wyliepoon
Senior Member
I was quite fascinated by the Niagara Parks Commission People Mover during my trip to Niagara Falls during the Civic Holiday. It was my first time riding the People Mover, and I must say I was quite impressed... its frequency was comparable to many urban bus routes (although probably not up to TTC standards, especially in the north around Queenston), most of the buses are well-air conditioned, and don't look as though they've aged a bit.
Given its unique vehicles, stops and fare media, I think the People Mover fits the definition of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), even though it doesn't appear in Wikipedia's list of Canadian BRT systems.
If it is a BRT, it's probably the most low-tech BRT that I've seen. No fancy TVM or smart card here... just buy a sticker from a Parks Commission gift shop or ticket booth that will be your POP for an entire day. No automated stop announcements, but stops are announced from the rear car by a student working a summer job. Stop requests are not handled by bells and lights, but by calling out to the driver. The People Mover doesn't have low-floor vehicles, but that is compensated by a footstool bought from the local Walmart that when placed on the road reduces the height from the doors to the sidewalk. Vehicles are not equipped with rollsigns or LED destination signs, but a cheap white card in the driver's cab tells you where the bus is going.
What this system might need to turn into a real BRT might be some "next bus" electronic signs at all stops, and definitely a dedicated bus lane around the Falls area. However, it might be better to scratch the true BRT idea and build a monorail or even a subway for Niagara Falls (using the TBM from the OPG Niagara Falls tunnel project).
Given its unique vehicles, stops and fare media, I think the People Mover fits the definition of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), even though it doesn't appear in Wikipedia's list of Canadian BRT systems.
If it is a BRT, it's probably the most low-tech BRT that I've seen. No fancy TVM or smart card here... just buy a sticker from a Parks Commission gift shop or ticket booth that will be your POP for an entire day. No automated stop announcements, but stops are announced from the rear car by a student working a summer job. Stop requests are not handled by bells and lights, but by calling out to the driver. The People Mover doesn't have low-floor vehicles, but that is compensated by a footstool bought from the local Walmart that when placed on the road reduces the height from the doors to the sidewalk. Vehicles are not equipped with rollsigns or LED destination signs, but a cheap white card in the driver's cab tells you where the bus is going.
What this system might need to turn into a real BRT might be some "next bus" electronic signs at all stops, and definitely a dedicated bus lane around the Falls area. However, it might be better to scratch the true BRT idea and build a monorail or even a subway for Niagara Falls (using the TBM from the OPG Niagara Falls tunnel project).