Calgary Public Transit II

[DarkKeyo]

I can think of about 30 bad ideas. The Whoosh. The Portal. Fleet. The Flow. The Breeze. The Connect, as horrible as that is (or C-onnect). The Weave... The Network, or C-net. Applying 'C' to the name would sort of fit with Calgary and (ugh) cowboy.... The Line. Or combine the two and get 'C-Line'.

So far, I have a list with which you all can vote on what is the worst.

I think i like the Current, or the Flow. Something with energy and connectedness.

[DizzyEdge]

When the city does LRT work on weekends, particularly long weekends, is it work that can't be done at night because the 2am-5am break isn't long enough, or do they actually need consecutive days to do the work. Just curious if the LRT instead stopped at midnight instead if there would need to be less weekend closures (with shuttle busses working the midnight-2am shift, or later)

[mersar]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

When the city does LRT work on weekends, particularly long weekends, is it work that can't be done at night because the 2am-5am break isn't long enough, or do they actually need consecutive days to do the work. Just curious if the LRT instead stopped at midnight instead if there would need to be less weekend closures (with shuttle busses working the midnight-2am shift, or later)

Depends on the work, but generally they do need it. A lot of the downtown work has taken 24+ hours to complete even with crews working in shifts (track replacement usually requires concrete to set, caternary replacement is time consuming period and they'll usually do a couple blocks at once).

[Blue_Cypress]

8 month closure at Chinook. PCL will be the prime contractor here.

[lubicon]

That's going to mess up a LOT of people.

[fusili]

Following up on last weeks post, vote in the poll to name Calgary's Primary Transit Network:

http://transitcamp.ca/2012/07/05/naming-the-primary-transit-network-poll/

[Radley77]

Originally Posted by fusili

Following up on last weeks post, vote in the poll to name Calgary's Primary Transit Network:

http://transitcamp.ca/2012/07/05/naming-the-primary-transit-network-poll/

Do you mean a name to refer to both (LRT and BRT)?

LRT travels at an average speed of 35 kmphr, whereas BRT has an average speed of 26 kmphr.

LRT has about a frequency of every 3 minutes during rush hour, whereas BRT has a frequency of about 10 minutes during rush hour.

I have a hard time equivocating LRT to BRT and generally would find it more useful to differentiate in some way both colour and naming convention... i.e: CART-1, CART-2, CART-3. With CART-1 referring to highest priority and frequency...

[Elbownian]

Definition of Primary Transit Network from the CTP:

The Primary Transit Network is defined by level of service – not by mode. It comprises a permanent network of high-frequency transit services (i.e., LRT, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), streetcars/trams and frequent bus service) that will operate every 10 minutes or less over an extended operating period, seven days a week.

While I don't disagree that applying a single name to a multi-modal network may seem a bit counter-intuitive, I think it's important to remember that the primary transit initiative is more about frequency than speed. It represents services that can be used without the need to refer to a schedule, even if connecting to another primary transit route.

[Rise_of_the_West]

I noticed today that Calgary Transit has replaced those full system maps along the LRT lines (you know the ones with every single bus route in the city on them) with proper metro maps of just the LRT system.

Good to see changes for the better coming out of the RouteAhead discussions already!

[andasen]

Originally Posted by Rise_of_the_West

I noticed today that Calgary Transit has replaced those full system maps along the LRT lines (you know the ones with every single bus route in the city on them) with proper metro maps of just the LRT system.

Good to see changes for the better coming out of the RouteAhead discussions already!

Is it just the LRT network or do they include the BRT lines as well?

[Rise_of_the_West]

Just LRT. I think this is fine as its consistent with most other major cities metro maps.

[DizzyEdge]

I know that people occasionally post about taxis in here so I will put my rant here:

I understand why there is a shortage of cabs. What drives me crazy though, is Calgary is the only city I've ever been to where a large number of drivers either forget to turn on/off, or have no idea what the light on the top of their car is for. When 1/2+ of the cabs driving by with their top lights on have passengers in the back seat, that is frustrating.

[lubicon]

Had a chance to utilize the new payment methods for single ticket use over the weekend. Unless I am a complete idiot and missed something I have to give the new system a huge 'fail' for a grade. While it was definately nice to be able to use Visa/Debit to purchase tickets from the machine, it floored me that you still can only purchase one ticket at a time. Maybe this is the part I missed so correct me if I am wrong. There is absolutely no reason you cannot select the total number of tickets you need (adult, youth etc.) all together in one transaction. Instead we had to do 4 separate transactions to buy 4 tickets which is a huge waste of time. And with a large lineup of people all waiting to buy their tickets too it sure slows things down.

Come on CT, you need to get in the 20th century.

[You Need A Thneed]

Originally Posted by lubicon

Had a chance to utilize the new payment methods for single ticket use over the weekend. Unless I am a complete idiot and missed something I have to give the new system a huge 'fail' for a grade. While it was definately nice to be able to use Visa/Debit to purchase tickets from the machine, it floored me that you still can only purchase one ticket at a time. Maybe this is the part I missed so correct me if I am wrong. There is absolutely no reason you cannot select the total number of tickets you need (adult, youth etc.) all together in one transaction. Instead we had to do 4 separate transactions to buy 4 tickets which is a huge waste of time. And with a large lineup of people all waiting to buy their tickets too it sure slows things down.

Come on CT, you need to get in the 20th century.

Yup, that has frustrated me too.

[93JC]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

I know that people occasionally post about taxis in here so I will put my rant here:

I understand why there is a shortage of cabs. What drives me crazy though, is Calgary is the only city I've ever been to where a large number of drivers either forget to turn on/off, or have no idea what the light on the top of their car is for. When 1/2+ of the cabs driving by with their top lights on have passengers in the back seat, that is frustrating.

LOL

What's worse is when they're driving around with no passengers, with the light on, and won't stop if you flag them down.

Or if they're stopped, light on, no fare, you hop in and they tell you "I'M NOT WORKING RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE TO GET OUT!"
A friend had that happen to him. He said to the cabbie "But your light's on!" Cabbie turned the light off and told him to get out.

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by 93JC

LOL

What's worse is when they're driving around with no passengers, with the light on, and won't stop if you flag them down.

Or if they're stopped, light on, no fare, you hop in and they tell you "I'M NOT WORKING RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE TO GET OUT!"
A friend had that happen to him. He said to the cabbie "But your light's on!" Cabbie turned the light off and told him to get out.

It's like Calgary cabbies think the light is there just to make their cab look pretty. Also on some cabs (Yellow particularly) the light isn't bright enough or the covering too opaque that you cannot tell if it is on or off during the day.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

It's like Calgary cabbies think the light is there just to make their cab look pretty. Also on some cabs (Yellow particularly) the light isn't bright enough or the covering too opaque that you cannot tell if it is on or off during the day.

They aren't connected into the meters? Sounds like something the Mayor's office should raise at the taxi commission.

Hint hint.

[Rusty van Reddick]

Originally Posted by 93JC

Or if they're stopped, light on, no fare, you hop in and they tell you "I'M NOT WORKING RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE TO GET OUT!"
A friend had that happen to him. He said to the cabbie "But your light's on!" Cabbie turned the light off and told him to get out.

Exact same thing happened to us in Toronto. Never in Calgary.

Idiots are everywhere.

[Policy Wonk]

While the taxi drivers in Calgary are generally deadbeats, Ottawa is the worst I have seen anywhere by far. I have had some real unbelievable scumbags in the US but Ottawa has always taken the cake. The cab that picked me up at the airport that someone had very recently puked in was my favorite.

[You Need A Thneed]

The OBMF expansion is under construction. Again, the new part is 12m (1m per LRV) longer than the old bays.