YRT/Viva Construction Thread (Rapidways, Terminals)

[Sandpit]

15 minute frequencies is bad for hard built BRT infrastructure. Needs to be 10 minute frequency service, at the very least.

Yes but I argue that span of service is more important for both Viva and YRT. I would rather have a 20 or 30 (maybe even 40) minute frequency service that ends at 2am than a 10-minute frequency service that stops at 8:30pm. You can always plan around the schedule, but you're out of luck if you need to get somewhere after the buses stop running.

 

[micheal_can]

15 minute frequencies is bad for hard built BRT infrastructure. Needs to be 10 minute frequency service, at the very least.

Well, considering that some parts are at 10 minutes (Blue) I think you may want to reconsider.

What would you rather have, a service that runs frequently, but has a high subsidy requirement, or one that runs less frequently, but has a lower subsidy?

 

[Leo_Chan]

Well, considering that some parts are at 10 minutes (Blue) I think you may want to reconsider.

What would you rather have, a service that runs frequently, but has a high subsidy requirement, or one that runs less frequently, but has a lower subsidy?

Viva Blue actually makes a profit from the fare box.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Well, considering that some parts are at 10 minutes (Blue) I think you may want to reconsider.

What would you rather have, a service that runs frequently, but has a high subsidy requirement, or one that runs less frequently, but has a lower subsidy?

Viva Blue is essentially the only useful bus route in the entirety of York Region. I agree, it's a well run route. Once the bus lanes open, and especially once the subway opens, it will be a quite efficient and well run route with I'm sure frig tons of ridership.

I was more so meaning the Highway 7 services, which is where most of the infrastructure investment has been. Those buses run on embarrassing frequencies for that level of infrastructure.

 

[Sandpit]

Viva Blue is essentially the only useful bus route in the entirety of York Region. I agree, it's a well run route. Once the bus lanes open, and especially once the subway opens, it will be a quite efficient and well run route with I'm sure frig tons of ridership.

I was more so meaning the Highway 7 services, which is where most of the infrastructure investment has been. Those buses run on embarrassing frequencies for that level of infrastructure.

That's because Viva Purple runs through an area with the second-higest concentration of Chinese-Canadians in Canada (after Richmond, BC). And no, it's not a race thing, it's a matter of "if I wanted to go on a crowded bus every day, I wouldn't have left Hong Kong/China". They're the people who you will never attract to transit, no matter how good the service is.

 

[Neutrino]

It's probably a question of built form more than anything else

 

[markhamdevelopments]

 

[yrt+viva=1system]

Took a meander to the new Terminal tonight. The walk is far more pleasant than the walk from the fare gates to the Viva stop (southern end of VMC). I actually don’t mind the length at all. My guess would be the temperature, it’s about 20C based on my really rough estimate. The terminal is heated and interior waiting area reminds me of the food court at Vaughan Mills.

 

[Neutrino]

If only those balloons were red, it would have been a scene from It

 

[ViveleCanada]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1196841031733579783

The bus lanes between VMC and Bruce street are set to open by the end of this month. They have already begun driver training in the new section (at this link). Monitoring their twitter account, the bus lanes along Centre street and Bathurst seems to have gotten bogged down by the early snow and heavy amounts of British weather so they have been tweeting out a stream of paving cancellations. One cheeky note is that the YRT website no longer explicitly state that Helen and Commerce stations will open on the 24th of November (link). It now says:

Two new vivastations will be open for service soon at Wigwoss-Helen and Commerce. Please note the YRT Trip Planner, YRT app and Google Maps incorrectly display these vivastations as in service. Check yrt.ca for updates.

Not really a big deal though as the 24th is only one week away from the end of November.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Exciting stuff! I wonder how much time the lanes will save over the existing schedule. This stretch will be doubly useful for ZUM buses as well.

These VIVA projects have been around so long (hard to believe the stretch in Markham is already 5 years old) that it's good to finally see the whole thing start to wrap up. The investment really has changed the face of much of York Region.. The Yonge St lanes are going to make a huge difference when they are done next year too.

 

[smallspy]

This stretch will be doubly useful for ZUM buses as well.

That's assuming that YRT allows ZUM buses to use it. Considering that they don't even allow their own vehicles to use the already open sections elsewhere, it wouldn't surprise me if the ZUM buses were relegated to the regular traffic lanes.

Dan

 

[johntauren]

That's assuming that YRT allows ZUM buses to use it. Considering that they don't even allow their own vehicles to use the already open sections elsewhere, it wouldn't surprise me if the ZUM buses were relegated to the regular traffic lanes.

Dan

There was a tweet this morning from Brampton Transit saying they would be using it, including stopping at the new stops, but it's now gone.

 

[innsertnamehere]

That's assuming that YRT allows ZUM buses to use it. Considering that they don't even allow their own vehicles to use the already open sections elsewhere, it wouldn't surprise me if the ZUM buses were relegated to the regular traffic lanes.

Dan

some of their own vehicles don't use it because they have to make "local" stops, no?

 

[smallspy]

some of their own vehicles don't use it because they have to make "local" stops, no?

They don't allow deadheading vehicles of any sort to use the corridors. And they don't allow the supervisor vehicles to, either.

The only vehicles that they deem worthy of using the bus lanes are in-service VIVA buses and nothing else.

Dan