BMO
Senior Member
I used to take Viva Purple. During the strike I started taking the GO bus instead. I pay a fraction more and I get to my destination in less than 50% of the time Purple takes.
I don't think I'm going back unless there is a GO service interruption. Purple has just gotten too bogged down by routes that go through slow areas of town (Bathurst/Centre) while the GO just hops on the 407 and blasts through. And with the fare increase that is coming in January, the cost premium for using GO will be even less than before.
I'm also able to get student pricing for the GO bus, which further helps to justify the cost. I think I literally pay $1 more. Worth it for me. Sorry YRT. I might start using the YRT again if they improve connections to GO stations. Until then, I drive to the station and bus from there. I no longer have time to play games with YRT and Viva buses not co-operating and not waiting for transfers at intersections.
VIVA Purple has some ridiculously close stops all along the route. Hte whole stretch between Bayview and Leslie, for instance, has a full BRT stop every block it's so dumb. The traffic on Bathurst between steeles and Highway 7 is horrible so the bus route always gets stuck in that section, and then the Left turn onto Keele from 7 is a guaranteed wait of at least 2 or 3 cycles before getting around. Once the rapidways are in place, though, these issues should be all reduced substantially.