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  #61  
Old Posted Mar 29, 2008, 4:17 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Halifax Hillbilly View Post
I just feel we have so many long winding routes already in this city, that adding another bus route that is similar to two others would confuse the problem.

As for the 1 the worst crowding happens along Coburg near Dal and Oxford between Coburg and Quinpool. I take the bus a lot and it can get very crowded. I've been on full-sized buses that had to stop picking up passengers near Dal. Coming into the city in the morning during peak hours the bus gets extremely full along the same stretch. It's not just standing room only, sometimes it's full to the doors.

10 minutes frequencies only seem high because the other routes come so infrequently (generally 30 minutes). I really believe the 1 needs a service upgrade because it's consistently overcrowded. Ideally I think Metro Transit would put in a short-turn route from Barrington to Quinpool Rd. on the 1 running a couple of times an hour in rush hour just to get some more capacity on the section that needs it.

There may be more crowded routes on the system but this is the worst one I ride. People who have the choice won't ride the bus if it's unreliable (too full to get on) and uncomfortable (too crowded). Better service is needed to attract new riders, or just to properly serve the existing ones.
Okay yah i see the #1 on Spring Garden so it might be less crowded there. I do agree with the winding routes though. The #80 for example makes a somewhat pointless path through Bayers Road. We never pick people up there outbound we jut drop people at an area with a bunch of routes from downtown already. In my opinion the #80 should go up Windsor or another route that doesnt involve the gidlock on Bayers Rd. The problem is though most routes use these winding routes. We should have more routes like the 7 were its a rectagular shape not some random lines on a map.
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  #62  
Old Posted Apr 4, 2008, 12:52 AM
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Commuting picture in N.S. steady — census
Halifax commuters follow national trend, take more public transit
By KELLY SHIERS Staff Reporter
Thu. Apr 3 - 5:37 AM



A man smokes his pipe as the Halifax-Dartmouth ferry prepares to dock nearby on the Halifax waterfront Wednesday. Public transit use in Halifax has increased by two per cent since 2001, the 2006 census shows. Overall in Nova Scotia, there has been a one per cent increase in public transit use. (BLAKE MacEWAN)





Halifax commuters are following a national trend, opting to go green by carpooling, taking a ferry or hopping a bus to work, according to data that Statistics Canada released Wednesday.

"Essentially the Nova Scotia picture has stayed relatively the same in terms of . . . how people travel to work," said Stephanie Sodero, transportation co-ordinator for the Ecology Action Centre.

"Where we show the biggest movement (since 2001) was in Halifax. . . . Seeing a three per cent decline in the percentage of people who are driving alone and seeing a two per cent increase in transit use — these are relatively modest trends, but they’re good trends," she said.

The 2006 census figures show younger workers in Halifax Regional Municipality are more likely to go green. Almost 20 per cent of workers under age 25 use public transit. Another 19.9 per cent of young workers walk to their jobs.

Overall, the figures indicate 12 per cent of all commuters in HRM use transit, while 11 per cent walk and bike to work. Since 2001, the overall number of people walking and biking to work in HRM decreased by one per cent, Ms. Sodero said.

In Nova Scotia, there has been a one per cent increase in public transit use, she said.

Still, the most popular way to get to work, no matter where you live in Canada, is behind the wheel of a vehicle.

The 2006 census counted 10,644,325 Canadians who drove themselves to work. A further 1,133,150 Canadians were passengers in cars, trucks or vans. A total of 2,757,530 people said they use some sort of sustainable transportation — walking, biking or using public transit.

In Nova Scotia, there were almost 403,000 commuters, with 293,220 saying they drive themselves to work. Another 43,710 are passengers in cars, trucks or vans. Almost 60,000 people choose public transit, or to walk or cycle.

Ms. Sodero said the findings should encourage governments to provide more options for commuters throughout the province
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  #63  
Old Posted Apr 5, 2008, 6:39 AM
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Okay, so how do we turn a 2% growth into a 4% growth?... only without all the nasty oil shortage and war type things happening right away.
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  #64  
Old Posted Apr 5, 2008, 6:59 AM
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The bus system needs a core network of express type routes along the lines of what the MetroLink provides to Dartmouth. By offering limited stops and skipping certain areas they can go a little bit faster and at higher frequencies. MetroLink has been a huge success and there's no reason why it can't be replicated in other similar parts of the city (Spryfield, Clayton Park, Bedford, Sackville).

There should also be a plan to piece together ROWs in different parts of the city for bus lanes. Eventually the city could move over to some electrified routes and maybe light rail.

None of this is overly complicated or controversial. Unfortunately, a lot of money that could be used for important transit projects is currently being wasted. I don't know much about Metro Transit's internal workings. Maybe after the municipal elections we'll have a council with some real priorities and direction.
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  #65  
Old Posted Apr 5, 2008, 9:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by someone123 View Post
The bus system needs a core network of express type routes along the lines of what the MetroLink provides to Dartmouth. By offering limited stops and skipping certain areas they can go a little bit faster and at higher frequencies. MetroLink has been a huge success and there's no reason why it can't be replicated in other similar parts of the city (Spryfield, Clayton Park, Bedford, Sackville).

There should also be a plan to piece together ROWs in different parts of the city for bus lanes. Eventually the city could move over to some electrified routes and maybe light rail.

None of this is overly complicated or controversial. Unfortunately, a lot of money that could be used for important transit projects is currently being wasted. I don't know much about Metro Transit's internal workings. Maybe after the municipal elections we'll have a council with some real priorities and direction.
Sackville already has a MetroLink and if the fast ferry is built Bedford shouldn't need a MetroLink, but Clayton Park defenitely needs a MetroLink leaving from Lacewood Terminal. I'm not familiar with Spryfield's traffic but i think they could build one nearby anyways.
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  #66  
Old Posted Apr 19, 2008, 10:36 PM
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I think they're saying Spryfield and Clayton Park MetroLink won't be coming for a few years yet; 2011 and 2012.
Metro Transit put a couple things up on their site:

5-year Approach

Regional transit plan

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ View Post
Hopefully this service is as popular as the Link in Sackville. Those buses really helped to relieve congestion in Burnside. I heard they are planning to use a different type of bus for this service. Does anyone know if its like the Link buses or something else entirely?
As far as I know it would be suburban buses, which are basically identical to urban buses except for a couple of changes, such as no back door to increase seating, comfier high-back seats similar to what MetroLink currently uses, so they'll probably just use the same seats, and a few mechanical and structural modifications for constant highway driving. Some can be purchased equipped with luggage racks, either overhead or at the front, which would be handy if they decide to service the airport. But basically they're identical to what they're using now. I doubt they would pay for expensive highway coaches...that's overkill.

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Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ View Post
I do agree with the shuttle thing though. Only 2 full-time routes go to the Halifax ferry terminal (five including peak routes).
3 actually, routes 2, 4 and 6.
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  #67  
Old Posted May 13, 2008, 1:40 AM
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Just some new changes:

-#21 now goes to Greenwood Heights all the time, and

-#72 Portland-bound will service Commodore Drive and DC.
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  #68  
Old Posted May 13, 2008, 12:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ View Post
-#21 now goes to Greenwood Heights all the time
Good. There's a lot of people living up in there, it made no sense that some runs would bypass that subdivision during rush hour.

Quote:
-#72 Portland-bound will service Commodore Drive and DC.
Another good one! Even better in fact. I said right from the start the 72 should service Dartmouth Crossing - now there's service from the Highfield area directly to DC.

Of course, my idea right from the start was to route the 72 through Dartmouth Crossing, which would provide service to DC from the eastern Dartmouth area. The then new route 56 should have serviced DC from the Bridge terminal on Wyse Road, by taking Victoria, Highfield and Commodore.
But what do I know
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  #69  
Old Posted May 13, 2008, 8:14 PM
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Downtown Shuttle

Downtown Shuttle Services

(Tuesday, May 13, 2008) - HRM will hold a public workshop this Thursday to gather comments from residents regarding the design for a downtown shuttle service that is included in the municipality's five-year transit plan.

The plan will add more and more regional transit services such as fast ferry, rural express buses and new MetroLink routes. These services will bring passengers to major transit terminals at Scotia Square and the Halifax Ferry Terminal. Although these two locations are within walking distance for a large portion of downtown employment, they are not as convenient for those whose workplace is farther away. With the Downtown Shuttle, commuters will disembark and have an attractive, comfortable vehicle waiting to take them to key destinations in and around the downtown.

The public will have the opportunity to help HRM decide which are the key destinations to service by downtown shuttle. The buses will use hybrid diesel-electric technology to minimize noise and emissions.

Information regarding the workshop has been sent to business associations, hospitals, universities, DND, and Citadel High School.

When: Thursday, May 15, 2008

Where: Delta Halifax Hotel, 1990 Barrington Street, Baronet Room #6

Time: 1st Session: 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
2nd Session: 10:45 a.m to 12:15 p.m.
3rd Session: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

--30--

John O'Brien
Manager, Corporate Communications
490-6531

(Credit: http://halifax.ca/mediaroom/pressrel...eServices.html)
This is great news. Shuttles downtown will defenitely help us to get "greener" (they are hybrid buses), more ridership and make downtown more attractive!!!
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  #70  
Old Posted May 13, 2008, 9:33 PM
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I don't know much about Dartmouth transit, but the downtown shuttle is definitely needed. It should be really easy for people to get from Barrington or the ferry terminal to any of the major nearby employment areas - all around the downtown, dockyards, hospitals, and universities. The whole idea of trying to mix and match suburban areas with different parts of the peninsula just doesn't work well.

Good to hear that they're looking at electric, though I'm not sure what they mean exactly by hybrids. Does this mean that they will run off of lines but also have diesel engines or does this just mean that they'll have some kind of battery pack?
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  #71  
Old Posted May 13, 2008, 11:38 PM
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Just Buses with diesel power and a battery pack.
Good choice I must say.
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  #72  
Old Posted May 14, 2008, 1:41 AM
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Yep, diesel-electric hybrids.
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  #73  
Old Posted May 17, 2008, 3:08 AM
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Shuttle Workshop

Call for more metro bus connections
Lack of service to Quinpool Rd., workshop hears
By AMY PUGSLEY FRASER City Hall Reporter
Fri. May 16 - 6:08 AM

There aren’t enough bus connections linking Halifax’s downtown to Quinpool Road or the south end, a transit workshop heard Thursday.

Providing a connecting service to those areas would persuade commuters to leave their cars at home, Sandra Hamm said.

The Saint Mary’s University librarian usually carpools daily from Musquodoboit Harbour and finds it much faster than taking the bus.

"I don’t want to take a MetroLink bus to Scotia Square and then spend 10 minutes waiting for another bus (to go the rest of the way to SMU)," she said.

"That doesn’t really reduce my time."

Ms. Hamm was one of about 30 people who took part Thursday in three planning sessions hosted by the municipality.

A new downtown shuttle service is in the works for 2010 but the city wanted rider input before putting the buses out on the street.

During 90-minute sessions in a downtown hotel boardroom, participants were given a table-sized map, a jar full of push pins and string. Their task: to link as many bus stops — including pickups at Scotia Square and the Halifax ferry terminal — as possible.

A lot of the talk during a mid-morning session centred on the lack of service to Quinpool Road.

It’s especially important for Sarah MacDonald, the student services representative for the Centre for Arts and Technology on Barrington Street.

"Although our campus is downtown, not everybody can afford to live downtown," she explained in an interview.

As a result, students often choose to live on Quinpool Road, but "figuring out the transfer system can be a little complicated."

However, the trek downtown is also a little too long to regularly do on foot, Ms. MacDonald said.

The councillor for downtown Halifax says the new service would be a boon to the residents, tourists and commuters who frequent the downtown.

For any of them, parking issues and lack of transit connections can make it challenging and time-consuming to get around, Coun. Dawn Sloane said.

"Often, people are downtown and they need to get to Spring Garden Road to do an errand and they take their car. And I just cringe at that thought," she said.

"This (service) will allow people to say, ‘I’m not going to take my car’ . . . so I’m definitely a cheerleader for it."

The concept also appeals to Laena Garrison, co-ordinator of TRAX, the transportation wing of the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax.

"Not taking your car is really fundamental to what TRAX is all about," she said, noting the group also encourages cycling as well as public transit.

Its own research shows that increased frequency and reliability are key to getting more people on the bus, so she’s glad the city is working from the same premise.

"Definitely two thumbs up!" she said.

She’s also impressed that the city took the time to invite people to the workshop before the service was introduced.

"It’s a great way to get people involved and to teach people that it’s not an easy task to figure this out," Ms. Garrison said.

Even Halifax’s manager of transportation admitted that was an unexpected benefit of the exercise.

"We get an appreciation of what priorities are for people, and the participants, I think, get an appreciation for the job we have to do," David McCusker said in an interview.

"And they start to understand why we can’t do everything for everybody."

( apugsley@herald.ca)

Some of the comments on the Herald website are actually smart for this particular article. One person mentioned banning parking on SGR and Barrington (downtown only). I do agree they should ban parking on these roads and to help buses get there easier they should make Robie (south of Cunard) three lanes with no-parking all the way down to at least South maybe even Inglis.
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  #74  
Old Posted May 27, 2008, 3:30 AM
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New Rural Express information document:
http://halifax.ca/MetroTransit/MetroExpress.html

EDIT: The new nickname for the MetroExpress is METROX. Pretty cool, eh?

Last edited by Dmajackson; Jun 4, 2008 at 9:13 PM.
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  #75  
Old Posted Jun 13, 2008, 1:19 AM
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Now that the Chebucto Road Reversing Lane is planned for construction for this year i think they should add a bus route into these plans. I'm not familiar with bus routes/ridership levels out there so please forgive me if this is a stupid route.

-leaves Cogswell/Barrington
-up North Park Street
-Cunard/Chebucto
-Mumford Terminal
-Bayers Road Terminal
-Lacewood?
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  #76  
Old Posted Jun 13, 2008, 2:28 PM
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Sounds like a cross between the current routes 5 and 6 from downtown to Mumford, and the route 2 and 4 from Mumford to Lacewood..

Cogswell is already serviced by the route 6 which always has relatively low ridership during off-peak times. Cunard from downtown is serviced by the route 5 during rush hour only (and by the route 18 all day which doesn't go downtown), and in my experience hardly anyone ever gets on or off in that area.

However, I am all for increased service from the Lacewood terminal/Clayton Park area to downtown. The rush hour routes (21, 31, 33, 34, 35) are pretty good, but only if you're going one-way. The only other routes which directly service Lacewood and downtown all day are the route 2 and 4, which typically become crowded - and are very circuitous, as they try and service as many areas as possible. Would be nice to have a more direct downtown to Clayton Park route all day, however here's my suggestion:

Leave Barrington northbound to Duffus Street, left on Duffus straight onto Lady Hammond, Kempt Road, Bedford Highway, ramp onto Joe Howe, right on Dutch Village, right on Titus to Lacewood. Not only would this provide much more direct downtown to Clayton Park service by not dicking around all over Halifax, but it would provide a link between Clayton Park and north end Halifax which right now is missing. But personally I'm a big fan of "express routes" (not in the limited-stop MetroLink style, but just routes which bypass a lot of nonsense), and Metro Transit has to maximize the potential of every route they create due to limited funding and resources... this is why I would never want to be a transit planner.
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  #77  
Old Posted Jun 14, 2008, 8:11 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hfx_chris View Post
Cogswell is already serviced by the route 6 which always has relatively low ridership during off-peak times. Cunard from downtown is serviced by the route 5 during rush hour only (and by the route 18 all day which doesn't go downtown), and in my experience hardly anyone ever gets on or off in that area.
Yes i guess it does have some resemblence to #6 but instead of going to Chocolate Lake this would swing up to Bayers Road and as far as i know there is no route that does that directly from D.T. If need be this could be rush-hour only but if it somehow services Mumford and Lacewood i imagine it could be popular enough to have mid-day or saturdays. Cunard is also serviced by #17 for the same length as the #18 (just from Windsor to Robie).
Quote:
Originally Posted by hfx_chris View Post
Leave Barrington northbound to Duffus Street, left on Duffus straight onto Lady Hammond, Kempt Road, Bedford Highway, ramp onto Joe Howe, right on Dutch Village, right on Titus to Lacewood. Not only would this provide much more direct downtown to Clayton Park service by not dicking around all over Halifax, but it would provide a link between Clayton Park and north end Halifax which right now is missing. But personally I'm a big fan of "express routes" (not in the limited-stop MetroLink style, but just routes which bypass a lot of nonsense), and Metro Transit has to maximize the potential of every route they create due to limited funding and resources... this is why I would never want to be a transit planner.
That would be a nice route. When i created mine i was just thinking of servicing Chebucto not other roads. If it needs more capacity it could extend down to Bayers Road Terminal on Desmond and just loop back up Dutch Village (from experience that would add approx. 3-4 minutes maximum) not adding much time. If it doesnt require this loop then on the inbound buses from Titus it could turn down Main Ave and go on the Bfd Hwy/Kempt Rd via the bus only ramp.
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  #78  
Old Posted Aug 7, 2008, 12:00 AM
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Just heard from a friend the details on August's scheduled route changes. Aside from the regular schedule adjustments, there's some good news both for people working at the new RIM office, as well as folks traveling from Lower Sackville or Bedford to Bayers Lake - a new route 89 Bedford is to be introduced. Routing is as follows, in his words: "Service will operate from Lacewood terminal to Cobequid Terminal.
Via Lacewood Dr, Parkland Dr, Kearney Lake, Bluewater Rd, Hammonds
Plains Rd, Symonds Rd, Innovation Dr (service to RIM), Hammonds Plains
Rd, Bedford Hwy, Cobequid Terminal."

Also the route 63, which currently provides rush hour only service from the Sportsplex/Bridge Terminal to Woodside will now provide all day 30-minute service in both directions. The route will still terminate in Woodside during the rush hour trips, but the non-peak trips will continue up the Hwy 111 and terminate at Penhorn. Finally, Woodside to Penhorn service. Incidently, the route 63 as it currently is changes into a route 65 at Woodside, which travels to Penhorn and beyond anyway, so there will still be connections between those points during rush hour.

He also claims the next order of buses should be articulated ("accordion"). Unknown if they're for MetroLink or regular service, but I would bet on regular service. I don't think they're planning to extend MetroLink any time soon - although I did overhear a driver talking to another driver that a Tantallon MetroLink route may be in the cards...
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  #79  
Old Posted Aug 7, 2008, 2:25 AM
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That Route 89 sounds like a great idea. Many Bedfordians have doctors or just want to shop in the Lacewood area. This serves Kerney Lake, Bedford, Lwr Sackville, Bedford West Business Campus, Lacewood, Wdgewood and indirectly Kingswood and Hammonds Plains. If we get any more routes out here we'll have to consider take over #'s 90-99.

Now all we need is the fast ferry and I'll stop complaining about the buses out here...
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  #80  
Old Posted Aug 7, 2008, 5:44 AM
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Or an articulated Bedford link in the mean time.

I wonder if any of the new buses are going to Burnside. I'd imagine they would service DC a bit more as well, to improve that economic shot.
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