Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[Xrayal]

Originally Posted by Express691

Also depends on/not to mention the Transit Network Review for the express 80 route between Marine Drive and River District

https://m.translink.ca/-/media/Documents...2F13203809F97C7C684232418678A0E420A5E52A

An idea came to me but I’m still thinking about if it makes any sense or not.

What if translink ran the future rapidbus between expo and Richmond-Brighouse via boundary rd and marine drive Vs. using the current 49th and knight. Would a plan like be a good idea?

Pluses:
-This 80 express bus gets merged into the rapid bus.(ergo more efficient) and still getting service to the river district.
-The 49 makes on average 22km per hour vs the 100 the make 24km per hour.(speedier route)

Minuses:
-Loss of riders who currently catch it on 49th.
-Traffic reliability/concerns (I don’t frequent the area so I’m it sure)

Anyways I’m interested in anyone’s thoughts.

[jollyburger]

Cubic and Google are going to work together to add passes to Google Pay

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/2...-Google-Pay-Enable-Transit-Cards-Android

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Xrayal

An idea came to me but I’m still thinking about if it makes any sense or not.

What if translink ran the future rapidbus between expo and Richmond-Brighouse via boundary rd and marine drive Vs. using the current 49th and knight. Would a plan like be a good idea?

Pluses:
-This 80 express bus gets merged into the rapid bus.(ergo more efficient) and still getting service to the river district.
-The 49 makes on average 22km per hour vs the 100 the make 24km per hour.(speedier route)

Minuses:
-Loss of riders who currently catch it on 49th.
-Traffic reliability/concerns (I don’t frequent the area so I’m it sure)

Anyways I’m interested in anyone’s thoughts.

One big problem with that is the plan was to connect River District with Marine Drive Station and only being able to get as far as Knight isn't likely to go over well. Personally I'd like to see a limited stop route travel from Marine Drive Station past River District to Market Crossing (TransLink has commented on adding a future connection to there).

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Personally I'd like to see a limited stop route travel from Marine Drive Station past River District to Market Crossing (TransLink has commented on adding a future connection to there).

If the express route is eventually extended as far as Market Crossing, it would probably make sense to have it carry on up Southridge and Griffiths to Edmunds Station in order to tie into the Expo Line. That would give limited-stop service along the southern edge of Vancouver/Burnaby and would (at least outside of rush hour) be faster than going inbound on Expo and then south on the Canada Line. It might also give a sense of what demand might be like for Skytrain along that route.

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Cubic and Google are going to work together to add passes to Google Pay

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/2...-Google-Pay-Enable-Transit-Cards-Android

Hopefully it's implemented like the system in Portland. You can use the app to add a virtual Hop card to your wallet, or even transfer an existing plastic card to a virtual one. And if you don't have a virtual card, it will still work with the credit card in your wallet.

https://myhopcard.com/home/pay-with-your-phone

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by BCPhil

Hopefully it's implemented like the system in Portland. You can use the app to add a virtual Hop card to your wallet, or even transfer an existing plastic card to a virtual one. And if you don't have a virtual card, it will still work with the credit card in your wallet.

https://myhopcard.com/home/pay-with-your-phone

I'd prefer it to work like the one in Japan for Apple devices.

You add the card to Apple Wallet, and then set it as your "Express Transit Card". Express Transit Cards don't need authentication via Face ID or Touch ID and you don't even need to wake the device or have it connected to a network, it just needs to be on. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207154. They're implementing it in London as well: https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18645394/apple-pay-express-transit-london-tfl-tube-support-uk

The cool thing about it... is that even if your phone's battery is dead ( for newer iPhones XR/XS and later ), the card will work for 5 hours with reserve battery power. There's some kind of reserve power mode, apparently.

EDIT: This is in Japanese, but here's how easy it is to setup (ignore the iPhone 7 part... it's for iPhone 8 and later, unless your iPhone 7 was purchased in Japan): https://images.apple.com/media/jp/apple-...epay-add-suica-jp-20161027_1280x720h.mp4

EDIT: It's SUPER fast!
• Video Link

[twoNeurons]

So... for anyone who wants to have Translink support adding the Compass Card to Apple Pay as a "Transit Card" Translink directed me to send in a suggestion here:

https://mfb.translink.ca

I'd encourage anyone here to reach out to Translink and fill in a request to implement Compass as an "Express Transit Card".

Here's something you can copy and paste:

Dear Translink,

As a regular Translink system user, I'd like to request that you implement the "Express Transit Card" feature that Apple has made available to Transit Agencies worldwide. This feature on newer iPhones allows someone to tap into the system without even waking their phone. Imagine no more customer service calls of people calling to tell you that they tapped in to the system using a different card than when they tapped out. No more lineups of people fumbling with their wallets to get out their compass cards.

People have their phones in their hands ALL the time on transit, why not put the power of a Compass in their hands at all times as well. Translink would save money, Queues get more efficient, lines get shorter, and fewer customer service calls complaining about lost Compass Cards.

As an added bonus, if Translink decides to branch out into the contactless preloadable card to pay for things beyond transit to earn incremental income, you'd have a leg up on credit cards and Apple Pay... as the compass card would be the default method of payment.

You can do this, Translink!

You can edit it as appropriate.

[logan5]

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-ferries-terminal-sea-island-vancouver-international-airport

BC Ferries and the provincial government should consider “big ideas” over the long term, when developing a vision and master plan for the future of the coastal ferry services.

Amongst those ideas in a released independent report this year, commissioned by the BC Ministry of Transportation, is the consideration of a new BC Ferries terminal at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) — on Iona Island, immediately north of Sea Island in Richmond.

Such a terminal at this location would have the “potential to significantly reduce crossing times to Vancouver Island while offering better integration with Vancouver International Airport and the Canada Line.” With a new terminal at Iona Island, strategically next to YVR, it would “support an integrated transportation hub.”

Emerging technologies are going to radically change how people commute in this region. BC Ferries has to be preparing for a time when most people won't need a personal vehicle to commute from the Island to Vancouver, so looking at new terminals at Richmond or even better, downtown Vancouver that accommodate passenger only vessels makes a lot of sense.

These passenger only boats would smaller and much faster. So much so that sailing times from Nanaimo to Downtown Vancouver would be fast enough to make Nanaimo a commuter city to Vancouver.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by logan5

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-ferries-terminal-sea-island-vancouver-international-airport



Emerging technologies are going to radically change how people commute in this region. BC Ferries has to be preparing for a time when most people won't need a personal vehicle to commute from the Island to Vancouver, so looking at new terminals at Richmond or even better, downtown Vancouver that accommodate passenger only vessels makes a lot of sense.

These passenger only boats would smaller and much faster. So much so that sailing times from Nanaimo to Downtown Vancouver would be fast enough to make Nanaimo a commuter city to Vancouver.

Will BC Transit be willing to increase the frequency of ferry buses (70 between Victoria and Shwartz Bay, for example) though? If yes, that will be an interesting idea.

Ps: Housing situation is that bad in Vancouver, eh?

[Migrant_Coconut]

Heh, shwartz.

Should be doable on BC Ferries' part. I'd be more worried about moving them to Vancouver once they disembark, because the only rapid transit on Sea Island is dead-ended at YVR!

As for commuting, that's probably not going to happen; even downtown from Chilliwack is (statistically) faster. I think it mostly benefits tourists who no longer have to go to Horseshoe Bay.

[logan5]

Rush hour drive from Newton to Downtown Vancouver is 1 hour 30 minutes. The proposed fast ferry between Nanaimo and the Seabus terminal downtown claims a travel time of 1 hour 8 minutes (You'll believe when you see it. I know). That leaves 22 extra minutes to compete with a Surrey commute. If BC Ferries does this route, they could cost it so it's feasible for daily commutes.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Just saying, Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo is roughly two hours. That fast ferry better be real — fast.

[logan5]

BC Ferry Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo is 1 hour 40 minutes with a boat travelling at 19.5 knots. The proposed dt to dt ferry would travel at 40 knots, which is common for these types of ferry services. There's something like 5 extra km's to go downtown to downtown. Doesn't seem out of the realm to do that route in an hour.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Sure, but that was the rationale behind the UBC-Surrey private shuttle, which lasted less than a year. An Iona terminal's a long way out, if ever; let's see how well the V2V does long-term before we start talking about hypothetical commuter suburbs.

[SpongeG]

I wonder why Vancouver has never used its waterways for more transit?

Sydney has a vast network of passenger ferries. Parramatta to Sydney Circular Quay is about 34 km I think for reference.


www.transitmap.net

[nname]

Originally Posted by logan5

Rush hour drive from Newton to Downtown Vancouver is 1 hour 30 minutes. The proposed fast ferry between Nanaimo and the Seabus terminal downtown claims a travel time of 1 hour 8 minutes (You'll believe when you see it. I know). That leaves 22 extra minutes to compete with a Surrey commute. If BC Ferries does this route, they could cost it so it's feasible for daily commutes.

Travel time = frequency + reliability + time on vehicle

Imagine if some last-minute issue held you at office for an extra 10min, or some heavy traffic on route to the ferry terminal. You saw your ferry just left the terminal and the next one will depart in TWO hours....

For whatever commuter service they come up with, they'll need a lot of commuter to have the frequency that's actually useful.

[nname]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I wonder why Vancouver has never used its waterways for more transit?

Sydney has a vast network of passenger ferries. Parramatta to Sydney Circular Quay is about 34 km I think for reference.

http://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/public/PubDocs/bcdocs/365900/report4_3nov21.pdf

I believe the result of the finding is - too costly and potential ridership would be too low.

[logan5]

Originally Posted by nname

Travel time = frequency + reliability + time on vehicle

Imagine if some last-minute issue held you at office for an extra 10min, or some heavy traffic on route to the ferry terminal. You saw your ferry just left the terminal and the next one will depart in TWO hours....

For whatever commuter service they come up with, they'll need a lot of commuter to have the frequency that's actually useful.

Bc Ferries provides enough capacity for 2300 people in the morning rush hour, so there is demand, even when it takes 3 hours to get into downtown Vancouver. Demand would surely spike if you could do the same trip in 1 hour. I see it as a similar service as WCE, but with much higher ridership. Purely hypothetical at this point though.

[nname]

Originally Posted by logan5

Bc Ferries provides enough capacity for 2300 people in the morning rush hour, so there is demand, even when it takes 3 hours to get into downtown Vancouver. Demand would surely spike if you could do the same trip in 1 hour. I see it as a similar service as WCE, but with much higher ridership. Purely hypothetical at this point though.

But the actual passenger would be much less than 2300 people. The vehicle deck may be full, but the passenger deck is never anywhere near full.

As for comparison to WCE... the catchment area population for WCE is slighter higher than Greater Victoria, and more than 3x as large as Nanaimo... so I don't know how the ridership would be much higher.

Even if there's demand for peak hour service, what about off-peak? For the occasion that you have to work overtime, there was TrainBus (now replaced by SkyTrain), bus, or even taxi if you miss the last WCE. What about the Ferry? Is there going to be demand for evening or late night service on days other than Friday and Sunday? Or the commuter must take a 2 hour detour via the car ferry, if it still run that late at night?

With a possibility of getting stranded in Vancouver, I don't know how many would choose that kind of commute. At least I wouldn't, unless the ferry run at least till 1am for the occasion that I have to stay at office till close to midnight...

[logan5]

Originally Posted by nname

But the actual passenger would be much less than 2300 people. The vehicle deck may be full, but the passenger deck is never anywhere near full.

As for comparison to WCE... the catchment area population for WCE is slighter higher than Greater Victoria, and more than 3x as large as Nanaimo... so I don't know how the ridership would be much higher.

Even if there's demand for peak hour service, what about off-peak? For the occasion that you have to work overtime, there was TrainBus (now replaced by SkyTrain), bus, or even taxi if you miss the last WCE. What about the Ferry? Is there going to be demand for evening or late night service on days other than Friday and Sunday? Or the commuter must take a 2 hour detour via the car ferry, if it still run that late at night?

With a possibility of getting stranded in Vancouver, I don't know how many would choose that kind of commute. At least I wouldn't, unless the ferry run at least till 1am for the occasion that I have to stay at office till close to midnight...

West Coast Express ridership for the year 2018 was 2.49 million, while the the Horseshoe Bay/Departure Bay route drew 3.425 million passengers. Despite Nanaimo being a smaller catchment area, it still attracts way more customers. And that's with a total travel time into the city of around 3 hours. Just like when you upgrade a bus to Skytrain, using a fast ferry would increase ridership dramatically. Maybe enough ridership to justify frequent service during the day and at least some service into the late evening.

I believe that there is a huge untapped market for people who would go from Nanaimo to Vancouver but it just isn't practical under current conditions, where you have to spend 6 hours travel time, and would realistically need to stay overnight, whereas a fast ferry service to downtown Vancouver makes it realistic to go for a day trip, much like you would see people coming in from Surrey and Langley. Being able to go and come back in one day will be huge draw for people.

https://www.mapleridgenews.com/news/west-coast-express-boardings-rise-10-per-cent-in-maple-ridge/

https://www.bcferries.com/files/AboutBCF/traffic_stats/September_2019_Traffic_Stats.pdf