York Region Transit: Viva service thread

[taal]

also don't forget that lots of rides between highwa 7 and finch ar done on viva pink as well, because it goes from Finch, to richmond Hill Centre, then East to unionville GO

Not really, the ridership of Viva pink is exteremly low - it was sub 2500 from what I recall. I mean it's rush hour only but it doesn't contribute that much.

 

[Epi]

If YRT still wants to capitalize on the VIVA brand even after midnight, it should continue to operate route 98/99 as is, but put VIVA buses on the route instead.

I'm not sure that would work. It would just confuse a lot of people because VIVA has different pricing and a different brand altogether, and people near the change-around time +/- 15 mins would be unsure what bus to board even if they knew that VIVA meant local service after midnight.

 

[RedRocket191]

I'm not sure that would work. It would just confuse a lot of people because VIVA has different pricing and a different brand altogether, and people near the change-around time +/- 15 mins would be unsure what bus to board even if they knew that VIVA meant local service after midnight.

VIVA doesn't have different pricing - VIVA + YRT = 1system.

But, thank you for helping me prove my point that there is still confusion and this needs to be dealt with.

 

[Epi]

VIVA doesn't have different pricing - VIVA + YRT = 1system.

But, thank you for helping me prove my point that there is still confusion and this needs to be dealt with.

Can you validate YRT tickets in the VIVA machines? Because there is no fare box in VIVA, just ticket inspectors... I was under the impression that while you can transfer between the two using transfers, the tickets were different. But you're right they have a the same pricing, it's been a long time since I rode YRT back in high school

I guess I inadvertently proved my own point too with confusion LOL.

 

[doady]

Even "VIVA + YRT = 1system" implies that VIVA is separate from YRT. The term "YRT" should already include VIVA. But according to YRT it doesn't. Hence the confusion.

Call it what you want, but at its core, VIVA is just an express bus route like any other, except that it happens to use different buses and has fancier stops. As shown above, there is no purpose for express service after midnight, and if anything it would be an inconvenience by not stopping everywhere.

I agree completely. VIVA Blue is little more than a fancy express bus and the 99 Yonge is better for late night service. But VIVA Blue should still provide the service instead.

 

[RedRocket191]

viva blue is little more than a fancy express bus and the 99 yonge is better for late night service. But viva blue should still provide the service instead.

????????????????????

Ok.....

Well, at least you stick to your guns to the bitter end...

 

[xtremesniper]

YRT does not know what "express" means either, judging from the way VIVA Purple detours into Unionville GO and York University instead of routes 1 and 77.

Honestly? You take a step forward, and two steps back. How do you honestly think that it's not a smart idea to have an express route hit a major trip generator? It's like you're trying to tell me that the Viva should hit Weldrick, but completely skip 16th Ave. It makes no sense.

Of course Viva is going to service York University. It is solely because of York University that there is even any ridership west of Yonge to begin with, and in the morning and afternoon rush hours I can even say York U is the reason for ridership for the entire route, as at least 80% of the ridership are students.

You say that I don't understand high order transit, yet you make silly points like that to really give me the idea that you don't know what you're talking about. Poking at a bunch of numbers with no source does not give you credibility, either.

Edit:

I agree completely. VIVA Blue is little more than a fancy express bus and the 99 Yonge is better for late night service. But VIVA Blue should still provide the service instead.

... What? That's a big contradiction.

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

Can you validate YRT tickets in the VIVA machines? Because there is no fare box in VIVA, just ticket inspectors... I was under the impression that while you can transfer between the two using transfers, the tickets were different. But you're right they have a the same pricing, it's been a long time since I rode YRT back in high school

I guess I inadvertently proved my own point too with confusion LOL.

If I understood your question... Should you be boarding a YRT bus at a stop (key, not a viva station) you can use your VIVA ticket as fare. You put your ticket in the farebox and get a transfer from the driver. At least this is how it worked a year or so ago.

While it IS true that maintenance is highly necessary, one advantage of the night bus is that it stops much more frequently. This is preferred by women especially as it is a shorter walk home at night. As well, during the day there are more ways to get home from an express service (i.e. connect to local bus, be picked up by someone) as opposed to the night, so having a service that stops closer to your final destination is worth it, especially since there's no traffic at night, and there isn't that many people riding anyway to significantly slow down your journey.

That's an anciliary benefit and not a key reason (nor a secondary reason) that the subway is relpaced by buses after 2 am. If the TTC could run the subway 24 hrs a day I have no question that they would and the blue route would disappear.

 

[smuncky]

If I understood your question... Should you be boarding a YRT bus at a stop (key, not a viva station) you can use your VIVA ticket as fare. You put your ticket in the farebox and get a transfer from the driver. At least this is how it worked a year or so ago.

that's still the way it works.

 

[kettal]

I agree completely. VIVA Blue is little more than a fancy express bus and the 99 Yonge is better for late night service. But VIVA Blue should still provide the service instead.

Don't drink and post, kids.

 

[smuncky]

Davis Drive Rapidway (Yonge Street to Southlake Regional Health Centre)
Public Meeting

This meeting will focus on the transformation and vision for Davis Drive, including what the rapidways will look like, preliminary phasing of construction, etc.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009
6:00pm to 9:00pm
Presentation at 7:00pm
Newmarket Seniors' Meeting Place
474 Davis Drive
Newmarket, ON L3Y 2P1

 

[cowpie]

Of course Viva is going to service York University. It is solely because of York University that there is even any ridership west of Yonge to begin with, and in the morning and afternoon rush hours I can even say York U is the reason for ridership for the entire route, as at least 80% of the ridership are students.

I can't really say I agree with that myself because of course there's a whole lot west of Keele. The stopover adds almost an hour of travel time if you want to go from Yonge to Martin Grove, when you factor in the time it takes to wait for an Orange bus once you get off, and the detour down Keele.

Couldn't this annoying transfer be one reason why ridership on Orange is so bad? I know I ride my bike rather than endure it.

Maybe YRT should just institute a shuttle bus for York students, rather than forcing everyone else to wait the 15 minute of half-hour ride down Keele and into the slow and winding York U roadways.

 

[Second_in_pie]

I can't really say I agree with that myself because of course there's a whole lot west of Keele. The stopover adds almost an hour of travel time if you want to go from Yonge to Martin Grove, when you factor in the time it takes to wait for an Orange bus once you get off, and the detour down Keele.

Couldn't this annoying transfer be one reason why ridership on Orange is so bad? I know I ride my bike rather than endure it.

Maybe YRT should just institute a shuttle bus for York students, rather than forcing everyone else to wait the 15 minute of half-hour ride down Keele and into the slow and winding York U roadways.

That's a good point. I haven't really understood Orange. Okay, well I understand the need for Orange, but it doesn't really do it's job very well. I've noticed that a big problem with Viva is it's headways, which are unfortunately rather low. I guess Viva's still really just a pilot project now, but the service would (will) be much better with more busses.

I think that with the current system, having a shuttle bus for York U students still wouldn't help that much. Also, it takes away an important connection with the Subway. I guess that when Spadina's finished and the Phase II gets started then it'll be much more reliable, and the ridership will probably soar on both ends (the Markham end more, of course.) I'm totally hyped for Phase II

 

[xtremesniper]

I can't really say I agree with that myself because of course there's a whole lot west of Keele. The stopover adds almost an hour of travel time if you want to go from Yonge to Martin Grove, when you factor in the time it takes to wait for an Orange bus once you get off, and the detour down Keele.

Couldn't this annoying transfer be one reason why ridership on Orange is so bad? I know I ride my bike rather than endure it.

Maybe YRT should just institute a shuttle bus for York students, rather than forcing everyone else to wait the 15 minute of half-hour ride down Keele and into the slow and winding York U roadways.

Well the biggest problem is that Keele is 2 lanes south of Steeles. I, to this day, have not understood why Toronto doesn't widen this to 3 lanes each side. There is plenty of space for that to happen, and it's definitely needed. Some sort of HOV lane is definitely needed because the buses really get trapped in really dense industrial traffic with all these gas tankers and transport trucks. Once the bus turns into York U, it takes only a matter of seconds for it to pull into the bus stop.

As for trip generators west of Keele, that may be so but not on the current Purple route. I'm talking about how most of the ridership is due to York U students for the current routing of Purple, which terminates at York U. With the old routing, which paralleled Orange beyond York, I'd say maybe 5% or less would stay on beyond York for the remainder of the trip. I'm glad those days are over, as it only created confusion among new riders.

I can easily see ridership to York using Viva drop if they were forced to transfer yet another time just to get to York. Look at it this way: most riders on Viva Purple got to the Purple by transferring from another bus. Highway 7 is not a residential area (sans the brief distance between Warden and Kennedy, which is exactly where the Viva does not even traverse) so most riders have to find their way to a Viva station first. I already take 3 separate routes just to get to York (1 YRT, 2 Viva). It's not the greatest of routes to take, and if I were forced to transfer one more time I would most likely give up and just drive instead. Trust me, I'm not one to appreciate being treated as left overs on a bus route, and I'm sure not many others would either.

So instead of looking at it as York U students inconveniencing others for 15 minutes, I think it's mostly irrelevant because most of the ridership beyond Promenade Mall are on the bus only to get to York anyways, and at that point the bus is usually packed beyond belief. I think Purple is fine the way it is, though unfortunately the extra pointless transfer concept will come into play once the subway is opened. Thankfully I won't be there when that comes around so I wouldn't have to put up with that stupidity.

 

[Epi]

If I understood your question... Should you be boarding a YRT bus at a stop (key, not a viva station) you can use your VIVA ticket as fare. You put your ticket in the farebox and get a transfer from the driver. At least this is how it worked a year or so ago..

You got my question backwards...

If you have a stack of YRT tickets, how can you use that to pay for VIVA?