18 - Waterdown Bus

[JoeyColeman]

A driver passed me the schedule for the 18 - Waterdown Bus

Here's the start/end point times:

Leave Aldershot / Arrive Parkside @ Keewaydin / Arrive Aldershot

0518 / 0538 / 0557
0540 / 0600 / 0619
0558 / 0618 / 0637
0628 / 0648 / 0707 (Last bus which meets train)
0655 / 0715 / 0734
0711 / 0731 / 0750
0736 / 0756 / 0815
0809 / 0829 / 0848

---- / 1444 / 1503
1451 / 1511 / 1530 (Train at 1444)
1524 / 1544 / 1603
1554 / 1614 / 1633 (Train at 1544)
1624 / 1644 / 1703
1654 / 1714 / 1733 (GO Bus from Burlington GO at 1645)
1724 / 1744 / 1803 (1630 Union arrives at 1724)
1807 / 1827 / 1846 (1702 Union arrives at 1756)
1838 / 1858 / 1917 (1734 Union arrives at 1828)

That's the last bus, anyone who can't make it to Union by 1734 is out of luck.

Looking at the 1554 and 1724 timings, it's pretty clear nobody at the HSR bothered to read the GO schedule when they created this timetable.

[raisethehammer]

what a waste of a route.
Wow.

[fastcarsfreedom]

Perhaps the HSR shouldve come here and had one of us draw up a schedule?

There are a number of considerations that have to be taken into account for scheduling - such as availability of rolling stock, drivers, etc. I think it's fair to say the HSR has done due dilligence on this launch -- perhaps waiting to see how things unfold would be better than declaring the route a 'waste' before it launches.

Has the HSR ever considered going with more mini-buses? It would seem to me that sort of stock would be a more wise deployment on routes like this one, or the Dundas Local.

[raisethehammer]

I'm not just referring to the timing with GO, but the actual schedule. Folks living out there are going to need to carry this thing around with them to make sure they finish their shopping before the buses disappear.
Why can't we treat transit like other modes of transportation??
Why don't we start closing down highway off ramps at 6pm and see how well that goes over?
I'm tired of the attitude that crappy transit service is acceptable...after all, it's only transit. No wonder people are reluctant to use it. They feel like second-class citizens....for good reason.

[fastcarsfreedom]

I understand your point and your frustration. Unfortunately, running buses that no one will ride isn't cost-effective and bleeds resources from areas where there is actual demand. New service has to begin somewhere -- and this is a start.

[JoeyColeman]

This is a start, the problem is that it's a unnecessarily poor start. It should be convenient for GO users to take this bus. It the classic commuter route, but isn't scheduled as such.

Unless you get off work before 5pm or work within 20 minutes walking of Union, you can't make the GO Train in time to get this Waterdown bus.

A good start would have been four buses to Aldershot in the morning with an additional two runs to Burlington GO after last train from Hamilton. In the evening, service at Aldershot GO for every GO train leaving Union from the 1443 until the 1843.

The schedule isn't designed around when people actually move from point A to point B, it's designed around what looked nice to a paper-pusher at the HSR who hasn't taken public transit in their life.

[miketoronto]

Maybe not that many people work in Toronto who live in Waterdown.
This route could be used by people just doing local trips also.

[hamtransithistory]

I've been thinking that Waterdown needs three routes.

-A bus that connects with the Aldershot GO Station, like the one about to start, but runs all day, and the schedule is tweaked so that it matches the GO train service (i.e. arrives at Aldershot 10 min before the GO train leaves, leaves 5 min after the GO train arrives)

-A local bus that makes a loop along Dundas, HollyBush, Parkside, Boulding & Pamela, in both directions (CW & CCW), all day, every 30 min at worst

-Possibly a bus that runs from King & James west to Dundurn, north to York, then north on Old Guelph Rd (past the RBG) to Hwy 6, north on Hwy 6 to Dundas St, east on Dundas to Hamilton St, and forms a on street loop with Hamilton, Main and Dundas. Because of the distance and low ridership, this would be rush hour only, or perhaps hourly at best

[raisethehammer]

I'd prefer to not be passed by bus after bus along King St before a sprawling, car-dependent suburb gets 3 routes.
They can have 3 routes once LRT is criss-crossing the city and headways are every few mintes.

[JoeyColeman]

A connection between Waterdown and McMaster would be more useful than one into the downtown core.

[ryan_mcgreal]

Perhaps the HSR shouldve come here and had one of us draw up a schedule?

What an excellent idea! The officials in charge of these organizations are frequently far removed from the experiences of people 'on the street' as well as far behind the curve when it comes to innovation and progress.

They would do very well to listen more closely to the grassroots - voluntary groups of people who acquire expertise through passion and dedication to the cause of improving the public weal.

[Batman]

There are going to be a few changes to this route effective March 29, the most significant one I think it there will now be a run which leaves Aldershot GO at 19:38 arriving at Parkside @ Keewaydin at 19:58. This should connect well for passengers on the 18:35 from Union which arrives Aldershot at 19:29

http://www.myhamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/ECCBAE49-EE3E-439D-87FC-78EEB30B92B8/0/MA09Route18.pdf

[Batman]

Oh and the morning run which was due in at 7:34 is now due to arrive at Aldershot GO at 7:28, so there may be a chance of catching the 7:32 to Union

http://www.myhamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/ECCBAE49-EE3E-439D-87FC-78EEB30B92B8/0/MA09Route18.pdf

[matt602]

Yep. Saw the changes in the "Bus News" pamphlet that I picked up. It seems that this time around, consultation was made to the GO scheduling.