York Region Transit: Viva service thread

[ShonTron]

Some interesting news out of York Region, though there isn't a lot of big improvments - mostly minor changes.

VIVA - the Purple service into Woodbridge during rush hour is dropped - but the Orange service will be improved. (Why bother?)
- The Green service (Unionville-Don Mills) will be rush hour only.

Other:
Stouffville service to be rationalized - splitting route 9 into two routes.

Sutton service provided by GO fare agreement (route 69) and introduction of a third fare zone at Ravenshoe Road.

Cuts to routes 33, 44 (replaced by dial-a-ride in evening), 55.
Improvements to routes 10, 88, 91.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Viva Green takes kind of a weird route, goes through unbuilt Markham Centre, does not continue on to serve ~100,000 people east of McCowan, and dumps people off at the stubway, so no wonder it'll be rush hour only.

 

[ShonTron]

Yeah, but the ridership still beats Viva Orange!

I've seen people use it from Unionville and on Warden, but it is pointless between there and Don Mills except for the warehouses and Seneca.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

I've seen people use it, too, but proving a route has a ridership of greater than zero isn't exactly a glowing endorsement

Oh, and I meant unbuilt Downtown Markham - Markham Centre's well underway.

 

[Chuck]

On my old bus route, the last bus still only leaves Finch at midnight. Now I live stumbling home drunk distance from a subway station. Take that YRT!

With daytime service almost bearable in most of YRT land, one area that they could really improve on is late night transit. Younger people who are most likely to take transit also stay out late, so it wouldn't be a bad idea giving them a way of getting home. I think that YRT should contract out 24 hour bus service on Yonge to the TTC. Extend the Yonge blue route up to Major Mack for starters.

 

[smuncky]

On my old bus route, the last bus still only leaves Finch at midnight. Now I live stumbling home drunk distance from a subway station. Take that YRT!

With daytime service almost bearable in most of YRT land, one area that they could really improve on is late night transit. Younger people who are most likely to take transit also stay out late, so it wouldn't be a bad idea giving them a way of getting home. I think that YRT should contract out 24 hour bus service on Yonge to the TTC. Extend the Yonge blue route up to Major Mack for starters.

i wouldnt mind that at all because im one of those young drunk people who take the bus.

right now the last bus from finch is the yonge bus which leaves just after the last subway train arrives at the terminal which is at 2.10. i would love a 24 hour bus service even if it was a 1 hour headway.

 

[canarob]

not continue on to serve ~100,000 people east of McCowan

Viva service should finally be coming east of McCowan on January 1 (unless it's been delayed again). It's sort of amazing that it's taken this long given it would serve Markham Village, the hospital, and Cornell.

 

[ShonTron]

Actually, the last Yonge bus leaving at 2:10 isn't bad - Only the MT 1 and 29 runs that late Monday-Friday (the last bus leaves Saturday at 1:55/1:59 AM, about 20 minutes before the last train arrives).

I think it's time for 30 minute 24-hour service on a few routes. Yonge, Dundas (to Trafalagar Road), Burnhamthorpe and Hurontario/Main (to Downtown Brampton) come immediately to mind. The Danforth-McCowan night bus should also go to Markville Mall. At least it would get people closer to their homes, and let taxis take passengers to the final suburban destinations.

Finally, why isn't there a night bus to York U? The Jane or even Dufferin night buses (via Wilson and Keele) could do this.

 

[JasonParis]

Last bus to/from York U is around 02:45. I missed it more than a few times in my day.

 

[doady]

The last MT buses actually leave Islington at around 2:30. The buses are Dundas, Bloor and Burnhamthorpe.

The latest for Yonge leaving Finch used to be around 12:00, but they changed it recently.

Some interesting news out of York Region, though there isn't a lot of big improvments - mostly minor changes.

VIVA - the Purple service into Woodbridge during rush hour is dropped - but the Orange service will be improved. (Why bother?)
- The Green service (Unionville-Don Mills) will be rush hour only.

They build all the bus stops that use special technology for VIVA green, but now there won't be any non-peak service? There is already enough reasons why VIVA shouldn't be called rapid transit, this is yet another one. A real transit line would not be peak-only, or school-time-only (e.g. Purple).

 

[ShonTron]

Purple runs all year, but the service is decreased a bit during summer months. But yeah, except on Yonge, Viva isn't that wonderful.

 

[Mike in TO]

York Region Transit / Viva general thread

I couldn't find a general VIVA thread, so I thought I'd just make a new one:

York Region intends to purchase six additional Viva rapid transit vehicles spending about $5.6 million. Growth in Viva ridership prompted the order of 11- Viva vehicles in 2007. The additional order of six will bring the Viva fleet to 107 vehicles.

 

[borgo100]

Viva EA on bus only lanes on yonge and hwy 7 are progressing,
high order transport will be discussed in 2009

 

[Justin10000]

So they are going to building the bus lanes even with a possible subway? Excellent. Yonge street needs both a subway AND transit priority lanes..

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

So they are going to building the bus lanes even with a possible subway? Excellent. Yonge street needs both a subway AND transit priority lanes..

That's one of the issues that are being brought up now at presentations. Local residents and shop owners are fighting the busway (moreso) now that the Subway extension has been planned.

The busway could be done in 5 years tops while the subway is 10 to 20 years away.

Mind you though a Subway to Steeles combined with a VIVA busway north from there and improved GO service to Richmond Hill Centre station would be the best options IMHO