York Region Transit: Viva service thread

[wilson_wu]

sick thanks for the update! I was just in CLeveland where they built a new BRT line called the healthline, it was soooooo nice, but I think from the descriptions i've read that vivanext will be even nicer so let's keep our fingers crossed lol and does anyone know if viva will be buying new buses for vivanext or just using the ones they have now? cuz the buses in cleveland looked like LRTs with rubber wheeles they were really nice.

VIVA will be buying new buses every year. They just issued a Request For Proposals RFP for the purchase of new articulated buses, which means that we will likely not be buying Van Hool's european buses anymore. The region has had problems getting parts for their buses, causing lengthy delays in the maintenance of the Van Hools.

Some contenders for the new vehicles including the:
New Flyer BRT bus (which is basically an elongated suped-up BRT version of the majority of the regular YRT buses in service)

The brand new Novabus LFX (which I think looks a lot like the Van Hools...but given Novabus' track record with newly designed products, I hope VIVA doesn't become a tester for these buses.)

The Mercedes Benz Citaro (which could be built under license by Orion, the main supplier of buses to the TTC). This bus is popular in Europe.

There's the Wright Streetcar of the UK, which was mentioned in York Region's meeting documents, but it isn't licensed for operation in Canada. This could change in the future.

One thing for sure is, we won't be getting an ugly bus. Documents on the York Region website say that they'll continue to look into the BRT aesthetics of the buses they buy.

 

[BMO]

I deffinitly hope we don't get the Mercedez one, i go to visit my family in spain often and I always see Mercedez buses and ride them when i'm there, like they're alright because they're Mercedez and it's a novelty but the Van Hool's are alot nicer IMO, out of all those choices you showed i like the first one it is the one i mentioned earlier that they have in cleveland, and it was pretty decent, though I do like the second bus because it looks like the Van Hool's, I've seen the APTS Phileas 80 & 85 which I think would be good, they are double articulated, although i don't know if this will make it more difficult for the buses getting to and from the garage. Another notable mention is the NABI 60 BRT, looks slightly nicer than the New Flyer you showed

 

[smuncky]

MyTransit Newsletter – Spring 2009

finally some local buses will have full back support.

 

[ShonTron]

One might expect the Acceleride buses to look like the Cleveland Health Line bus above - as NFI got the tender for Brampton's BRT buses.

 

[APTA-2048]

One might expect the Acceleride buses to look like the Cleveland Health Line bus above - as NFI got the tender for Brampton's BRT buses.

It seems those buses for Brampton will be the Xcelsior model from NFI according to this BusRide article.

 

[kettal]

One thing for sure is, we won't be getting an ugly bus. Documents on the York Region website say that they'll continue to look into the BRT aesthetics of the buses they buy.

I hope they get spoilers and neon lights, so they can fit in with the other vehicles in the region.

 

[wilson_wu]

The vivaNext shelters for the dedicated bus lanes will have a fully enclosed space that is heated, with a pull/push door to the side for access. It was confirmed today, thank god! You guys should see the garbage VIVA shelters they currently have. It's nice VIVA actually takes customer concerns and work with them.

The busway platforms will be 55 metres long (longer than SkyTrain's Canada Line platforms) to make way for potential light rail conversion.


http://www.vivanext.com

 

[Second_in_pie]

Oh. My. God. Heated shelters?!! Sounds like these will be less like bus stops and more like fully blown stations! Are the Transit City stops going to be like this too?

 

[smuncky]

Oh. My. God. Heated shelters?!! Sounds like these will be less like bus stops and more like fully blown stations! Are the Transit City stops going to be like this too?

they'll most likely be heaters like the ones they have now at richmond hill center which are activated by motion sensors when it's below a certain temperature.

 

[xtremesniper]

they'll most likely be heaters like the ones they have now at richmond hill center which are activated by motion sensors when it's below a certain temperature.

Please god, no. Those do absolutely jack all considering the entire area that they are supposed to be "heating up" is an open wind tunnel.

At least these new shelters are actually... well, "shelters" with doors to keep wind out. Whoever designed the RHC terminal must be a Californian native.

But yeah, at one of the public consultations for the Highway 7 BRT stops a while back I raised the question about having the sun beating down on the glass at the stations, which would turn the stops into green houses. They said they'd add a buffer of some sort into the glass to reflect the sun's rays and make it less harsh in the summers. Here's hoping.

 

[drum118]

Finch Terminal May 18

I noticed 2 new platforms in the north-east cor, or have I miss them all this time. #18 and 19.

A view if the rebuilt and pave Finch Terminal.

 

[smuncky]

I noticed 2 new platforms in the north-east cor, or have I miss them all this time. #18 and 19.

yup, they were there all the time. however, there was poor signage and is mainly used for layovers by viva buses and the occasional tai-pan tours bus.

 

[drum118]

yup, they were there all the time. however, there was poor signage and is mainly used for layovers by viva buses and the occasional tai-pan tours bus.

I remember the platform been used by others as you noted, but not YRT stops. VIVA parked there most of the time as layover.

Tai-Pan tours bus was there when I was there. Looking for some riders to loose some money.

Noticed a few ppl dumping their garbage bags off coming from the parking lot to the east.

 

[smuncky]

Don Mills Road/Leslie Street Light Rail Transit Line
Public Consultation Meeting

Wednesday, June 10, 2009
6:30pm to 9:00pm
Presentation at 7:00pm

Hilton Garden Inn
300 Commerce Valley Drive East
Thornhill, ON L3T 7X3

 

[Second_in_pie]

Huuuuh?! Is this just a meeting for the Don Mills LRT?