News   Oct 03, 2024
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VIVA + York Region Transit

Durham Region TMP (2017) - 2031 Higher-Order Transit Network
View attachment 526852

DRT plans to develop a Local Area Transit Plan (LATP) for the area. LATPs will be developed for Bowmanville (Clarington), Newcastle (Clarington), Courtice (Clarington), Kedron and Windfields areas (Oshawa), Port Perry (Scugog), Seaton (Pickering), Brooklin (Whitby).

Interesting, this is the first time I've seen a stop on the CP (Belleville sub) line. This has been on my fantasy map for a few years, plus a few more stations.
 
Let's talk fares. I don't think any changes can be made for 2024. But, looking at the future, continuing 3% fare increases while YRT has a $4 fare, one of the highest in the region. This seems problematic. On the other hand increased fare integration in 2024 will help riders pocketbooks.

How problematic are the plans to continue with 3% fare increases? How much demand is this destroying? YRT has many other problems and advocating for increased service and frequency is also important.
 
It is honestly appalling to me as a YR resident to see Brampton Züm provide better service on Highway 7 than Viva Orange does. Truly insane and embarrassing. I'm glad I don't have to rely on Viva Orange, but one must feel bad for everyone east of VMC. Millions spent on rapidways, only for 12 minute peak frequencies?
 
Screenshot_2024-01-08_103348.jpg


 
View attachment 532009

Some interesting stuff here, including some service to Gormley GO (albeit as MOR).

The mention of the return of the 51 Keswick Local is interesting, as a user on the CPTDB forum noted that it appears the 51 is returning during PM peak as of today. This was not mentioned in the January 7 service change list.
Screenshot_20240108_120023_Chrome.jpg
 
The 7 Martin Grove route will get Sunday service!*

* Every 72 minutes.

I'm all for a greater span of service, but 72min headway verges on utterly pointless. Better to take another route w/Sunday service where the current headway is greater than 30M and get it down to 30M or better still 20M
 
a few tidbits from the Q/A from the municipalities:

City staff inquired whether e-buses are operating
along specific routes only

· YRT staff noted that e-buses are deployed on routes
operating out of the garage in Newmarket. Between
2024 and 2026, a total of 180 new e-buses are
planned to be procured and infrastructure updates
will continue to be made at all garages through a
combination of grants and loans

TLDR: new e buses soon!!! a lot more!!

City staff inquired if YRT’s ridership recovery is
comparable to the TTC

· YRT staff advised the TTC is experiencing slower
growth and the growth YRT is experiencing is more
comparable with Durham Region Transit (DRT).
Other agencies in the GTHA, such as MiWay and
Brampton Transit, have experienced faster recovery
largely due to their industrial and international
student markets

TLDR: we can thank hybrid and WFH for the slower recovery
and more white collared workers live in YR

City staff inquired if there will be enough capacity to
operate the large increase of electric buses expected
to be procured between 2023 and 2026

· YRT staff explained that the grant provided by
Infrastructure Canada will be used to update
infrastructure requirements and chargers at bus
depots to support electric buses
> City staff inquired if YRT piloted the use of electric buses
to understand maintenance and long-term impacts

· YRT staff confirmed the pilot of six battery-electric
buses starting July 2019. During the pilot phase,
YRT monitored battery usage and charging times.
Moving forward, YRT will be purchasing e-buses
with greater capacity levels to support operations
on longer routes

Environmental sustainability and transit fleet
electrification
> YRT staff noted purchasing long range e-buses
moving forward and focusing on in-depot charging,
with only one on-street Pantograph charger available
at Newmarket Terminal


TLDR: chargers will be installed at all bus garages

City staff expressed recent concerns raised by local
politicians regarding rapid transit on Highway 7

· YRT staff noted that Viva orange ridership has
surpassed pre-pandemic levels

TLDR: hopefully this triggers Orange service increase in future schedule updates

> Metrolinx staff are not surprised with YRT’s ridership
decline at GO stations considering parking availability.
Moving forward, Metrolinx is not anticipating extensive
parking expansions at GO stations

TLDR: More car mausoleums 😒
 
Took me a moment to figure out how to screenshot that mess (2024 service improvements); here we go:

1704817760241.png

Kennedy improves:

1704817885117.png

The other improvements weren't all that attention getting, here I thought the symbolic value of 15M rush hour service was good, and reductions off-peak were meaningful at 8M/23% reduction in headway for mid-day and 7M /22% for early and late evening. Weekends are reported in such a wacky way, that said, best weekend headways also drop by 9M or 26%
 
Some service extensions later into the night on the weekend.

Extending 24 Woodbine Service. In early 2023 the frequency was every 50 minutes on the weekend. Now it's 35 minutes on the weekend. Saturday Service being extended from 7pm to ~12am. Sunday service extended from 7pm to ~10pm. (Also, 11am to 12am on weekdays).

Extending 90 Leslie Service. Frequency is ~40 minutes on the weekend. Saturday Service extended from 8pm to ~12pm. Sunday extended from 8pm to ~10pm.

The performance of the 90 Leslie is quite good and on weekends too. It seems like a good target for a frequency increase off peak and on weekends.

Hopefully with fare integration coming in 2024 we'll see a lot more service improvements this year.
 
Honestly with fare integration, YRT should work more with TTC to improve their headways with routes that cross north of Steeles.

Imagine if the 102 no longer sucked being treated like a last resort and was actually useful for once. Or if the 129/160 can help boost ridership in well developed areas such as Markville and Promenade respectively.

Then there's also the possibility of more TTC routes extending into YR creating more options for riders especially between Steeles and Hwy 7.
 

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