London Public Transit

[manny_santos]

London Transit is now on Google Maps. Now you can see how much time you can save by driving or biking instead of using London Transit.

Still takes an hour from my old house to Western. Over 3 times as long as driving.

[MolsonExport]

^just think about how much you could learn about Centretown Pawnbrokers during that hour.

[ssiguy]

Does the LTC still stop service at midnight or are there regular late-night runs?

[BIGGUY2891]

It still stops at midnight.

[ssiguy]

That's bizzare.

The city should DEMAND that UWO and Fanshawe kick in some money for operational costs to get at least a few late night services. God knows the students already enjoy quite cheap transit fares. Imagine if UWO & Fanshawe added just $2 extra fee for each course.......that's well over half a million a years for some late night routes.

[ssiguy]

Hey guys, I'm curious..................does the LTC have any articulated buses and if so which routes do they run on?

I read somewhere that they did but when I was in London last I never saw any.

[K85]

Yea, we have a few, 13 according to wikipedia. Off the top of my head, I've seen them on the 10/14, 27, 4, and a few others. Noticed some stuff here too.

http://www.ltconline.ca/2014ServicePlan.htm

[MolsonExport]

only 13? I see them all the time at UWO.

[K85]

Currently yea, if they run on a loop, should seem like more. This is what I've seen based on the bus numberings though. Could be more, but from the coding of em, there's 13

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by K85

Yea, we have a few, 13 according to wikipedia. Off the top of my head, I've seen them on the 10/14, 27, 4, and a few others. Noticed some stuff here too.

http://www.ltconline.ca/2014ServicePlan.htm

I used to spot them on the 13 Wellington, 17 Oxford West, and 33 Proudfoot.

[Pimpmasterdac]

Some news that has flown under the radar..

LTC has expanded its Express Bus Service as of August 31.

First the Express 90, which previously had gone from Masonville to Dundas & Richmond along Richmond St., has been extended further south, along Wellington to White Oaks Mall. The Express 90 will run year around, with Mon-Fri service from 7am to 7pm. Full end to end travel time is 33 minutes.

Secondly a new route the Express 91 route has been implemented. It is the east-west equivalent of the 90, and will run from Oxford & Wonderland to Fanshawe College, entirely along Oxford St. The Express 91 will run from from Sept. 1 to April 25, with Mon-Fri service from 7am to 11am then resume from 2pm to 7pm. Full end to end travel time is 32 min.

While these are baby steps, and quite small ones compared to other transit services are taking, hopefully it break be the beginning of more changes to LTC service. If the the LTC can have routes like these which have comparable times to personal car travel, it can increase its ridership and get more than just Mon-Fri service, but all week and all day service for these routes.

Both route maps have been included on the bottom.

[HillStreetBlues]

Pimpmasterdac, thanks a lot for posting that. I had been meaning to comment, because I think this is a great step for the LTC to take. A lot more would be preferable: I think that I’ve posted before what I think a London BRT network would look like, and in my opinion that’s what London needs rather than an LRT. This kind of step goes some way as a proof-of-concept for either, though.

It’s really encouraging that they are willing to take steps like this that might not garner a lot of attention. It will be a big challenge when BRT eventually needs a dedicated lane, but perhaps by that time enough riders will have been attracted to services such as these that it will be politically feasible.

[ssiguy]

Great first steps towards a true BRT system but sort of weird that the Wellington section doesn't have a stop at Commissioners with the LHSC right there.......a huge workforce.

[HillStreetBlues]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Great first steps towards a true BRT system but sort of weird that the Wellington section doesn't have a stop at Commissioners with the LHSC right there.......a huge workforce.

It has a station at Baseline, which serves LHSC a lot more directly- it would be a long and unpleasant hike from Commissioners and Wellington to any entrance to the hospital, and I believe that’s emergency on that side. Most employees and visitors use entrances off of Baseline, I imagine, and the doors there are more accessible to Wellington.

Actually, that will be a challenge, because I agree with you that Commissioners should have a 90 station because of the hospital, but also other nearby trip-generators (grocery store, restaurants), and most importantly because I think that Commissioners warrants an express bus.

[Pimpmasterdac]

Welcome HillStreetBlues. It really is good baby steps for LTC service. When LTC launched the 90 Express last September, from D&R to Masonville it had enormous ridership, more in 2 weeks than they were anticipating in months. Could be the reason why express service now goes cross town, both north-south & east-west. While the Express routes have near "banker hours" service, only during the day on weekends, the next step would be having full day service, all week. LTC and London can't say they're serious about transit improvement there's no serivce all weekend or later hours. baby steps, but hopefully leads to better service overall.

EAs for BRT/LRT routes will start this and next year, the ridership results will of the 90 & 91 should play into that and the urgent need London has for rapid transit.

Originally Posted by HillStreetBlues

Pimpmasterdac, thanks a lot for posting that. I had been meaning to comment, because I think this is a great step for the LTC to take. A lot more would be preferable: I think that I’ve posted before what I think a London BRT network would look like, and in my opinion that’s what London needs rather than an LRT. This kind of step goes some way as a proof-of-concept for either, though.

It’s really encouraging that they are willing to take steps like this that might not garner a lot of attention. It will be a big challenge when BRT eventually needs a dedicated lane, but perhaps by that time enough riders will have been attracted to services such as these that it will be politically feasible.

-----

The reason 90 Express doesn't stop at Commissioners is pretty simple. Baseline Rd has 3 routes that stop at the intersection, 6 Richmond & 13 Wellington that have high ridership. Commissioners has only 1 routes at the intersection, 13 Wellington and no buses that go east-west, since Commissioners residents in that area have kept buses off the street.

[ssiguy]

Ya, I looked it up on google and I think you are right, Baseline is a better choice and it is closer to a larger population.

[tyeman200]

Glad to see the LTC is finally moving a little more forward with a better transit system, although they should be going a little faster. I have ridden on the 90 Express, and I must say, pretty fast bus! I was actually impressed by the LTC service for once!

Now, they should try focusing on more BRT lines, as well as rethinking/replanning their routes. For most of my life, I have relied on the LTC, and the service is always terrible. I mean, it's gotten a little better, but still overall terrible.

[MolsonExport]

^welcome to SSP.

[HillStreetBlues]

Welcome, tyeman2000. Hope you decide to lend your knowledge of the LTC to the forum.

[tyeman200]

Thank you both! I will provide all the knowledge I can!