[ryan_mcgreal]

http://hamiltontug.com/vision

A VISION FOR TRANSIT IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Transit Users Group (TUG) Campaign To Develop Community-Based Transit Vision

Hamilton ON, August 24, 2009 - Hamilton Transit Users Group (TUG) has launched a campaign to develop a new community-based vision for transit in Hamilton in the 21st century.

The City of Hamilton has committed to doubling transit ridership (to 100 rides per person per year) by 2020. But how do we get there from here? Instead of waiting for the city to figure this out, TUG is making a series of presentations and providing an online survey so Hamiltonians can share their vision of how transit could develop.

Initial results of the survey will be presented in a public meeting to the community in late October.

TUG will then use the information collected through the survey to develop initiatives around improving public transit in Hamilton.

Background

These are exciting times for transit, thanks to the discussion of light rail and the creation of some new routes and discount passes. Yet we know that there is still overcrowding on some routes of the HSR, and battles continue over what should be appropriate levels of fares and public support of transit.

The HSR is currently undertaking a full operational review of its routes and schedules, so this is an especially good time to present a broad-based community vision for where we want transit to go and how we can make it happen.

Links

The TUG presentation explains the current situation in Hamilton and proposes a community-based exercise to develop a progressive vision of transit in Hamilton. TUG will be making this presenting to various community groups in Hamilton over the next few months.

http://hamiltontug.com/vision/presentation/

The Transit Vision Survey is a way for Hamiltonians to share their ideas of what public transit could be in this city.

http://hamiltontug.com/vision/survey/

If you cannot access these links, please contact us for assistance.

About TUG

The Hamilton Transit Users Group (TUG) acts with and on behalf of users of public transit to:


Advocate for increased support to the Hamilton Street Railway (HSR);
Identify actions to achieve immediate and long-term improvements in the quality of public transit service; and
Promote and support programs, projects, and other initiatives to attain the goals of transit users.


The Hamilton Transit Users Group (TUG) envisions a future in which the people of Hamilton enjoy:


A transit system that is efficient, attractive, safe, accessible, and affordable; and
A service that is fully supported as central to the human, ecological, and economic health of a sustainable Hamilton.

[hamiltonguy]

I did the survey but I was thinking, we should brainstorm on this forum, and see what we come up with vs. what the TUG results in.

I'll start a list of "action items" that the HSR should take:

1)Implement the BLAST Rapid Transit network. with core (B, A and T lines) being LRT and the S and L lines being either BRT or LRT.
2)Implement U/C-Passes at all post-secondary institutions that will agree to them
3)Rationalize Bus Stops that are too close together to improve speed and reliability of the Bus network.
4)Add shelters, or minishelters to more bus stops.
5)Develop a "core network" of surface routes. (2, 4, 21, 23, 24, (25 and 26 only until an A-Line branch to Limeridge is implemented), 27 (until A-Line LRT comes on line) and the core section of 35) which will have minimum headways of 10 minutes in rush hour. 15 minutes all day, 20 minutes weekend and 30 minute all night service.
6)Improve service on feeder routes, including 7 days a week daytime service (but no 24 hour service). Establish, 20 minute rush hour minimum headway, and 30 minutes all day headway, with 1 hour headways only on early morning and late night sunday.
7) Implement bus priority measures in strategic bottlenecks.
8) End 5 Delaware service between McMaster and Downtown. Form west end branches into separate routes, and redirect all 5 branches east of downtown back on the Delaware routing to maintain local service when B-Line King alignment LRT comes online.
9)Move to a POP system for all HSR vehicles. Install Presto readers at the back doors, so that Presto users can board via all doors. POP for cash fares will be handled by Transfer slips, and will still require front door loading.
10)Work with the Unions to move operator breaks to ends of the lines and terminals to eliminate the frustration of sitting while the driver uses the washroom and grabs a coffee.