York Region Transit: Viva service thread

[catcher_of_cats]

Too bad the MTO will not do away with the "former" highway signs. How long does the "Former Kings Highway 5" have to be posted on Bloor/Danforth? It has not been a highway for ages in the GTA.

 

[APTA-2048]

From vivanext:

How level boarding at our new vivastations will further enhance service efficiency

This is a rendering of a viva vehicle stopping at a new vivastation. With level boarding,
the vehicle will pull up to a raised platform. This greatly decreases the time it takes for
passengers to get on and off making for a faster trip.

Viva is already a highly efficient rapid transit service thanks to features such as our off-board fare collection system. It’s going to get even better. In addition to our new vivaNext rapidways – which will take our beautiful blue Viva vehicles out of mixed traffic and put them on dedicated centre lanes so they can safely speed past congested traffic – our new vivastations will feature level boarding.

What do I mean by level boarding? Simply that the platforms at our new vivastations will be raised so they are about the same height as the floor of our Viva vehicles. This, in turn, will speed up the boarding process by eliminating the need for riders to climb steps or lift objects, and for Viva drivers to lower ramps for easier accessibility.

Level boarding is already successfully used throughout the world by other BRT, LRT and subway systems to enhance service efficiency. It only made sense to make it a feature of our new vivastations so that we can get you where you want to go faster and easier, and like never before.

 

[Voltz]

That doesn't look like a level platform to me....

Even if it is level, I doubt it will 'greatly decrease' boarding time, as opposed to making one short step up from a curb.

 

[drum118]

That doesn't look like a level platform to me....

Even if it is level, I doubt it will 'greatly decrease' boarding time, as opposed to making one short step up from a curb.

It will make a different some what for most people.

But more so for folks with strollers, walkers, canes and scooters as it will cut seconds off the loading/off loading time. Drivers will not have to put the ramp out or do the knelling like they do today.

I have being saying this to other systems for some time.

My understanding the new streetcar platforms for Cherry St and Queens Quay will be like this.

 

[a1cd]

Anyone know why Viva Purples route was changed? It used to go straight on steeles and turn into york after steeles, but now it makes a right on steeles, left on ottawa blvd and waits for that roundabout... It seems a lot longer to me.

 

[yyzhyd]

New YRT Rush Hour Route #42

M-F Rush Hour service:
Starts at Unionville GO crosses Kennedy goes through the neighbourhood of South Unionville then up McCowan past Centennial GO left at Markville Secondary School then up through Berczy Village to Major Mackenzie and back.

Hopefully this will be popular and lessen the crush of cars trying to fit into Unionville's parking lot.
I am planning on using this service to and from Unionville GO as it goes right past my house.

 

[Second_in_pie]

ooh, that should be good. I'm always surprised how many people there are on the Unionville local bus, so happy to break the trend of suburbs = car central. Then I get angry at all the cars coming out of the parking lot, but then I remember "hey, at leas they're not all going down the 404." Even if there was one half full bus per train, that's like a hundred cars out of the parking lot, which is amazing to think about.

 

[xtremesniper]

Anyone know why Viva Purples route was changed? It used to go straight on steeles and turn into york after steeles, but now it makes a right on steeles, left on ottawa blvd and waits for that roundabout... It seems a lot longer to me.

They seem to think that this is faster because they avoid some sort of invisible traffic that never really existed (except on really bad days, or during the strike) south of Steeles. All the traffic is on Keele north of Steeles, so I think they accomplished nothing here.

 

[wilson_wu]

The new Berczy Unionville goes right by my house too! Never in my dreams did I ever think YRT buses would be running down our residential streets.

The first time I tried it, there were 0 riders. Second time, 2 riders. The third time, 10 riders. So hopefully ridership continues to grow as more people discover the service.

It's really convenient. No more 20-30 minute walks to the closest YRT stop. I can just walk out, get on the bus, and connect to GO or VIVA.

 

[xtremesniper]

Has there been any progress on the development of (or at least the starting of) the Viva Purple Highway 7 BRT from Yonge to Kennedy?

Construction was slated for some time before the year end, no? Seems pointless to start if winter is right around the corner, unless they start right now.

 

[Second_in_pie]

^^ Wasn't the BRT supposed to extend to McCowan?

I would've thought that the builders could have easily have made BRT lanes while building Enterprise, which sure would've saved a fair bit of money right now. Does anyone know why they didn't do this?

 

[Voltz]

^^ Wasn't the BRT supposed to extend to McCowan?

I would've thought that the builders could have easily have made BRT lanes while building Enterprise, which sure would've saved a fair bit of money right now. Does anyone know why they didn't do this?

Because the route does not follow Enterprise, it is to the north slightly.

 

[Second_in_pie]

^^ Really? So the real BRT will be following a different road than Enterprise?!

 

[yyzhyd]

After turning onto Enterprise from Warden the road veers slightly south and the BRT lanes will continue straight via an exclusive ROW/pedestrian mall through Markham Centre rejoining Enterprise just east of the railway bridge.

Warden to Birchmount
http://www.vivanext.com/assets/files/pastConsultations/november_28/warden_to_birchmount.pdf

Market Drive to Unionville
http://www.vivanext.com/assets/files/pastConsultations/november_28/market_drive_to_unionville.pdf

 

[Second_in_pie]

^^ That's interesting... will there be an extra stop added along there, or will there be a local service running through this Transit Mall?

And would the ROW continue on it's own route to YMCA boulevard, skipping that annoying twist and just going to the Go Station?