The future of Hamilton's public transit

[thistleclub]

Preventable bus collisions in Hamilton doubled over four years: city data
(Hamilton Spectator, Katrina Clarke, July 5 2019)

The number of preventable city bus collisions doubled over a four-year period and a recent hiring blitz could be why, says the head of the drivers' union.

The collision data, provided by the city, shows the number of preventable collisions — meaning the driver caused the crash or failed to do everything reasonable to avoid it — jumped to 279 in 2018 from 139 in 2015.

The total number of collisions — both preventable and nonpreventable — increased by 60 per cent over the same period: to 709 in 2018 from 433 in 2015. The majority of them, including anything from a bus hitting a vehicle to a bus scraping a pole, were preventable.

Why?

Could be new drivers, said Eric Tuck, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 107 representing bus drivers.

"That (increase) doesn't surprise me at all, considering the number of new drivers we've hired in the last two to three years," Tuck said, noting most drivers' accidents occur within the first five years on the job.

Of the city's 578 bus drivers, 216 were hired within the last three years.

"There is a learning curve to it," Tuck said of learning how to drive a bus. "It's like driving an elephant through the flea circus. Every step is critical. When you do it enough times, you get better and better at it."

Other possible factors include recently expanded bus service, more condos bringing more people and more cars onto roads and bad weather.

Tuck also said some of the city's newer buses' wide window pillars and poorly placed side mirrors mean drivers are forced to "bob and weave" to see pedestrians and obstacles around them.

He's previously raised concerns with the city about the poor sightlines.

Debbie Dalle Vedove, head of HSR, said the city is aware of issues with the pillars. She said the 2019 models from manufacturer Nova Bus will feature adjusted pillars.

As for reasons why collision numbers might be going up, Dalle Vedove echoed Tuck's reasoning: new drivers and expanded service.… In 2015, drivers logged nearly 16 million kilometres. In 2018, they drove 17 million kilometres.

The city takes safety seriously, she said, noting the majority of the collisions were minor.

Spokesperson Jasmine Graham said the city is taking measures to reduce preventable collision numbers, including implementing a new collision-management program with a focus on accountability, regular review of collisions to look for commonalities, refresher driver training courses and "ride checks" that bring supervisors or driver trainers on buses.

She noted the city installed security cameras on all buses in 2017. The cameras allow staff to review collisions.

The city does not break down collision data beyond noting whether the crash was preventable or nonpreventable, Graham said.

[LikeHamilton]

44 RYMAL extended north to Walmart in September

August 8, 2019

Beginning Fall 2019, route 44 RYMAL will be extended to service Walmart on Centennial Parkway just south of the QEW. Customers along the corridor between Eastgate Square and Walmart will benefit from 30 minute frequencies in non-peak mid-day service periods, 20 minute frequencies in am and pm peak service periods, and 1 hour frequencies in the night-time service period.

Customers along the corridor will also benefit from expanded hours to match the current route 44 RYMAL span of approximately 5:30 am to 12:30 am Monday through Saturday and 6 am to 12 midnight on Sundays.

The extension greatly exceeds the current service span and frequency of 56 CENTENNIAL.

With this extension, 56 CENTENNIAL will cease operation at the end of August, though it’s not known at this time of the route will revert to a summer only route with service to Hamilton Beach and Wild Waterworks in the summer months or if 44 RYMAL will also serve that extension next year.

http://www.hamiltontransit.ca/44-rymal-extended-north-to-walmart-in-september/#more-6372

[mishap]

Originally Posted by LikeHamilton

With this extension, 56 CENTENNIAL will cease operation at the end of August,

Not quite. Route 56 becomes a weekend route starting in September.

[matt602]

Seems like a common sense move that they should have done years ago. The Rymal route has gotta be in the top 3 longest HSR routes with this extension, I'd imagine.

[mishap]

Originally Posted by matt602

Seems like a common sense move that they should have done years ago. The Rymal route has gotta be in the top 3 longest HSR routes with this extension, I'd imagine.

Distance-wise, Rymal is already the longest route at ~31km. This should put it over 33km.
Time-wise, it will still be Delaware, though not by as much.

[thistleclub]

HSR boardings by route, 2018

RANK ROUTE / ANNUAL BOARDINGS

01. 5 Delaware / 4,520,271
02. 1 King / 4,520,168
03. 2 Barton / 3,866,725
04. 51 University / 1,759,088
05. 41 Mohawk / 1,506,102
06. 10 B-Line / 1,404,049
07. 21 Upper Kenilworth / 1,350,785
08. 27 Upper James / 1,128,668
09. 35 College / 1,077,114
10. 26 Upper Wellington / 977,097
11. 4 Bayfront / 944,016
12. 23 Upper Gage / 924,662
13. 25 Upper Wentworth / 918,777
14. 33 Sanitorium / 752,669
15. 22 Upper Ottawa / 716,570
16. 24 Upper Sherman / 694,613
17. 55 Stoney Creek Central / 693,172
18. 44 Rymal / 627,325
19. 43 Stonechurch / 569,582
20. 3 Cannon / 568,343
21. 11 Parkdale / 478,961
22. 34 Upper Paradise / 455,352
23. 6 Aberdeen / 244,766
24. 20 A-Line / 235,324
25. 7 Locke / 150,527
26. 8 York / 120,735
27. 59 Stoney Creek Local / 116,661
28. 16 Ancaster / 81,911
29. 56 Centennial / 56,715
30. 18 Waterdown / 50,932
31. 42 Mohawk East / 46,723
32. 99 Waterfront / 27,692
33. 12 Wentworth / 25,406
34. 52A Dundas Local / 11,902
35. 9 Rock Gardens / 2,872

TOTAL: 31,626,275

[thistleclub]

Six years into the City’s Quick Wins passenger amenities project (and 11 years after being funded), the HSR’s highest-boarding locations earmarked for “Enhanced Stops” have yet to see any improvement to bus stop amenities.

√ Main at Osler
x Main at Emerson (Westbound & Eastbound)
x Main at Longwood (Westbound & Eastbound)
x Main at MacNab
x King at MacNab
x Main at John
√ Queenston at Parkdale (Westbound & Eastbound)
√ Queenston at Nash (Westbound & Eastbound)

Incredibly, Main at MacNab still has no shelters or benches whatsoever.

[drpgq]

Originally Posted by thistleclub

HSR boardings by route, 2018

RANK ROUTE / ANNUAL BOARDINGS

01. 5 Delaware / 4,520,271
02. 1 King / 4,520,168
03. 2 Barton / 3,866,725
04. 51 University / 1,759,088
05. 41 Mohawk / 1,506,102
06. 10 B-Line / 1,404,049
07. 21 Upper Kenilworth / 1,350,785
08. 27 Upper James / 1,128,668
09. 35 College / 1,077,114
10. 26 Upper Wellington / 977,097
11. 4 Bayfront / 944,016
12. 23 Upper Gage / 924,662
13. 25 Upper Wentworth / 918,777
14. 33 Sanitorium / 752,669
15. 22 Upper Ottawa / 716,570
16. 24 Upper Sherman / 694,613
17. 55 Stoney Creek Central / 693,172
18. 44 Rymal / 627,325
19. 43 Stonechurch / 569,582
20. 3 Cannon / 568,343
21. 11 Parkdale / 478,961
22. 34 Upper Paradise / 455,352
23. 6 Aberdeen / 244,766
24. 20 A-Line / 235,324
25. 7 Locke / 150,527
26. 8 York / 120,735
27. 59 Stoney Creek Local / 116,661
28. 16 Ancaster / 81,911
29. 56 Centennial / 56,715
30. 18 Waterdown / 50,932
31. 42 Mohawk East / 46,723
32. 99 Waterfront / 27,692
33. 12 Wentworth / 25,406
34. 52A Dundas Local / 11,902
35. 9 Rock Gardens / 2,872

TOTAL: 31,626,275

Those numbers are really interesting. The Mountain routes are actually pretty solid.

[thistleclub]

The HSR rejigged its service levels to many outlying routes in the last couple of years, and that's doubtless helped encourage ridership growth.

At the same time, there was no additional service added to the 10 Express in that period, and that has had predictable consequences. It would be interesting to see a breakdown of revenue riders per route by service hour to help put the volume in perspective.

The HSR is reliably opaque when it comes to data disclosure, and council generally doesn't give a toss about performance metrics, so I can't find any recent comparatives. The closest I can get to that is the 2007 data set from the 2010 Operational Review, where the top 10 routes (in descending order) were 1 King, 5 Delaware, 2 Barton, 10 B-Line Express, 51 University, 41 Mohawk, 26 Upper Wellington, 35 College, 4 Bayfront, and 23 Upper Gage.

2007-2018 ridership growth on the 44 Rymal is the most striking, a promising development toward the S line.

This month, the 'Hamilton Street Railway' put 11 more 'New Flyer XN60’ buses, numbered 1820-1830 into service. 1820 is a 2018 model. 1821-1830 are 2019 models.

The powertrain is as follows ������������������
Engine: Cummins Westport L9N, 8.9-Litre, 320 HP, EPA 2018, CNG
Transmission: Allison B500R, 6-Speed, Automatic, with Retarder

[lachlanholmes]

Originally Posted by FavMaster98

This month, the 'Hamilton Street Railway' put 11 more 'New Flyer XN60’ buses, numbered 1820-1830 into service. 1820 is a 2018 model. 1821-1830 are 2019 models.

The powertrain is as follows ������������������
Engine: Cummins Westport L9N, 8.9-Litre, 320 HP, EPA 2018, CNG
Transmission: Allison B500R, 6-Speed, Automatic, with Retarder

Welcome to the forum!

I'm personally glad to hear more new artics are running. Are they expanding the number of artics or replacing existing artics? If expanding I wonder where they'll be dispatched.

You may have better luck finding paper models and vector images of the trolleys on CPTDB, a forum dedicated just to transit.

HamiltonForward, HSR's new artic buses will be used on the high ridership buses probably due to the fact that they are articulated buses.

[thistleclub]

After 30 years of weekday-only service, it looks as if this could be the year that the 10 B-Line Express cracks weekends.

If the HSR follows through on the plan outlined in its 2019 Budget presentation, the 10 will graduate to Saturday service, as well as expanded evening service and increased weekday frequency.

in addition to this, the HSR will be adding three new B-Line stops in each direction effective Sept 1:

• Wellington (at King East & Main East)
• Melrose (at King & opposite Main)
• Main at King (eastbound)
• Main at Kensington (westbound)

I emailed the HSR recently about Double-decker buses. Too tall for their current facility, and route height restrictions. But they will consider it for their 2nd facility that's currently in the planning stage. Also, has anyone heard about if the HSR is testing their 3rd battery-electric bus yet?

Battery-electric buses they will be/have tested:
New Flyer XE35
Proterra Catalyst BE40 (Proterra's E2 Battery?)
BYD Auto (Model not known yet.)

When I find out what the final Battery-electric bus model is, I will post it on this forum under this topic.

[thistleclub]

Storage/maintenance is certainly one challenge to the HSR's mandate.

The Upper James maintenance & storage facility is currently 45% over capacity — built for 200 BSE, it grapples with 290 BSE. They're at crushload.

Adding new buses and new technologies in advance of a new facility is not unproblematic.

The HSR's current Diesel buses and Diesel-Electric Hybrid buses (D40LF, DE41LF, DE60LFR, XD40) use 'Ultra-Low Sulphur Diesel (ULSD)' and not 'Conventional Diesel'.

It says on the dashboard of HSR's New Flyer XD40 buses that they can use 'Ultra-Low Sulphur Diesel (ULSD)' or 'Biodiesel (B20)'.

[SantaClo]

https://blog.metrolinx.com/2019/08/15/me...r-niagara-weekend-service-to-year-round/

"WEST HARBOUR – Rush-hour weekday service for customers travelling out of West Harbour GO will be doubled with four more trips – two in the morning and two in the afternoon, which includes a new homebound Lakeshore West train from Union Station at 4:45 p.m., running express to Clarkson GO and arriving at West Harbour GO at 5:57 p.m. The three other options are extensions of existing trips."

[king10]

moving in the right direction. good news.

What does "three existing train trips being extended" mean? Extending trips that terminated at Aldershot? I get the new train at 4:45.

[thistleclub]

Originally Posted by king10

What does "three existing train trips being extended" mean? Extending trips that terminated at Aldershot?

Correct. Two existing morning runs and one existing evening run get extended from Aldershot, and one new Lakeshore West run terminates at West Harbour. (This approximates the original WH schedule from 2015, which had return trips from Union at 4:45pm and 5:23pm.)

Confederation GO was to have been completed by the end of this year but as of five months ago, the station's construction RFP had yet to be issued. A month ago, it was no more than a traffic loop, presumably for GO bus service to Niagara.