Halifax Transit

[Keith P.]

I can't speak to the ignorant comment, but as a motorist I can say that the Link drivers seem to drive very aggressively in traffic and are not good to encounter. I have seen enough of this to believe that it is something they are being told to do.

[DigitalNinja]

Did anyone here about the new law they want to introduce to give busses the right of way?

[hfx_chris]

When pulling away from a bus stop, yes. It's been tossed around for a few years, but it looks like HRM and the province may actually be serious this time.

[Dmajackson]

^I already give buses the right-of-way at bus stops so the law won't really make a difference to me.

Man from driving quite a bit lately I can tell you that two projects really need to be condsidered;

- The bus lane for Gottingen.

- And a hell of a lot more bus infastructure needs to be placed on the Bedford Highway.

[jasonashhh]

i can see like the metro x buses they look something like the wheel chair buses that drive around only thing is they got seats in them like the link bus and are a little bit longer and the wheel chair pull at the end on it

[hfx_chris]

Originally Posted by jasonashhh

i can see like the metro x buses they look something like the wheel chair buses that drive around only thing is they got seats in them like the link bus and are a little bit longer and the wheel chair pull at the end on it

You got it

[Jonovision]

I don't know if anyone else has noticed this. But work has been happening in the little court yard off Market Street behind Scotia Square. I heard from a worker in there that they are putting in a new big bus shelter and will be rerouting some of the buses up duke to this new stop instead of going to the stop at Barrington.
Anyone else thing this might have something remotely to do with the impending construction of International Place?

[Doggard]

A tantalizing idea for sure. I suppose it could be any number of things though. Maybe planning for expanded service? Or maybe there will be some road resurfacing or harbour solutions project that will make the area temporarily unsuitable for Public transit?

[hfx_chris]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

Anyone else thing this might have something remotely to do with the impending construction of International Place?

No, Market/Abermarle is to be the downtown terminus of the rural express service. That's what this would be for.

[Keith P.]

What/where is Abermarle?

[Jonovision]

Abermale is what they renamed Market in behind Scotia Square.

[hfx_chris]

Which I still don't understand why they did that.
Well, I do, because the MC cuts it into two streets, but still. Same with renaming the westen half of George to Carmichael.

[someone123]

On some level it makes sense. If you are looking for an address you should be able to find the street and then look for the number without having to search around.

It's also interesting to note that Albemarle predates Market as the name for that street; it's the name from when the city was first founded. I believe the name was changed to Market when the city market was built (at Duke probably?). It was torn down in the 60s. Not sure what the building was like, though I heard it was also the police HQ for a while.

[Dmajackson]

Community Transit Service to Sambro

Effective August 30, 2009, our Community Transit will introduce pilot service to the community of Sambro.

Transit will begin its two-directional service from the Ketch Harbour Fire Station, with stops at Ketch Harbour Rd., Old Sambro Rd., Dentith Rd., to terminate at South Centre Mall. Transit service will begin at 5:30 am, with interval service throughout the day, with the last trip leaving the fire station at 8:15 pm.

Community Transit service will be available from Monday to Friday only. Buses will be equipped with a bike rack, which can accommodate two bicycles.

During this pilot period, the route will not be accessible to wheelchairs.

Additional information will be posted or contact the HRM Call Centre at 490-4000.

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Some of changes coming into effect on August 30th;

Route 1 - Correcting the schedule on weekdays to ten minutes frequencies all day

Route 16 - No more Saturday service (Monday-Friday only)

Route 18 - Now Wheelchair Accessible

Route 19 - New addition of 6am bus inbound, 543am outbound

Route 33 - 527pm inbound now departs at 522pm

Route 59 - New evening rush-hour trips Summer-bound

Route 60 - Changes to departures times outbound (evening)

Route 66 - Evening trips to/from Cobequid Terminal ()

Route 80 - Changes to evening departures inbound

Route 82 - Now leaves on :30 on Sundays Cobequid-Sackville

Route 83 - Changes to departure times

Route 87 - Addition of 640am route on Sat. Bridge-Sackville

Route 89 - 651am now 649am (Lacewood-Cobequid)

Route 165 - Changes to morning departure times

And of course the addition on the MetroX and Sambro Routes

[hfx_chris]

Bike racks? Any reason why the Sambro service gets bike racks, but neither the Porters Lake or Beaver Bank services do?

Also, the new MetroX hwy 103 route has been designated route number 330.

[Halifax Hillbilly]

A good, incremental improvement to Metro Transit with better frequencies, additional trips, more low floor routes and new routes. Transit still has a long way to go in Halifax but there is no doubt the system has improved quite a bit in the last few years.

Very glad to see the 1 is ten minute frequencies - very key route that was almost always overcrowded.

Interested to see how successful the MetroX and Sambro routes will be. My prediction is MetroX will be overflowing and Sambro empty, but only time will tell.

[hfx_chris]

I've always had a problem with the route 1, it tries to do too much and be too many things to too many people. It's a primary Dartmouth-Halifax route, it's a Dal route, it's a Mumford-downtown-Dartmouth route.. I dunno, that's always why it's so freaking crowded. How many times have you heard somebody ask how to get from Dartmouth to Halifax Shopping Centre, and somebody says take the 1. Well frig, if you want to spend all day sure - nobody mentions the 52. Or a transfer downtown to the routes 2, 4 or 6.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by hfx_chris

I've always had a problem with the route 1, it tries to do too much and be too many things to too many people. It's a primary Dartmouth-Halifax route, it's a Dal route, it's a Mumford-downtown-Dartmouth route.. I dunno, that's always why it's so freaking crowded. How many times have you heard somebody ask how to get from Dartmouth to Halifax Shopping Centre, and somebody says take the 1. Well frig, if you want to spend all day sure - nobody mentions the 52. Or a transfer downtown to the routes 2, 4 or 6.

Actually the #1 is empty compared to the 10, which is a similar sort of multipurpose route that goes from Westphal all the way to Dal and SMU. It is always ridiculously overcrowded but unlike the 1 runs far less frequently. It is one of the worst routes on MT's schedule.

[hfx_chris]

Hah. Don't even get me started on the 10.

They're turning the 14/61 into a similar sort of beast, and I don't much care for it.

[Halifax Hillbilly]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Actually the #1 is empty compared to the 10, which is a similar sort of multipurpose route that goes from Westphal all the way to Dal and SMU. It is always ridiculously overcrowded but unlike the 1 runs far less frequently. It is one of the worst routes on MT's schedule.

I think they are both problematic but it all depends on the part of the route. I never rode the 10 in Dartmouth but have seen what you are talking about - overflowing accordian buses in Dartmouth. The 10 in Halifax is well used but not crowded - clearly in Dartmouth its a different storey. Same with the 1 - overcrowded along Coburg and down Oxford to North Street, reasonable everywhere else. Having such long routes makes it tough to add the right amount of service along the whole route, because some places need way more service than others.

Just to be clear, when I say jam-packed I mean a bus route where crowding is so bad that people are sometimes left at stops, even though the strap hangers are crushed in like sardines. Very few routes are like this in Halifax.

Originally Posted by hfxchris

I've always had a problem with the route 1, it tries to do too much and be too many things to too many people. It's a primary Dartmouth-Halifax route, it's a Dal route, it's a Mumford-downtown-Dartmouth route.. I dunno, that's always why it's so freaking crowded.

I see your point for sure and I think it could be made for a lot of other routes. I think the most useful part of the 1 route is the Mumford to Downtown section, seems quite natural and is always well used. I think the frequency of the 1 (or the relative frequncy compared to other routes) is part of the issue with people choosing it over other routes. The 1 itself isn't necessarily faster but if you're waiting and it pulls up eight minutes before your bus it ends up being a comparable trip. Pretty much every other route is 30 minute frequency, except for the 52 which is every 15 in rush hour.

Hopefully Metro Transit will go for a more serious route review when the new garage opens. hfx_chris any chance this might happen?

Another bus that always struck me as overcrowded was the 20 between Spryfield and Mumford - consistently jam packed. Has this improved at all since the new route to Spryfield (19 Greystone) started service?