Halifax Transit

[Halifax Hillbilly]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

This is a good start. Now I wonder if they will consider a Right of Way route (maybe through the dockyards) so that it would be Bus Rapid Transit.

I've always felt the dockyards were under-served, and it would be a good place to put some sort of corridor connecting the MacDonald Bridge/ North Street to downtown. Hopefully Metro Transit and HRM council start pushing projects like reserved bus lanes/ corridors.

The next step though is to start looking at doing the same thing on Lacewood Drive, Main Street Dartmouth, Bedford Highway, etc. We've got to start pruning routes and making the main corridors more frequent. The 10 minute frequency on Portland is a good start, though. Let's hope more of this thinking rolls out soon across the network.

The other good news is if you reduce service on under-performing routes and put the resources back into high frequency corridors ridership goes up and public subsidy goes down. It's a better use of resources.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Halifax Hillbilly

The next step though is to start looking at doing the same thing on Lacewood Drive, Main Street Dartmouth, Bedford Highway, etc. We've got to start pruning routes and making the main corridors more frequent. The 10 minute frequency on Portland is a good start, though. Let's hope more of this thinking rolls out soon across the network.

One big advantage of high-frequency corridors is that transfers become pretty painless.

Halifax's transit would be much better if it had even one good high-frequency route to feed everything else into. This would ideally be something faster than normal a normal bus route. It could be a busway or LRT. The "transit bingo" style routes would be reconfigured into small feeder routes that would take advantage of the main corridor as much as possible.

[Halifax Hillbilly]

Originally Posted by someone123

One big advantage of high-frequency corridors is that transfers become pretty painless.

Halifax's transit would be much better if it had even one good high-frequency route to feed everything else into. This would ideally be something faster than normal a normal bus route. It could be a busway or LRT. The "transit bingo" style routes would be reconfigured into small feeder routes that would take advantage of the main corridor as much as possible.

The 1 as a rapid express might be a good start. The 52 and 80 might also be decent for this type of back-bone, high performance route.

Really though, I think we have to tear the routes down and start over. Focus on a high-frequency network, and wherever possible claim right of ways for transit.

[Keith P.]

Since the 1 seems to run every 5 minutes it already is sort of a rapid express, though having stops every 500 feet sort of defeats that.

[DigitalNinja]

I've seen people get on the bus at one stop. Then get off the next, 500 feet later. Seriously! I think people should learn to walk...

[pblaauw]

Originally Posted by DigitalNinja

I've seen people get on the bus at one stop. Then get off the next, 500 feet later. Seriously! I think people should learn to walk...

Me and my wheelchair agree.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Halifax Hillbilly

Really though, I think we have to tear the routes down and start over. Focus on a high-frequency network, and wherever possible claim right of ways for transit.

It's kind of depressing because I don't think Metro Transit or HRM are even close to operating on that level. Council could not even follow through with dedicated bus lanes along Bayers Road, a ROW that was already largely planned for and set aside.

Metro Transit operates by making incremental changes every couple of years. They're not keeping pace with the level of development in the city. Transit service in the mainland Halifax/Bedford area is not very different from what it was 10 years ago, but the population there has gone up substantially. Clayton Park is mostly medium density residential but its street network is a total mess and its only transit terminal is still just some bus shelters by a strip mall. It's pretty pathetic.

[Halifax Hillbilly]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Since the 1 seems to run every 5 minutes it already is sort of a rapid express, though having stops every 500 feet sort of defeats that.

1 runs every ten minutes throughout the day, although there is a lot of bunching. Pretty good level of service but the stop spacing is ridiculously close. The 1 is the only route that covers it's operating costs.

It's kind of depressing because I don't think Metro Transit or HRM are even close to operating on that level. Council could not even follow through with dedicated bus lanes along Bayers Road, a ROW that was already largely planned for and set aside.

Metro Transit operates by making incremental changes every couple of years. They're not keeping pace with the level of development in the city. Transit service in the mainland Halifax/Bedford area is not very different from what it was 10 years ago, but the population there has gone up substantially. Clayton Park is mostly medium density residential but its street network is a total mess and its only transit terminal is still just some bus shelters by a strip mall. It's pretty pathetic.

I think this will change. Council has made substantial commitments to transit (lots of buses, transit garage, Bridge Terminal, oodles more service) that are really unprecedented for HRM. I think for the first time in a while council is fully on board with transit in principle, but as usual they have no idea what to do about it. What will probably be the real motivation for change is the fact that the fare box keeps covering less and less of Metro Transit's operating costs: it's really inefficient to keep overlapping routes and running transit farther into fringe suburban areas. A core high frequency network could get support from right leaning councillors (higher fare box return) and left leaning councillors (ridership increases and environmental benefits). It might take a while but I think we will get there. The current system just makes no sense and has too much overlap (but no real frequency) on the peninsula, and big holes in places like Bedford.

The other encouraging sign is community groups like It's More Than Buses trying to raise the level of debate around transit. It might take years to pay off but I think it will turn out to be pretty key.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Halifax Hillbilly

I think this will change. Council has made substantial commitments to transit (lots of buses, transit garage, Bridge Terminal, oodles more service) that are really unprecedented for HRM. ... The other encouraging sign is community groups like It's More Than Buses trying to raise the level of debate around transit. It might take years to pay off but I think it will turn out to be pretty key.

Yeah. The airport shuttle is an example of an obvious service improvement that for whatever reason seemed like it was never going to happen, but now it has. The library was a similar story. The streetscape improvements along Barrington and Spring Garden are examples of realistic, obviously worthwhile projects that are still not being implemented. There's still lots of room for improvement but clearly some improvement has already happened.

[fenwick16]

A story from CBC News regarding late night ferry reductions - http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/08/04/ns-metro-transit-ferry-cuts.html. This has been mentioned on this forum before and it will now go before city council this coming week on Aug 7th - http://halifax.ca/council/agendasc/documents/120807ca1119.PDF

Cutting late night transit service between Halifax and Dartmouth seems to be a backward move. In my opinion, if late night ferry service is reduced then late night bus service should be extended (ideally an all-night service between Dartmouth and Halifax should be started. Route 1 seems to be a good route for all-night service - http://www.halifax.ca/metrotransit/Schedules/documents/mapRoute1.pdf with all night trips after 12:30am at 30 minute intervals).

HRM council to decide on Metro Transit ferry service cuts
CBC News
Posted: Aug 4, 2012 4:11 PM AT
Last Updated: Aug 4, 2012 6:05 PM AT

Metro Transit ferry service will be debated Tuesday at City Hall. (CBC)

Late-night Metro Transit ferry service across the Halifax harbour could end in just a few weeks.

City staff is recommending that Halifax regional council approve a service reduction.

HRM councillors realized the ferry service was being cut only after the spring budget was already passed.

Metro Transit planned to reduce several trips on both ferries, but it was the cancellation of the late-night Alderney ferry run that angered people.

Coun. Dawn Sloane says she's against any cuts to ferry service.

"I am definitely opposed to any ferry cutbacks or any cutbacks right now of any kind of mass transportation," said Sloane, the councillor for the city's downtown.

"I think the issue at hand here is that people that rely on the service will of course look for alternative ways to get around, which means more cars which means more traffic and more parking issues.
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[Waye Mason]

I'd reluctantly take ferry cuts if we put the money into all night bus service on 4-5 key routes.

I can't accept ferry cuts to help extend MetroX to Porters Lake.

Realigning service in the core is one thing, cutting the core to fund rural expansion is another.

[Keith P.]

Nobody uses the ferry at night except for Friday and Saturday evenings. There is no point running a ferry back and forth without passengers. Unfortunately most of the councillors, especially Sloane, will try to make this into a much broader issue in the name of motherhood and as usual, completely miss the point. Use it or lose it. People aren't using it, so they should lose it.

[Spire]

Regarding late night bus service, for what it's worth, this was discussed at Regional Council back in 2009. The Halifax Student Alliance submitted a proposal for late-night bus service:

http://www.halifax.ca/council/agendasc/documents/090303ca1011.pdf

...which was later rejected by HRM Staff, for the usual reasons (too expensive, no one would use it, etc.)

http://www.halifax.ca/council/agendasc/documents/090929cai04.pdf

If late night bus service is ever tried as a pilot project, though, route 1 would be the logical place to start.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Nobody uses the ferry at night except for Friday and Saturday evenings. There is no point running a ferry back and forth without passengers. Unfortunately most of the councillors, especially Sloane, will try to make this into a much broader issue in the name of motherhood and as usual, completely miss the point. Use it or lose it. People aren't using it, so they should lose it.

Probably an extended hours bus route would make more sense. One route (say route 1) which would provide a link across the harbour and through heavy pedestrian traffic areas for students, hospitality workers, and others who work odd hours but can't afford taxi fare. It would also serve the late night tavern customers.

Because of the way Metro Transit is currently set up, with so much overlap between routes, I don't see much additional benefit to having more than one all-night route. Regarding the regular bus routes, it seems like Metro Transit could be greatly streamlined with just a couple high frequency, bus rapid transit corridors and then several bus routes that link to the high frequency corridors.

Here is a map of the Toronto Transit Commission's all-night service bus routes - http://www.ttc.ca/images/fixedImages/TTC-bluenight.pdf

[Waye Mason]

Just to put it in perspective, average number of people per hour on the ferry M-R after 10pm is about 44 riders per hour. I remember the number because that is still 2 full MetroX buses

If staff say to me "no one will use it" the question back at them has to be "why then do people use it in every other city that has it?"

A lot of people who most need transit - cleaners who work late at night, health support workers, etc work night shifts that start or end when MT is shut down. It seems to me that the 1 and the 80 should be all night, probably the 7 as well.

[Jstaleness]

It would be better for downtown business. When I was a student I can remember leaving places early to catch the last bus so I could avoid cab fare. Another view is instead of cab fare the people would spend their cash at the bars and restaurants open late.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Waye Mason

If staff say to me "no one will use it" the question back at them has to be "why then do people use it in every other city that has it?"

One of the unfortunate problems with a public service like transit is that it's hard to figure out why people aren't riding. It could be that there's no demand, but often there are problems with routes, scheduling, or reliability that keep people away.

People typically choose the explanation for low ridership what suits their agenda. The ones who don't like transit start with cost cutting measures that make the service unappealing. That then gives them ammunition to claim that the service should be eliminated because nobody is riding it.

I also wonder whether or not the U-Pass system creates "second-class citizens" out of the captive market of students. They all have to pay regardless of what transit service they use, and from the perspective of Metro Transit the marginal increase in revenue from adding more student-oriented transit services is now extremely low. On top of this I'm guessing few of the bus drivers want to do bus service.

[halifaxboyns]

For me; the numbers show some use for the ferry. So there are some people using it; but I don't know if it's enough to say keep it going every night. I think the balance (for now) would be to only offer it on Friday and Saturday night but ALSO make changes to some of the last runs of the night to be able to offer connections from Halifax to the Dartmouth bus routes so that the gap isn't a major problem.

That said, I believe that with King's Wharf getting to the point that occupancy will start soon - we may see the ridership numbers start rising over the next year or two. Plus if all the development that has been talked about in downtown Dartmouth goes ahead, that will help as well.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

That said, I believe that with King's Wharf getting to the point that occupancy will start soon - we may see the ridership numbers start rising over the next year or two. Plus if all the development that has been talked about in downtown Dartmouth goes ahead, that will help as well.

What's nice about King's Wharf is that by itself it's large enough to overcome the chicken and egg problem of low density and poor services in downtown Dartmouth. Once that's a more successful area with more pedestrian activity (making it safer), a full service grocery store, good ferry service, and all those sorts of things it will be a lot easier to attract residents and businesses to other developments. It won't be a discount area, it will be an area people want to move to.

I think we will see a similar transformation in the North End too (Gottingen, Agricola, or Young Street, it's all low density). Right now it doesn't quite "work" properly as an urban neighbourhood because densities are too low. The story of the development of the co-op grocery store on Gottingen highlights this -- the neighbourhood population within a radius of a few blocks fell below what they normally need to make a grocery store viable. Now that it's going up again the store might work in a few years. If it goes in it will be convenient for residents and provide extra employment.

Spring Garden Road is the only part of Halifax that has really hit a kind of critical mass. It's becoming a great area with the kind of variety and convenience people expect in larger cities.

[Keith P.]

The number I saw for ridership was 6 passengers per trip after some evening time. I suppose that could translate into 44 per hour, I don't know. But 6 passengers per trip is ridiculous. The ferry shouldn't run for 6 passengers. I suspect the crew might outnumber the passenger load in those circumstances.