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TTC: Other Items (catch all)

W. K. Lis said:
The TTC has to actually reduce the number of bus stops that are too close together. Except for the Councillors and NIMBYs, of course, who get in the way.
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No kidding.

The bus stops spacing are too close in many cases and this applies to other systems as well. Going a block or 2 and having to stop to pickup a rider at each one or drop them off, delays travel time for every one. You are always going to have Councillors and NIMBYs bitching about stops being removed like the streetcars one. There are still a few that need to go or be relocated at this time for Streetcars.
 
In the TTC Corporate Plan, there's a bit that says
Digital displays in more places
We will be making increased use of digital displays to share information, from service status updates to next vehicle arrival times. These include digital displays along subway platforms, in bus and streetcar bays, and at station entrances above fare-gates. We will also be piloting the use of displays in buses and streetcars. In addition, we will be piloting new self-serve touchscreens near station entrances, with trip planning tools, local points of interest and other community information.
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Good, this is really needed.

It also says
“One TTC” site & app
It’s not easy to effectively communicate with a workforce that is on the move across the city. When one of our 5,500 bus operators goes to work at the beginning of their shift, they get on their bus and go; they don’t have time to sit around and talk. Add to that the maintenance employees who keep our system and our vehicles running, and you’ve got two-thirds of our workforce needing information in very different ways. What’s the most efficient solution? Giving everyone email is surprisingly expensive, and we know from other major transit agencies that it isn’t always effective. So we’re making a website & app (this is one of the things we’re partnering for) that will allow us to put truly relevant, real-time information into each employee’s hands. We’re aiming to launch “One TTC” by 2019. As it evolves, it will couple targeted communication to each employee with functionality that makes their lives easier, such as the ability to access benefits services or potentially even sign-up for their shifts.
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I think this work should be more of a Metrolinx project, since it should encompass all the GTHA transit agencies on one app and website. It's good that the TTC is the one starting this (unlike Presto) so a kind of standard can be set. It would really make a big difference if all the transit agencies shared the same app, which can do all of the above and more. Such as Presto payment and information, inter-agency trip planning, regional Points of Interest, and information all in one easily accessible place.

Now for an implementation idea, why not create a Metrolinx App that has an "App Store" for different transit agency products, where one can download what they want or need.
 
Leo_Chan said:
I think this work should be more of a Metrolinx project, since it should encompass all the GTHA transit agencies on one app and website. It's good that the TTC is the one starting this (unlike Presto) so a kind of standard can be set. It would really make a big difference if all the transit agencies shared the same app, which can do all of the above and more. Such as Presto payment and information, inter-agency trip planning, regional Points of Interest, and information all in one easily accessible place.

Now for an implementation idea, why not create a Metrolinx App that has an "App Store" for different transit agency products, where one can download what they want or need.
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This reads as more of an internal app/website. It's not meant for public information, the real-time info it's referencing is likely things like internal scheduling and more info about delays. The only TTC employees that have an email and thus can get sent real-time info about issues and stuff are the office staff; operators, collectors, and many others don't have an email and thus don't get blitzes of information.

As for what you're asking, that what Triplinx is and is ever-evolving into. It does inter-agency trip planning, including telling you the PRESTO price of different trips, and more info. I find it's more more useful than Google Maps, because it allows you to A) include stopovers, B) specify how long you want to stopover, and C) You can add/remove options (Google Maps will tell people from Brampton to take the bus to the airport and take the UPX downtown, whereas you can remove UPX as an option in Triplinx). The real-time GPS trackers of those who use it are embedded in it, it gives warnings for scheduled subway closures. Everyone uses it in the GTA, it's just that the one embedded in the TTC site has everything *but* the TTC turned off as a default, which is actually kind of ridiculous.
 
DKsan said:
This reads as more of an internal app/website. It's not meant for public information, the real-time info it's referencing is likely things like internal scheduling and more info about delays. The only TTC employees that have an email and thus can get sent real-time info about issues and stuff are the office staff; operators, collectors, and many others don't have an email and thus don't get blitzes of information.

As for what you're asking, that what Triplinx is and is ever-evolving into. It does inter-agency trip planning, including telling you the PRESTO price of different trips, and more info. I find it's more more useful than Google Maps, because it allows you to A) include stopovers, B) specify how long you want to stopover, and C) You can add/remove options (Google Maps will tell people from Brampton to take the bus to the airport and take the UPX downtown, whereas you can remove UPX as an option in Triplinx). The real-time GPS trackers of those who use it are embedded in it, it gives warnings for scheduled subway closures. Everyone uses it in the GTA, it's just that the one embedded in the TTC site has everything *but* the TTC turned off as a default, which is actually kind of ridiculous.
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But it's a good idea right?
 
kotsy said:
Two-hour transfers are coming in August
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So I guess the TTC is using the "will be implemented well by August" statement to say that it will come in August, rather than it will come at the latest August. I just wanted to say this because late last year, the 2 hour transfer thing actually got seriously considered and Metrolinx said that Presto could implement it earlier than August 2018, but that August was the date they could do it well. So if it does for some miracle reason come earlier, it won't be because of magic. However, if it comes late...
 
Leo_Chan said:
So I guess the TTC is using the "will be implemented well by August" statement to say that it will come in August, rather than it will come at the latest August. I just wanted to say this because late last year, the 2 hour transfer thing actually got seriously considered and Metrolinx said that Presto could implement it earlier than August 2018, but that August was the date they could do it well. So if it does for some miracle reason come earlier, it won't be because of magic. However, if it comes late...
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They can implement it next week if they want. There's no real technical challenge as it's already implemented in the 905 region. It all comes down to revenue that TTC can't afford to lose yet.
 
Steve X said:
They can implement it next week if they want. There's no real technical challenge as it's already implemented in the 905 region. It all comes down to revenue that TTC can't afford to lose yet.
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Are you sure? Thought there was some hardware missing in the TTC readers.
 
Steve X said:
What hardware would that be? It's literally an update to an app that runs on the OS on the readers. The GO/TTC discount sounds more complicated.
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I'm guessing that they need to update their internal systems to change how fare revenue is calculated (so accounting stuff). They probably also need to change the way they estimate ridership (and perhaps some other things as well)
 
Sandpit said:
I'm guessing that they need to update their internal systems to change how fare revenue is calculated (so accounting stuff). They probably also need to change the way they estimate ridership (and perhaps some other things as well)
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The existing PRESTO system records the time one starts a journey (and has the location, often wrong!). All that is needed is to delete all the complex TTC transfer rules and program the system so that it will not allow another PAID tap-on for 120 minutes. Yes, there are other things in the programming queue and it will take some time - and presumably the work will not start until the City Council approves the budget in mid-February - but for it to take 6+ months is simply unbelievable.
 
DSC said:
The existing PRESTO system records the time one starts a journey (and has the location, often wrong!). All that is needed is to delete all the complex TTC transfer rules and program the system so that it will not allow another PAID tap-on for 120 minutes. Yes, there are other things in the programming queue and it will take some time - and presumably the work will not start until the City Council approves the budget in mid-February - but for it to take 6+ months is simply unbelievable.
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You're looking at the wrong piece. TTC is sending hundreds of millions through Presto and when the TTC budget is off by 1% it hits the press. As a result, they have very detailed reporting and auditing requirements in their original Presto contract. 90% of the effort will be proving (so QA team) the money is collected properly, tracked properly, and the expected amount transferred.

The effort will have little to do with the customer facing component.


At least, that's what I would expect (I've worked as software dev in big billing) unless they've seriously messed up the design.
 
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rbt said:
You're looking at the wrong piece. TTC is sending hundreds of millions through Presto and when the TTC budget is off by 1% it hits the press. As a result, they have very detailed reporting and auditing requirements in their original Presto contract. 90% of the effort will be proving (so QA team) the money is collected properly, tracked properly, and the expected amount transferred.

The effort will have little to do with the customer facing component.


At least, that's what I would expect (I've worked as software dev in big billing) unless they've seriously messed up the design.
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I certainly agree that the public-facing part of PRESTO is only part of the process and the financial tracking is at least as important. However, PRESTO now, one assumes, calculates the $$ correctly based on very complex transfer tables with many 'journeys' being composed of many taps - only some of which result in $$ changing hands. While I realise it is still complicated, I would think that discarding the current transfer rules (which involve both location and time) and replacing them with rules that are ONLY dependent on time would not be impossible to do 'fairly easily". You say "unless they've seriously messed up the design." Well, it's Metrolinx so I would not to too optimistic!
 
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