Calgary Public Transit II

[mersar]

Originally Posted by alexle

The summer service revisions have now been posted: http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/summer_service_revisions_2010.html

Obviously the major revisions is the Inner City bus service, which is more of removing and/or combining duplicate bus routes. This is provided more in detail here: http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/inner_city.html

Nothing too major. Sad to see the route 9 no longer going to the loop in front of Mac Hall though, that was a handy stop to have. The new 403 routing though will make my life easier, no more needing to walk 2 blocks to catch the #6 to take up downtown to the CTrain which I've been doing since 4th Street SW station is closed.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by fusili

Moot point. Parking is expensive and will be for a long time. There isn't any space to build new surface parking lots downtown (and they are not permitted anyways) and the price of underground parking construction will keep prices high regardless of supply.

I know there is a lot being said about the City artificially inflating parking costs through restricting the amount that developers can build in the downtown (which is happening of course), but a huge reason why parking is expensive downtown is the sheer density of offices in Calgary's downtown. That is what people like Connelly fail to realize (not saying you don't), bringing down parking prices in the downtown is fighting against reality.

It's not a moot point, it's my entire point. Calgary is nowhere near as dense as Manhattan, and yet we have similar parking rates. It's entirely because the city has consciously limited parking for several decades now. We could easily have had a 6 storey parkade beneath every office tower, and thousands more parking spots.

I'm not disagreeing with the City's strategy, and I'm not trying to claim there's any way to actually reduce parking costs TODAY. All I was saying is that the reason the C-Train is so popular is because parking is so expensive, and that's something the city worked towards a long time ago.

Which gets back to my original question (and point): do people here honestly believe we'd have even half the LRT ridership if parking was 1/3 what it is now? If so, what makes Calgarians so different from the rest of the continent?

Given enough time most people have adapted and generally don't actually mind riding the train - but from watching it firsthand (and hearing lots of stories about the past), I think a lot of people here initially felt "forced" to move to public transit. Hence my hyperbole earlier about "kicking and screaming".

[outoftheice]

It sounds like there's finally some relief on the horizon for those of us who have been cursing those ticket machines that don't give change when all we have is a $5 bill.... Don't get me started on Chabot asking for expanded payment options and now trying to trim costs by limiting the expanded payment options.... even though the funding for the entire project has already been set aside. Can we get his election over with yet?

Transit fare system will cost $7M

Calgary Herald June 15, 2010

The first phase of an electronic fare system for transit is going out to tender later this month, including a way for customers to use online banking and credit and debit cards to pay for a ride.

Those using Calgary Transit would see the benefits of a new system in early 2012.

A report going to the land use, planning and transportation committee Wednesday says 80 per cent of riders now use prepaid fares to ride the bus or LRT, with more than half of customers opting for monthly passes.

Eleven per cent pay for each ride using cash.

Ald. Andre Chabot, who asked Calgary Transit to explore expanding its payment options earlier this year, said with a price tag of $7 million, the city should first just go to credit and debit cards.

"I want to know if it's the appropriate time to go to a full blown system," Chabot said, referring to options such as smart cards that can be "loaded" with a dollar value and scanned.

"We could implement (credit and debit cards) in the short-term, for one, two, three years."

The system being looked at "will provide customers with more convenient and flexible means of purchasing and using their transit fares while creating opportunities for innovative fare strategies in the future," the report says.

The initial focus will be on replacing or providing options for prepaid fares such as passes and tickets, as well as allowing the use of credit and debit cards and online banking.

Once the tender is awarded, design of the system will start.

There is $7 million from the federal Build Canada Fund set aside for the project.


Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Tr...ll+cost/3155561/story.html#ixzz0qwYz3Myy

[MalcolmTucker]

The stimulus announcement was specifically:

Electronic Fare Collection — $7 million

Invest in electronic fare payment media, such as smart cards, to provide transit customers with more flexible payment options.

I don't think you can reasonably expect to still get the federal share of the money if you cut the city contribution. Isn't he a little late with this anyways, since it was announced more than a month ago?

I still don't think the machines will give change (just costs too much) but at least will have options for debit and credit. Was very convenient on my recent trip to Vancouver.

[jeffwhit]

^^ suppose I could live without change being given as long as I could actually pay for a c-train ride when I'm out of tickets. It has irked me greatly that I could be a millionaire, and yet there are many common circumstances where it would be impossible for me to buy a c-train ticket.

[reflexzero]

But isnt the number of seats dropped from 60 to 56 or something? its only a drop of a few seats per car. A drop that small won't be noticible, you probably would be standing in the current car configuration.

Well it would help if Calgarians weren't so fat.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by jeffwhit

^^ suppose I could live without change being given as long as I could actually pay for a c-train ride when I'm out of tickets. It has irked me greatly that I could be a millionaire, and yet there are many common circumstances where it would be impossible for me to buy a c-train ticket.

I'm being completely honest here: I would use the train more often if I didn't need to find enough change every time, which I always have very little of. I'm often having to go to the nearest convenience store to break a 20, which is more time wasted.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

I'm being completely honest here: I would use the train more often if I didn't need to find enough change every time, which I always have very little of. I'm often having to go to the nearest convenience store to break a 20, which is more time wasted.

Out of curiosity, what do you do instead? Walk? Call a cab? Drive?

I know it's convenient for me to say this because I always have my monthly pass, but I kinda figure that anyone who'd actually use public transit more than a handful of times per year would at least buy tickets from time to time.

Still in agreement on the card-taking though. This is a bare minimum these days.

[srperrycgy]

Some info from today's LPT (LPT2010-37) agenda regarding fare payments:

Prepaid Fares:

Monthly Pass (Adult, Youth, Low Income) 51%
Tickets (Adult, Youth) 17%
Seniors Annual Pass 7%
UPass 6%

Others:

Cash (Adult, Youth) 11%
Other (Charters, Inter-Business Unit) 8%
Day Pass (Adult, Youth) <1%

[jeffwhit]

^^The fact that monthly cards are at 51% leads me to believe that A LOT of people are fare-skipping. Like, 10%.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by jeffwhit

^^The fact that monthly cards are at 51% leads me to believe that A LOT of people are fare-skipping. Like, 10%.

You think that number should be higher?

I dunno, when CT does their sweeps they only seem to catch 1 or 2 people per car during rush hour, so that's what, 1:30 at most?

[jeffwhit]

^^I've never seen them come through at rush hour. Whenever I've been checked it's always been on the NE line on a weekend. It's possible that I'm just way wrong though.

I like Toronto's weekend day pass- 2 adults+ up to 4 (or 6?) children on one pass- that would be great for Calgary families.

I'd also love to see CT actually innovate with customer service, and work a paperless, completely electronic option.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by jeffwhit

^^The fact that monthly cards are at 51% leads me to believe that A LOT of people are fare-skipping. Like, 10%.

Well considering that monthly passes are a good deal for just weekday commuters I am not surprised. That plus the ticket amount sure adds up.

Plus, you have to think with most c-train passengers being delivered by bus, that the vast majority of passengers are still being fare checked manually every trip.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Sir.Humphrey.Appleby

Plus, you have to think with most c-train passengers being delivered by bus, that the vast majority of passengers are still being fare checked manually every trip.

This has always been my thought as well. I guess the PnR crowd could avoid it, but beyond that it's really only inner-city dwellers who directly walk to the train in large numbers.

And personally I'm willing to give the latter some leeway anyway, because they're doing their part to make the city better.

[faxri]

I have been taking the train to work for 11 years now during rush hour, and I have only be checked for my pass a half dozen times or so. I really wonder how many people dont have tickets.

[MasterG]

Originally Posted by faxri

I have been taking the train to work for 11 years now during rush hour, and I have only be checked for my pass a half dozen times or so. I really wonder how many people dont have tickets.

I have never been checked on the train and i have been riding it since i was a kid, as well as 3-5 times a week for the last 4 years

The only time i was about to get checked a sleezy looking guy freaked out when they told everyone to take out their tickets. They then forgot about me to deal with this guy, who was fare skipping btw.

Exact quote when they told us to show our tickets:
"awww, you guys f*cked over my life again!!" THis guy was classic lol.

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by MasterG

I have never been checked on the train and i have been riding it since i was a kid, as well as 3-5 times a week for the last 4 years

The only time i was about to get checked a sleezy looking guy freaked out when they told everyone to take out their tickets. They then forgot about me to deal with this guy, who was fare skipping btw.

Exact quote when they told us to show our tickets:
"awww, you guys f*cked over my life again!!" THis guy was classic lol.

I was having a bad day :/

[Ferreth]

When I've taken the train during rush hour, I've been checked a couple of times in the past, never on the train, but as I'm leaving the platform - I've seen them checking only on the lesser used platforms at that time (too much delay to check everyone at the heavy use stations I presume). Outside of rush hour, I'd say the chances of being checked are 100 times higher.

For those occasional users who feel cash is a hassle - buy a book of tickets man. Even if you use the train only a couple of times a year, it's not like the transit cops will nail you for using last year's tickets - I asked them this as I'm using "expired" tickets all the time, and they replied that they don't go after people for that, perhaps if it's several versions old, but never for the previous version of the tickets.

[rail car designer]

Originally Posted by MasterG

But isnt the number of seats dropped from 60 to 56 or something? its only a drop of a few seats per car. A drop that small won't be noticible, you probably would be standing in the current car configuration.

At least now there would be more room so you dont have to stand right under some guy's armpit whos holding onto the top handrail

the new interior has 56 seats, all along the car sidewalls. there is an incredible amount of space for standing passengers, with plenty of grab bars and handholds for them (no armpit smelling necessary!).

the car, externally, looks a lot like the newer Edmonton cars with Calgary specific graphics.

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by rail car designer

the car, externally, looks a lot like the newer Edmonton cars with Calgary specific graphics.

It is the same cars that Edmonton is getting - they are quite comfortable.