fare while the MTO will reimburse the DRT fare back to the agency.

 

[Northern Light]

Updates from last week's Transit Executive Meeting. Last month, DRT reached record level ridership with 1.13 million. For the period of Fall 2023, there were 67,000 weekday boardings on the system. Post-secondary boardings also doubled from ~527,000 last year to over 1 million this year.

DRT is also facing heavy network pressures, record ridership has resulted in the highest number of "bus full occurrences" at around 900 for October. All of the 2023 revenue service hours are currently deployed, which means no room for network growth. It was stated earlier in this thread, the service changes in January will have to require re-allocating resources from lowest-performing routes to the ones with the highest ridership & reliability issues.

View attachment 519674View attachment 519661

Note that staff have said this is only a draft plan, and changes could be made based on how ridership levels play out for the next two months. As well in the report, fare integration between the TTC and DRT is set to launch in early 2024. This means cross-boundary trips will now only be one fare. If a customer is connecting from the TTC to DRT, they will now only pay the $3.30 TTC fare while the MTO will reimburse the DRT fare back to the agency.

I'm not buying on the 'no flexibility'; Are there vehicles available and staff to operate them? If yes, they you have flexibility. There is almost always some budgetary contingency internal to a department/agency, on top of which the region will have that as well.

Now, to be fair to DRT staff, they would likely require Council approval to access those additional funds, and they might still be short relative to the sizable demand increase. But the idea that we're locked in until the new fiscal year is not reasonable to me.

A competent civil service and government ought to be expected to be able to adapt, at least somewhat, to changing circumstances, in something closer to real time.

 

[tmustudent9]

I'm not buying on the 'no flexibility'; Are there vehicles available and staff to operate them? If yes, they you have flexibility. There is almost always some budgetary contingency internal to a department/agency, on top of which the region will have that as well.

Now, to be fair to DRT staff, they would likely require Council approval to access those additional funds, and they might still be short relative to the sizable demand increase. But the idea that we're locked in until the new fiscal year is not reasonable to me.

A competent civil service and government ought to be expected to be able to adapt, at least somewhat, to changing circumstances, in something closer to real time.

I believe the leased buses to replace the destroyed are coming "any day now" according to the GM. Though they were apparently suppose to come last month and they didn't. The new electric buses DRT ordered way before the fire aren't set to be delivered until 2024/2025. Staffing levels are being ramped up as schedule, so it seems primarily like a funding issue.

DRT is asking for an increase of funding for the next fiscal year, but who knows how the budget process will go. The routes that are being "optimized" are suppose to be on a temporary basis until revenue service hours can be increased. We'll see what happens though.

 

[Coolibop]

I wouldn't hold my breath re funding. To my previous posts, there are significant pressures to keep tax increases down and I doubt they will cut the homelessness budget items to find room...

To @Northern Light 's post above re: (unnecessarily) spending on rebranding, I really think there will (and needs to) be some rethinking of the DRT budget in the short term. The appetite for spending conflicts with the current and projected demands.

 

[Coolibop]

After watching the transit exec committee meeting, a couple of things caught my attention that were not included in minutes :

• Changes in January may include express services (920 express between Oshawa/Toronto)
• 13 replacement busses of the 19 lost in the fire arrive in May, and they have other lease agreements in place; essentially lack of busses are not an issue to meet demands

To add, it was stated it takes about 3-6 months to hire & train new drivers. If DRT gets its wishes on budget for '24, they'd all be up and running by Sep.

 

[Richard White]

Changes in January may include express services (920 express between Oshawa/Toronto)

If I am not mistaken, does the Pulse bus not already go from Oshawa to Toronto?

I presume this would be express to STC rather than U of T. Occasionally I take the 900 to Military Trail and transfer to the 95 heading to STC but it would be so much easier if they had 7 day service to STC from Durham.