Halifax Transit

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

But I actually do want to see the province create a better regional transit system. I think it's crazy that there's basically no transit option to go to places like Lunenburg and Bridgewater other than pricey tour buses. But that's more a general mobility service than a commuter service which have different scheduling which is an issue with the Metro X buses other than the airport. So I fear this is more a case of pandering to a the conservatives mostly rural base rather than a desire for something truly useful.

Yes, I think these services are useful but best thought of as mobility or tourism services rather than commuter services.

The one "rural" exception is maybe the 102 corridor.

[Dartguard]

So I fear this is more a case of pandering to a the conservatives mostly rural base rather than a desire for something truly useful.[/QUOTE]

BINGO!!! The transport minister is from Glace Bay and he gets grief all the time about the paltry service between GB and Sydney.

Now if Houston could convince the Feds to build some military stuff in Truro, BW or Windsor?

[Keith P.]

To me a fairly frequent (at least at peak time) commuter express bus or (bestill my heart) light rail connection between the core of HRM and places like Bridgewater, Windsor and Elmsdale/Truro would be an admirable goal. The demand isn’t getting any lower and those things aren’t getting any cheaper.

[OldDartmouthMark]

The way I see it, the Province appears to be tired of watching the city dick around while accomplishing very little. So they are intending to step in and do something. Of course they are the “province” and thus do have to deal with the ‘everything goes to the city’ nonsense, so some pandering is not to be unexpected.

At this point I am happy that they are proposing anything, and if there has to be a rural component to it, that won’t be without benefit, even if it’s not ideal. Again, there are way more people commuting from surrounding towns and rural areas than was ever conceivable 40+ years ago when we actually had regular ‘dayliner’ train service to these areas. As Keith says, it won’t get any cheaper moving forward, and as many have said, this stuff takes decades to build, and more likely than not, when it’s actually ready to operate, the need will be there.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Truro, N.S., mayor says transit link to Halifax would open doors and economy

[IanWatson]

Regional transit options would be great. My question is: how will this be any different (I.e. better) than the Maritime Bus service that people have slowly turned their back on?

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

Regional transit options would be great. My question is: how will this be any different (I.e. better) than the Maritime Bus service that people have slowly turned their back on?

I can’t say for sure, but perhaps one difference would be waiting at a stop and paying a fee when you enter the bus vs booking in advance? Also, it’s early to tell, as it’s only in the study phase, but maybe frequency would be ramped up during commuting hours? Maritime Bus is more geared towards regional travel vs a daily commute.

One thing that sparks a bit of hope when I read it is the indication that bus routes could eventually be replaced by rail routes. One can only hope.

[someone123]

I wonder if NS will commit the sort of consistent funding that's required to provide meaningfully better service that people can rely on.

For the service to be meaningfully different I think it would need to work for commuters, with affordable daily rates, commuter schedules, regular departures, good connections, and integrated fares with improved transit that efficiently connects to a bunch of destinations around the city. Ideally it would be a train service with tray tables and wifi that would allow for remote work. Basically it would create the equivalent of one commuter rail corridor that you see in some larger North American metros or in many European cities.

I tend to think the Halifax-Truro corridor is marginal for this, but could become a good corridor with longer term planning (i.e., developing more residential and business along stops like Fall River or Lantz). Halifax-Moncton too. I'm sceptical of Bridgewater or Windsor. I think they should have some bus connections, but it is more of an accessibility or tourism service. Of course for rail there is the CN issue.

[someone123]

Wellington is actually a bit smaller than Halifax but has something akin to what a more developed transit system in Halifax/NS might look like: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_transport_in_the_Wellington_Region

It has higher per capita ridership than larger Auckland apparently. They have some electrified rail running 2-car trains.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by someone123

Wellington is actually a bit smaller than Halifax but has something akin to what a more developed transit system in Halifax/NS might look like: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_transport_in_the_Wellington_Region

It has higher per capita ridership than larger Auckland apparently. They have some electrified rail running 2-car trains.

It doesn’t seem that a system like that should be out of the question for Halifax.

[Keith P.]

Coincidentally, this morning I watched a new video from Steve Marsh, a Scottish fellow who travels the world and uses YouTube revenue from his videos to make a living for himself and his partner, Alicja. I warn you in advance that his videos are somewhat addictive. He did one of Halifax last summer that was very complimentary.

Yesterday he dropped a video of the two of them visiting Auckland. They dropped into the city rail transit terminal for a look, which was very impressive. They tried to use it when they arrived at the airport a week or two ago and the connections to where they wanted to go were unfortunately not very good. But it is still apparently being built out.

[Keith P.]

Just when you think Halifax Transit couldn't get any more inept, they prove you wrong:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scot...transit-delayed-until-december-9.7270305


Jen Taplin at the Herald has a much more detailed account of what went on at Council (with newish Transit boss Robin Gerus taking a lot of the blame for misleading Council initially) but it is paywalled and I don't want to risk reproducing much of it here:

https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/emb...-hits-halifax-transit-tap-to-pay-rollout

[someone123]

Hopefully they will implement a tap service that supports Visa and Interac. Some systems have tap but they make you download a special app and tediously load it with credits. This is annoying for visitors and unnecessary.

At this point tap is quite old, so old many don't carry coins or cash anymore, and a lot of minor systems already have it. I think they said CBRM managed to figure out tap already. It's sad that Halifax Transit hasn't been able to implement it yet. They discuss the proposal to raise fares but I haven't seen as much about the fares lost from payment difficulties.

[OldDartmouthMark]

I very rarely carry coins with me these days, so if I plan to take a bus I have to plan to populate my pocket with coins. It’s sad, but not surprising, that this is happening here. Step back and take the wide view, and you can see how council & staff are having a hard time accomplishing much of anything of substance these days. Doing big things is not a strong point of theirs.

That said, coins are still preferable to loading some clunky app on my phone that I have to link to my credit card info, and then still have to go to the trouble of managing. I just won’t do the app thing.

[Saul Goode]

I'm split on which is the bigger embarrassment: Halifax Transit or Halifax Water.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I very rarely carry coins with me these days, so if I plan to take a bus I have to plan to populate my pocket with coins...

The buses and ferries currently accept a distant cousin of tap, so you don't NEED to have coins: you do need to download an app and pay for a ride via the app, or purchase several tickets at a discount via the app. When the time comes to take transit, you activate your ticket and it triggers a moving QR code which you scan on the bus or at the ferry terminal... I think one of these tickets is active for two hours, but I'm not sure - on most occasions I've used it, I was able to go to/from my destination on one fare.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

I'm split on which is the bigger embarrassment: Halifax Transit or Halifax Water.

Too close to call!

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

The buses and ferries currently accept a distant cousin of tap, so you don't NEED to have coins: you do need to download an app and pay for a ride via the app, or purchase several tickets at a discount via the app. When the time comes to take transit, you activate your ticket and it triggers a moving QR code which you scan on the bus or at the ferry terminal... I think one of these tickets is active for two hours, but I'm not sure - on most occasions I've used it, I was able to go to/from my destination on one fare.

That would fall under my definition of “clunky app” though. Maybe it would make sense if you used it every day, but remembering change is less bother.

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

That would fall under my definition of “clunky app” though. Maybe it would make sense if you used it every day, but remembering change is less bother.

I completely agree. What a waste of money in creating an app. If people don't have better things to do than fiddle with silly unnecessary apps well, then that's too bad.

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

Does Transit have shovels in the ground anywhere at this point? Mill Cove? Shannon Park? Wright's Cove Terminal?(nope) Downtown Terminal? ...sigh...