miWay Transit

[doady]

So, assuming my calculations are correct, the Saturday frequency of the 26 would increase to 17 or 18 minutes (currently 20 minutes), and the Sunday frequency would increase to 22 or 23 minutes (currently 33 minutes).

Giving Sunday service to the 35 is essentially a frequency increase for the Eglinton corridor. Sunday service would be at 32 or 33 minute frequency based on the given annual service hours total.

The proposed widened service spans seems like would be pretty modest though, judging from the numbers, at least when looking each route individually - typically 1 or 2 trips per direction for each route, widening their service span by 1 to 2 hours. 66 McLaughlin would get 3 trips in each direction for Sunday widened service span of 1.5 hours. 41 Thomas and 49 McDowell would each get 4 new trips per direction on Saturday for widened service span of around 3 hours, this is probably the most. But with 14 or 18 routes total with widened service span for each day, it is a pretty significant improvement overall.

Looking down the list of Appendix 7, it makes it even more sad that the TTC doing the exact opposite. Just compare this MT report requested my Hazel McCallion outlining $1.2M worth of additional off-peak service for various minor MT routes vs. the special TTC report requested by Rob Ford outlining $7M worth of cuts to off-peak service for various minor TTC routes.

Express service:
http://www.mississauga.ca/file/COM/BC_Service_Presentation_Transit.pdf

- No word on 102 extension south of Square One. So 102 would be basically redundant without the extension south of Square One.
- Derry is highlighted, but no word on when it will commence.
- Bramalea Express is also highlighted, but no word on when it will commence. (I personally hope it's on September, depending on the availability of the blue buses. But if there's none available, then it should start as 205 temporarily until it gets the blue buses. But it looks like none of those will happen.)

The 2013-14 BRT & Express map suggests that the 102 extension, 104, and 105 will not happen until 2015 at the earliest. The first segment of the Hurontario LRT will be built in 2016 which will free up some blue buses.

 

[rbt]

Hmm ... any idea why they think fare collection costs are going to increase with Presto?

It's consistent with experiences in London, New York, Chicago, Boston, etc.

Fare collection costs increase but fare evasion typically decreases enough to compensate (especially in Chicago where fare evasion turned out to be significantly higher than they thought).

If fare evasion is actually low costs will increase without the additional revenue.

Massively complex computer systems are rarely cheaper, particularly the "not yet beta" and "never used in production before" type: Presto. The systems give other benefits which can increase revenue but almost never do they decrease costs.


At least with an Open Payment system you are nearly guaranteed to get something functional out of the box because they have been deployed in large installations before, and all issues/constraints/requirements are known prior to deployment. Presto isn't one of those. It has unknown requirements (network, backend, etc.), unknown constraints (how far does it scale up?) and unknown issues (we hear about new ones every month or two here).

 

[nfitz]

It's consistent with experiences in London, New York, Chicago, Boston, etc.

Fare collection costs increase but fare evasion typically decreases enough to compensate (especially in Chicago where fare evasion turned out to be significantly higher than they thought).

If fare evasion is actually low costs will increase without the additional revenue.

Massively complex computer systems are rarely cheaper, particularly the "not yet beta" and "never used in production before" type: Presto. The systems give other benefits which can increase revenue but almost never do they decrease costs.

If Mississauga or Toronto was going alone I could see that. But isn't much of the operational cost for running the program being picked up by the Province? What does the Province give the agency for each fare? 100% 95%?

 

[rbt]

If Mississauga or Toronto was going alone I could see that. But isn't much of the operational cost for running the program being picked up by the Province? What does the Province give the agency for each fare? 100% 95%?

For the TTC, the province has not offered to pickup anything. TTC system runs independently and would be interlinked (communicate with) GO, etc. It is up to them to setup their own agreement with Accenture (sole source provider) for installation, maintenance, etc.

It would run as multiple independent systems (TTC backend is their own) with limited communications between them. Does the reduced Mississauga fare work correctly when getting off GO? I expect it's a hint recorded on the card rather than backend communications.

I don't know what the deal is with the other transit providers.

 

[Ed Drass]

For the TTC, the province has not offered to pick up anything.

We're talking about operating the system, right? Capital investment has been an ongoing negotiation, and that continues. Perhaps operating is being discussed too, but I don't recall hearing anything on that.

ed d.

 

[rbt]

We're talking about operating the system, right? Capital investment has been an ongoing negotiation, and that continues. Perhaps operating is being discussed too, but I don't recall hearing anything on that.

I haven't seen any indication the province intends to maintain the network, reading machines, support staff for the machines, central computer bank, or any other equipment related to Presto.

They might be willing to maintain the Presto call center and software without a fee but it is just as likely TTC will be required to contribute their share into it. Toronto already funds it indirecty through transfers to GO.

 

[doady]

More info about MT budget

Mississauga Transit Business Plan 2011-2014 (draft)

They talk about plans to improve off-peak service (including more -off-peak express service), but say it depends on how quickly ridership recovers and especially on funding from higher level governments. Since Tim "roads are the public transit" Hudak will become Premier in 2012, I'm not going to hold my breath on that one.

 

[Platform 27]

I haven't seen any indication the province intends to maintain the network, reading machines, support staff for the machines, central computer bank, or any other equipment related to Presto.

They might be willing to maintain the Presto call center and software without a fee but it is just as likely TTC will be required to contribute their share into it. Toronto already funds it indirecty through transfers to GO.

Er, Presto's core operating costs, including those related to the network, central computer bank, machine support, call centre etc. are 100% born by the province and all indications are they will continue to be.

I'm also pretty sure Toronto hasn't paid a cent towards keeping GO operating since the end of the GTSB.

 

[drum118]

Fuel mishap forces buses off the roads

• Louie Rosella
• |
• Jan 20, 2011 - 1:58 PM
• |
• 
  0

Fuel mishap forces buses off the roads

Ten Mississauga Transit buses were unexpectedly kept out of service yesterday after windshield washer fluid was mistakenly poured into a diesel fuel tank at transit headquarters.
Transit director Geoff Marinoff said the buses were affected after the contractor who delivers windshield washer fluid dumped it into the wrong tank.
"This caused the diesel to be contaminated," he said, adding the mixture was inserted into the fuel tanks of some buses before the problem was detected.
Passengers would have experienced delays due to the mix-up, Marinoff said, "but we tried to replace the buses as quickly as possible."
An environmental disposal company emptied the tank and filters were replaced on the affected buses.
All costs associated with the mishap will be billed back to the contractor, Marinoff said.
The fleet is on the road today at full strength.
"To the best of my knowledge, we've replaced all the buses that had the problem," Marinoff said.
lrosella@mississauga.net

http://www.mississauga.com/news/article/931940--fuel-mishap-forces-buses-off-the-roads

 

[Ed Drass]

http://www.mississauga.com/news/article/932844--transit-looks-to-expand-service

"Mississauga Transit's new operating budget, introduced last week, proposes a modest increase to its weekend bus service. The City expects to recover just 12.7 per cent of the operating cost of the new service, estimated to be worth $1.2 million annually, through the fare box. Most of the cost would go to hiring nine new drivers."

12.7%? Is that including something beyond the regular operating cost... like front-end training costs for these new drivers? Does this not include adding service to weekend routes that are currently experiencing crowding?

Imagine what would happen if some people got their wish and the TTC was amangle-mated with other GTA agencies... instead of the 'minor' late night cuts proposed for TTC, most of the off-peak service in Mississauga would fail to meet the ridership threshold...

ed

 

[doady]

http://www.mississauga.com/news/article/932844--transit-looks-to-expand-service

"Mississauga Transit's new operating budget, introduced last week, proposes a modest increase to its weekend bus service. The City expects to recover just 12.7 per cent of the operating cost of the new service, estimated to be worth $1.2 million annually, through the fare box. Most of the cost would go to hiring nine new drivers."

12.7%? Is that including something beyond the regular operating cost... like front-end training costs for these new drivers? Does this not include adding service to weekend routes that are currently experiencing crowding?

Imagine what would happen if some people got their wish and the TTC was amangle-mated with other GTA agencies... instead of the 'minor' late night cuts proposed for TTC, most of the off-peak service in Mississauga would fail to meet the ridership threshold...

ed

No, the 12.7% cost recovery figure doesn't include any of already-approved 30,000 annual service hours worth service improvements to address overcrowding, as those were already in the budget. The 12.7% figure only refers to the 12,000 hours worth of improvements outlined in the document posted in this thread earlier, on top of the 30,000 hours, for 42,000 new service hours total in 2011 budget.

 

[Tuscani01]

Seems like things are going well for MiWay!

Transit use growing: City


MiWay grows. Ridership is increasing on MiWay, formerly Mississauga Transit. File photo
It appears MiWay is a hit with Mississauga transit riders.
MiWay, formerly Mississauga Transit, has seen an increase of just over six per cent in ridership numbers compared to the same period the previous year.
"Since the inception of MiWay, in the first full week in October 2010 to the last full week in December 2010, the revenue ridership results are 6.1 per cent above the same period in 2009 and 3.5 per cent above 2008 — the year in which the organization saw its previous highest annual ridership," said Geoff Marinoff, the City of Mississauga's director of transit. "This growth has resulted in revenue rides per service hour — a key performance indicator in the transit industry — to increase 3.1 per cent over 2009."
Marinoff said in the first week since the Oct. 4 introduction of 42 MiExpress buses (serving passengers on the system's express route network), 1,055,000 passengers used the service. That represents the City's highest-ever weekly ridership.

http://www.mississauga.com/news/article/960520--transit-use-growing-city

 

[doady]

MT 2011 budget is based on 31.3M ridership prediction for 2011, an increase of 0.9M from 2010, but 0.1M lower than the 2008 numbers. Yet the 2010 fourth quarter ridership was already 3.5% higher than 2008 ridership in the same period? Seems like the 2011 ridership prediction is way too low, just almost every other year. Even the mid-year prediction in 2009 to account for the recession was too low (predicted 29.1M ridership, but ended up with 29.6M). These consistant low ridership projections seem just to be excuse to provide less service.

ALso, it's funny that they try to give credit to the branding for increasing the ridership and not mention the recovery of the economy from recession at all (the real reason for the ridership increase).

 

[drum118]

Don't expect to use your Presto card on MT starting this weekend as plan, as it has been delay until the end of April or longer.

What not a great surprise for MT, considering the various issues for YRT and Brampton.

Maybe one of these days, this Presto system will work like a true smart card system is suppose to do in the first place.

Seeing a lots of days where the Orions buses are missing from 19, or only had the odd or 2 out there.

Had my first ride on the 110 New Orion VII and a huge differents between it and the crap TTC ones. Perfer MT's ones any day than TTC. One has to wonder why a better MT bus at a lower cost than the ones TTC has being buying for year, other than 3rd generations??

 

[aleesia]

I think Mississauga never said that it will be late-March. They said it that it's April 18 for the rest of the system.

Brampton and York Region are supposed to launch late-March, not Mississauga.