the lemur
Senior Member
Something about Presto? Fare integration with GO, finally?
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TTC: Other Items (catch all)
- Thread starter drum118
- Start date
Something about Presto? Fare integration with GO, finally?
ehlow
Senior Member
Presto faregates or reader installation. Based on that it's both Metrolinx & TTC and happening at Bathurst.
DSC
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If that brings out senior ministers I assume we will have the Queen here announcing the DRL :-> (or even a study of the DRL!)
NotMathematical
Active Member
It's PRESTO related news on streetcars, nothing new...
https://twitter.com/Patrick4ONT/status/677304567709622272
ehlow
Senior Member
Oh of course. it's that Presto readers are on streetcars.
DSC
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It may be of interest to see what they are up to in Montreal. In some ways the TTC is ahead... (From Montreal Gazette)
Waiting at a bus stop could soon become a thing of the past.
The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) announced Tuesday it is rolling out its much-anticipated $155 million iBus program so passengers can track their buses in real time.
Since last February, the agency has been installing GPS locators on its buses, with 1,300 of its 1,800 buses now outfitted.
It’s called iBus, and when fully operational next fall, the program will have onboard speakers and digital signs on each bus announce upcoming stops, allow passengers and the STM to track location of buses in real time, and have a better communication system between drivers and dispatchers. It will also keep track of how many people are on each bus at any time.
The STM built a new operations centre to monitor its fleet. Dispatchers can track any bus, and know whether that bus is running according to its posted schedule. The system also estimates traffic congestion and predicts when buses will arrive at each stop.
The STM has been testing out the new system since last week. When fully operational, the operations centre will be staffed by 35 operators. A duplicate operations centre has also been built at a different location as a backup.
“It’s a huge change for us,” explained Donald Desaulniers, the iBus project manager. “Until now, we were managing buses depending on which (garage) they came from, now we’ll manage operations for each bus line.”
He said iBus will likely make the STM more efficient because it will allow operators to dispatch another bus if one is overcrowded, or order a bus to skip a few stops if they see an empty bus is close by.
Since Monday, two buses — on routes No. 144 and 32 — have been equipped with the new technology to announce upcoming stops onboard. When fully functional, buses will announce upcoming stops, and whether they are wheelchair accessible. The STM will also broadcast service alerts on board buses, like a stoppage on the métro system.
This summer, 64 digital signs will be affixed at métro stations showing the arrival times of nearby buses.
But although there are 8,000 bus stops in Montreal, only a tiny fraction will post arrival information about buses. The STM will post 24 digital signs at certain high-frequency bus stops, and another 75 bus shelters could eventually provide bus arrival information alongside weather and news updates that they already provide.
The last step of the iBus implementation is to allow users to keep track of buses. The iBus information will be posted on the STM’s website and its mobile application. The data will also be shared with third-party developers, so it can be used on other mobile applications like Transit and Moovit. The agency also envisions an alert system to advise passengers when their buses are running late.
Alex Mackenzie Torres, the chief marketing officer of Moovit explained that when people have better information about their transit options, it often results in an increase in ridership.
“When riders have access to the most up-to-date schedules, route information and service alerts, they are better able to plan their daily commutes and other journeys on public transit,” he said in an email. “A side effect of this is that, when a rider’s experience with public transit is smoother, their usage of public transportation often increases.”
Realtime bus information will also be available to those without smartphones. The STM plans to have the iBus information on its phone line, and via text message.
Originally announced in 2012, to be ready for 2014, iBus was delayed several times because it was more complicated than anticipated to outfit all the STM’s buses, and it took a long time to set up the software, Desaulniers explained.
The iBus system will be rolled out as quickly as drivers can be trained. Each driver must be trained for seven hours on how to operate the new equipment.
Waiting at a bus stop could soon become a thing of the past.
The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) announced Tuesday it is rolling out its much-anticipated $155 million iBus program so passengers can track their buses in real time.
Since last February, the agency has been installing GPS locators on its buses, with 1,300 of its 1,800 buses now outfitted.
It’s called iBus, and when fully operational next fall, the program will have onboard speakers and digital signs on each bus announce upcoming stops, allow passengers and the STM to track location of buses in real time, and have a better communication system between drivers and dispatchers. It will also keep track of how many people are on each bus at any time.
The STM built a new operations centre to monitor its fleet. Dispatchers can track any bus, and know whether that bus is running according to its posted schedule. The system also estimates traffic congestion and predicts when buses will arrive at each stop.
The STM has been testing out the new system since last week. When fully operational, the operations centre will be staffed by 35 operators. A duplicate operations centre has also been built at a different location as a backup.
“It’s a huge change for us,” explained Donald Desaulniers, the iBus project manager. “Until now, we were managing buses depending on which (garage) they came from, now we’ll manage operations for each bus line.”
He said iBus will likely make the STM more efficient because it will allow operators to dispatch another bus if one is overcrowded, or order a bus to skip a few stops if they see an empty bus is close by.
Since Monday, two buses — on routes No. 144 and 32 — have been equipped with the new technology to announce upcoming stops onboard. When fully functional, buses will announce upcoming stops, and whether they are wheelchair accessible. The STM will also broadcast service alerts on board buses, like a stoppage on the métro system.
This summer, 64 digital signs will be affixed at métro stations showing the arrival times of nearby buses.
But although there are 8,000 bus stops in Montreal, only a tiny fraction will post arrival information about buses. The STM will post 24 digital signs at certain high-frequency bus stops, and another 75 bus shelters could eventually provide bus arrival information alongside weather and news updates that they already provide.
The last step of the iBus implementation is to allow users to keep track of buses. The iBus information will be posted on the STM’s website and its mobile application. The data will also be shared with third-party developers, so it can be used on other mobile applications like Transit and Moovit. The agency also envisions an alert system to advise passengers when their buses are running late.
Alex Mackenzie Torres, the chief marketing officer of Moovit explained that when people have better information about their transit options, it often results in an increase in ridership.
“When riders have access to the most up-to-date schedules, route information and service alerts, they are better able to plan their daily commutes and other journeys on public transit,” he said in an email. “A side effect of this is that, when a rider’s experience with public transit is smoother, their usage of public transportation often increases.”
Realtime bus information will also be available to those without smartphones. The STM plans to have the iBus information on its phone line, and via text message.
Originally announced in 2012, to be ready for 2014, iBus was delayed several times because it was more complicated than anticipated to outfit all the STM’s buses, and it took a long time to set up the software, Desaulniers explained.
The iBus system will be rolled out as quickly as drivers can be trained. Each driver must be trained for seven hours on how to operate the new equipment.
salsa
Senior Member
Nine people have been injured in a crash between a TTC bus and a van at Lawrence & Midland.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/9-injured-in-ttc-bus-crash-1.3373762
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/9-injured-in-ttc-bus-crash-1.3373762
Attachments
drum118
Superstar
Dec 21
The end of the pass
TTC issuing collectible Metropasses in 2016
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ttc-metropass-1.3375544
The end of the pass
TTC issuing collectible Metropasses in 2016
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ttc-metropass-1.3375544
marcus_a_j
Senior Member
The TTC should issue some of those Metropasses as non-usable versions for a small fee ($5-10 perhaps). I typically spend about $80-100/month on tokens. Would it be too crazy to spend the difference just to have the collectable Metropass?
PL1
Active Member
I think if the TTC were to do this, they would have to do sell them at least the month after they are valid. Currently, many people just flash their cards at collectors and operators when entering the system.
Catenary
Active Member
Napoleon
Active Member
So the TTC drivers don't know how to handle POP. I've been lectured for both showing and not showing POP twice now when boarding a streetcar.
Anyone know what the policy is?
Anyone know what the policy is?
CDL.TO
Moderator
There seems to be an element of an "at the discretion of the operator" policy, which will inevitably cause issues.
This is a really substantial change in the roles and responsibilities for TTC operators, and I hope TTC management is taking sufficient effort to communicate these changes to their staff.
This is a really substantial change in the roles and responsibilities for TTC operators, and I hope TTC management is taking sufficient effort to communicate these changes to their staff.
Amare
Senior Member
Fat chance that's happening. This is the same organization that can't educate drivers about TTC Times Two, or walking transfers. There are times I know I have the absolute right to use a walking transfer, but I avoid it because I dont feel like wasting my time arguing with an uneducated driver (TTC policy wise) over it.
reaperexpress
Senior Member
Yeah I've also experienced inconsistent understanding of POP from drivers. For example I was on St. Clair a week after POP was introduced and since I had a metropass and there were a fair amount of people getting on I decided to go to the back doors to speed things up (this streetcar was evidently late). But the operator never opened the rear doors and when I finally gave up and went to the front door, he lectured me on not showing my pass. I was not impressed.
Another instance, I was walking along Queen Street and I saw a guy walk out to the back door of an ALRV at a stop. But the operator never opened that door, and drove off with him still standing in the street. He ran after the streetcar to the next stop and fortunately caught it there. This is particularly jarring since the 501 has had POP for over a decade.
With POP, the operator is no longer the fare inspector. There are now separate fare inspectors that wander the system randomly/systematically checking whether people have proof of payment. On CLRVs and ALRVs, the operator also exchanges cash or tokens for transfers (a.k.a. POP) since there aren't automatic vending machines like on the Flexities.
If we can't educate the TTC streetcar operators on how TTC streetcar fare collection works, then I don't know what hope there is of educating the public.