TTC: Other Items (catch all)

[amnesiajune]

The TTC's phrase noted above "Your feedback helps us work towards our goal of being a Transit System that makes Toronto proud" implies that they know they have more to do, and THAT'S for sure!

Every transit system has a lot more to do. Whether it's improving service frequency, improving service quality, increasing capacity or lowering fares, there isn't a system in the world where people have valid complaints about at least one of those (and invalid complaints about at least one other)

 

[drum118]

TTC's five new express bus routes proving successful

August 29, 2017

Five new express bus routes, introduced as part of City Council's unprecedented $95 million investment in public transit, are performing exceedingly well, Mayor John Tory and TTC Chair Josh Colle announced this morning.

The five new routes - 185 Don Mills Rocket, 199 Finch Rocket, 188 Kipling South Rocket, 24E Victoria Park Express and 186 Wilson Rocket - went into service in March 2016.

"Getting around the city remains the number one priority for Torontonians. That's why in my first budget as Mayor, we made one of the largest investments in transit in recent memory," said Mayor Tory. "Two years later, we are still seeing real results from this investment, which is making it easier for the people of Toronto to get to work and home to their families."

"The introduction of the five new express bus routes has provided an excellent rapid and reliable transit option for our customers," said Chair Colle. "The new routes have helped to address our city's congestion issues, attract more riders to the system and act as a transit solution at a fraction of the cost of building new infrastructure."

Typically, it takes up to three years for ridership to mature on a route, with 75 per cent of the ridership being generated in the first year. Four of the five routes introduced have reached or exceeded their first-year ridership targets. It is clear commuters take advantage of express routes when they are available.

The new express routes were identified because they are in established, busy transit corridors where they would carry significant volumes of customers while cutting travel times and connecting with major residential, employment, and educational centres.

 

[kEiThZ]

What's TTC's SOGR at these days? Anyone know?

 

[amnesiajune]

TTC's five new express bus routes proving successful

August 29, 2017

Five new express bus routes, introduced as part of City Council's unprecedented $95 million investment in public transit, are performing exceedingly well, Mayor John Tory and TTC Chair Josh Colle announced this morning.

The five new routes - 185 Don Mills Rocket, 199 Finch Rocket, 188 Kipling South Rocket, 24E Victoria Park Express and 186 Wilson Rocket - went into service in March 2016.

"Getting around the city remains the number one priority for Torontonians. That's why in my first budget as Mayor, we made one of the largest investments in transit in recent memory," said Mayor Tory. "Two years later, we are still seeing real results from this investment, which is making it easier for the people of Toronto to get to work and home to their families."

"The introduction of the five new express bus routes has provided an excellent rapid and reliable transit option for our customers," said Chair Colle. "The new routes have helped to address our city's congestion issues, attract more riders to the system and act as a transit solution at a fraction of the cost of building new infrastructure."

Typically, it takes up to three years for ridership to mature on a route, with 75 per cent of the ridership being generated in the first year. Four of the five routes introduced have reached or exceeded their first-year ridership targets. It is clear commuters take advantage of express routes when they are available.

The new express routes were identified because they are in established, busy transit corridors where they would carry significant volumes of customers while cutting travel times and connecting with major residential, employment, and educational centres.

I usually don't care about holding a press conference for everything, but this one's a bit odd since they're not actually announcing anything. It was basically just a pep rally for express buses and confirmation that the city hasn't changed its plan to add some new routes in 2019..

 

[TheTigerMaster]

I usually don't care about holding a press conference for everything, but this one's a bit odd since they're not actually announcing anything. It was basically just a pep rally for express buses https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/tr...eneral-to-investigate-new-go-stations.htmlits plan to add some new routes in 2019..

This is a marvellous achievement. Mr Tory loves to announce new programs, and then never follows through on funding. Tory kept a promise!

 

[amnesiajune]

Mr Tory loves to announce new programs, and then never follows through on funding.

Then how do subway trains run under my apartment at 8 AM on Sundays? And why are drivers putting the number 185 on the bus I take to see my doctor?

 

[rbt]

What's TTC's SOGR at these days? Anyone know?

You mean the unfunded components? Fed knocked a big chunk off that recently and I'm uncertain what remains.

The funded components are pretty thoroughly documented in the capital budget. SOGR spending for 2017 was expected to be $1.1B. There is typically a bit of a reduction as some stuff takes longer than expected; payments slip into future years.

http://ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commiss...21/Reports/2_2017-2026_TTC_Capital_Budget.pdf

 

[jje1000]

A bit more on the express bus routes:

The TTC began a review of express bus routes in 2015 and in 2016, city officials approved a $95 million investment to enhance the service.

“This plan to expand the network will bring short, medium term, and long-term options to TTC riders,” TTC Chair Josh Colle said on Tuesday.

“The board has now also approved a 10-year strategy to further enhance express bus service… with improvements to existing routes beginning very soon and new routes to come in the coming years.”

Colle said phase one of the plan would include redeploying existing articulated buses on certain express routes, including all-door boarding on the Airport Rocket.

Phase two includes new express routes on Lawrence West, Islington, Weston Road, Dufferin and Markham Road.

Express routes already in operation on Keele, Steeles, Steeles East, Sheppard West, Sheppard East, University of Toronto Scarborough Rocket, Wilson and York Mills, will also be enhanced.

Phase three of the plan will be to add more routes in the coming years.

According to the TTC’s three-year Express Bus Network Study, the net operating cost to implement the express bus network is approximately $13.1 million per year once the plan has been fully implemented and ridership fully matures.

It will cost the city an additional $34.2 million to procure 38 articulated buses to implement the plan.

The TTC currently operates express services on 24 bus routes during peak hours from Monday to Friday.

http://globalnews.ca/news/3703197/ttc-express-bus-route-expansion/

 

[W. K. Lis]

The agenda for the next September 5, 2017 TTC meeting is out, see link.

One of the reports, see link, is on a Procurement Authorization – Purchase Four Hundred Forty (440) Low Floor Clean Diesel City Buses, which will cost about $315,525,000.00. No mention if the buses, expected delivery in 2018 and 2019, will have rear windows. Expected 12-15 year bus life. (TTC maybe able to extend their lives to 18 years.)

 

[DSC]

In the CEO's Report for September TTC Board we see:

Targets are right-hand column, performance on left. I must say I find it terrible that only just over 50% of streetcars depart on time. If the reason is that they arrive late then the schedule needs to be adjusted, if it is poor line-management then 'something needs to be done". (It should be noted that 'on time' is defined as: "Note: This KPI measures adherence to scheduled (-1 to +5 minutes) departure times from end terminals." A really rather generous definition, and still the TTC can't meet it.)

 

[Amare]

The agenda for the next September 5, 2017 TTC meeting is out, see link.

One of the reports, see link, is on a Procurement Authorization – Purchase Four Hundred Forty (440) Low Floor Clean Diesel City Buses, which will cost about $315,525,000.00. No mention if the buses, expected delivery in 2018 and 2019, will have rear windows. Expected 12-15 year bus life. (TTC maybe able to extend their lives to 18 years.)

The TTC is really going to have to adjust their loading standards to account for the NovaBus' reduced capacity compared to the Orion VII. Had they gone with the XD40 they wouldnt have had as much of a problem, but now we're getting more buses which accommodate both fewer seating and standing passengers.

I refer to this the hidden cost of the NovaBus, as the TTC will have to deploy more buses to meet their current service standards. This is something that the tendering process doesnt take account for.

 

[Steve X]

The TTC is really going to have to adjust their loading standards to account for the NovaBus' reduced capacity compared to the Orion VII. Had they gone with the XD40 they wouldnt have had as much of a problem, but now we're getting more buses which accommodate both fewer seating and standing passengers.

I refer to this the hidden cost of the NovaBus, as the TTC will have to deploy more buses to meet their current service standards. This is something that the tendering process doesnt take account for.

So? The TTC haven't increased service when they switch from high floor buses that can care 60+ riders to low floor buses that can hold 50-55. The Orion VIIs and Novas are the same size. Less seats mean more standing room. Unlike year's Novas, they rearranged the seats in the upper part of the bus. The loading capacity are similar. Reduce capacity with strollers is a bigger issue than the bus itself.

 

[smallspy]

So? The TTC haven't increased service when they switch from high floor buses that can care 60+ riders to low floor buses that can hold 50-55.

Yes they did. They kept going on and on in the reports about how they had to buy more vehicles to provide the same level of service.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[ShonTron]

Also, the TTC only allows one bike per rack on the Nova buses. They could look at getting other racks that would solve the drivers' complaint about sightlines (outside of Toronto, there are no restrictions on bikes on Novas), but they haven't gave it any consideration.

The NFI Xcelsiors are a nice bus, and I wish the TTC got those.

 

[smuncky]

The NFI Xcelsiors are a nice bus, and I wish the TTC got those.

They'd look really nice with the new red/white livery.