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News Roundup for June 28, 2024
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TTC: Next Bus/Streetcar Arrival System

DSC said:
The NextBus does NOT use scheduled times, it uses GPS so it is in real-time.
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I know. Which is why I'm saying that would be a benefit over an app like Red Rocket, which only uses scheduled times. I would rather use an app that had real-time, which is why I was asking if the TTC was going to export this service to the iOS platform.
 
Hmm, interesting - when I use Google Chrome, the map is now giving me San Francisco rather than Toronto. But it works okay in IE.
 
What's amazing about this Next Streetcar system is just how bad the service gaps are.

Just looked through a few routes. The first 4 routes I had all had huge delays - all on a quiet Saturday night when the system should be running like clockwork.

Here's some observation from right now at just before 11 pm.

501 - westbound at Royal York. Scheduled frequency 14-15 minutes. Next streetcar in 26, 37, and 54 minutes.
504 - westbound at Dufferin. Scheduled frequency 7-8 minutes. Next streetcar in 16, 24, 29, 34, and 42 minutes
505 - westbound at Spadina. Scheduled frequency 12-13 minutes. Next streetcar in 24, 37, and 52 minutes.
506 - eastbound at Main. Scheduled frequency 10 minutes. Next streetcar in 15, 16, 17, and 33 minutes. (10 minutes ago it was about 25 minutes wait here ... but they seem to have been sitting a couple of cars at Main to try and close the gap).

It's no wonder that people want to ditch streetcars and replace them with subways.
 
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Some of the times just look soo off right now ... I took a look a couple months ago, again off peek time and it's seemed relatively reasonable. But now ... not at all 30+ min on King.

I wonder if they don't have all the streetcars on yet ?
 
nfitz said:
What's amazing about this Next Streetcar system is just how bad the service gaps are.

Just looked through a few routes. The first 4 routes I had all had huge delays - all on a quiet Saturday night when the system should be running like clockwork.

Here's some observation from right now at just before 11 pm.

501 - westbound at Royal York. Scheduled frequency 14-15 minutes. Next streetcar in 26, 37, and 54 minutes.
504 - westbound at Dufferin. Scheduled frequency 7-8 minutes. Next streetcar in 16, 24, 29, 34, and 42 minutes
505 - westbound at Spadina. Scheduled frequency 12-13 minutes. Next streetcar in 24, 37, and 52 minutes.
506 - eastbound at Main. Scheduled frequency 10 minutes. Next streetcar in 15, 16, 17, and 33 minutes. (10 minutes ago it was about 25 minutes wait here ... but they seem to have been sitting a couple of cars at Main to try and close the gap).

It's no wonder that people want to ditch streetcars and replace them with subways.
Click to expand...

Pretty brutal considering the traffic delays should be minimal at that time (as well as the number of people getting on/off). Having had personal experience waiting for a Queen streetcar westbound at Bathurst at 11pm-ish, I can say that the actual service times are pretty accurate :p.

I wonder if having this information posted publicly will create any kind of change at the TTC, or if they'll just spout the usual nonsense of "there's nothing we can do", or "it's an issue and we're working on resolving it". If I had a dollar for every time the TTC has said "we're working on it", I'd have enough money to ride the TTC free for a year.
 
People within the TTC tried to actively block the NextBus data from being released, if that tells you anything. Internal "TTC Culture" is absolutely the biggest obstacle to improved service in this city, and no one really wants to address that.
 
taal said:
Some of the times just look soo off right now ... I took a look a couple months ago, again off peek time and it's seemed relatively reasonable. But now ... not at all 30+ min on King.
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It is't normally difficult to find a 20+ gap on the 506 during on evenings and weekends. (though worst I can see right now is 15 minutes westbound at Queens Park - though it's supposed to be 6-7 minutes service). It's seldom though I start to look through all the routes.
 
GraphicMatt said:
People within the TTC tried to actively block the NextBus data from being released, if that tells you anything. Internal "TTC Culture" is absolutely the biggest obstacle to improved service in this city, and no one really wants to address that.
Click to expand...

Uh, what???? I agree with GraphicMatt on something? Oy!

But yes, streetcar service MUST be improved!!! Other cities somehow have no problems running their trams/streetcars. Why is it so hard for the TTC?
 
GraphicMatt said:
People within the TTC tried to actively block the NextBus data from being released, if that tells you anything. Internal "TTC Culture" is absolutely the biggest obstacle to improved service in this city, and no one really wants to address that.
Click to expand...
TTC culture is a problem.

However, the data is invaluable for those that use the streetcar system. Knowing that there is a 20-25 minute wait makes all the difference. For much of the streetcar network there are alternative streetcars, buses, and subways. If I know the streetcar is not coming for 10 minutes, I'll walk 10 minutes to the subway ... or the bus, or another streetcar route. Or I'll even jump on the same line in the opposite direction to get to a subway. Or if I have time, I'll simply delay my departure until one is coming.

Since this data has been available, I find my usage of streetcars has increased. At times I used to simply start walking north to the subway (and simply jumping on an east-west streetcar if I see one), I know to simply wait an extra minute for a streetcar ... or walk.

What's also surprising, is that I find myself starting to use the furtive 502 and 503 streetcars. It can be a 30-minute wait for one, even in rush-hour. But if you know they are coming, then suddenly they become usable. I wonder if we'll start to see some modal shift away from the subway and very reliable short bus routes, now that this data is available.

Though I'm surprised that many people still don't seem to have any idea the data is available ... even with the stickers on every stop.
 
Coruscanti Cognoscente said:
Uh, what???? I agree with GraphicMatt on something? Oy!

But yes, streetcar service MUST be improved!!! Other cities somehow have no problems running their trams/streetcars. Why is it so hard for the TTC?
Click to expand...
The fact that streetcars are used and abused before it is too late. You should expect better service when around half of the legacy fleet arrives, since it means more service
 
nfitz said:
TTC culture is a problem.

However, the data is invaluable for those that use the streetcar system.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. Where I live (Corktown) the Queen and King cars are the same distance from my house. Knowing which stop to walk to (and when I need to leave the house) is a life saver, especially on cold days.

I find that service is actually pretty good in my part of the city, too, being more central. Large gaps are rare. I think that's because the TTC tries to maintain their schedule in the centre of the city to the detriment of service on the outer parts of the routes.
 
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