London Public Transit - Page 21

Djeffery · #**401** Posted **Aug 18, 2018, 1:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyeman200

Was it kept? I saw the 7 bus is still running.

They don't have an 8 on their route list, but I don't know enough about they system anymore to know if any of it was absorbed into another route. When I was a kid, I knew the LTC system like the back of my hand, now, not so much lol.

Reading up the thread a bit to some older posts, I see some talk of the bus lane on Sarnia and the fun they had when it opened. I don't really see much issue with it now, at the various times I go by there, which isn't all that frequent. I don't think many cars use it now that it's been there a while, and also the fact that it's a short light for that lane. I don't understand why the bus lane has a red light the entire time the westbound lanes have green. If a bus shows up 2 seconds after the bus light lane goes red, do they have to wait until the next cycle of lights, or are they allowed to make the left in the car left turn lane? Or does it hardly ever happen that a bus shows up at that intersection like that anyway?

tyeman200 · #**402** Posted **Dec 8, 2018, 2:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Djeffery

They don't have an 8 on their route list, but I don't know enough about they system anymore to know if any of it was absorbed into another route. When I was a kid, I knew the LTC system like the back of my hand, now, not so much lol.

Same here. I don't really like how they got rid of the route names and switched it with just numbers and destinations. I remember a year or two back the LTC was saying they were eliminating the 7 route, so I was pretty surprised to see its still going.

tyeman200 · #**403** Posted **May 6, 2019, 11:18 PM**

Was scouting on the LTC website and found some updates and changes the LTC was looking to make. *sorry for the large pictures*

Route 1: Instead of running through the Rowntree park neighbourhood, this bus would go from Thomson road, to baseline road, right onto wellington. Also, the northbound will stop at south st, and onto grey than back onto wellington, the southbound will stop at horton st, to grey st, to wellington. & Instead of the bus running up Richmond and then huron/regent st to adelaide, it will run up dufferin, then colbourne, then cheapside to adelaide.

Before

After

Route 2/94: They want to add an express route (94) alongside the Dundas route. The express route would come around 23-26 minutes, and the 2 would be reduced to 15 mins from 10.

Route 5: They are removing service from Griffith road and running it straight down Boler.

Before

After

Route 6: Removing the Western loop, and the evening transfers with the 9C bus. So instead of turning onto university drive, it continues down richmond northbound, then hits windermere, and then perth.

Before

After

Routes 9, 25, 27, 29, 31, 32, 34, 40 (North End): A lot of changes here so I'll let you compare them. Basically was done to provide service in new areas, and to adjust current services for better times.

Before

After

Route 10: Simple change as well, they want to extend service in the north end, and to move the bus from montgomery road, right onto wellington road instead.

Before

After

Routes 16, 24, 92: Basically, make route 24 an entirely east-west route, running along commissioners from wellington-summerside. Personally one of my favourite changes. They would get rid of the 16B bus that goes into summerside, and modify the 6A route a little.

Before

After

Routes 19, 38, 39: An interlining. Instead of the 19 interlining with the 31 and 32 routes, it would interline with the 38 and 39 routes.

Before

After

Routes 26, 93: Route 26 would be eliminated entirely, and instead replaced with a new 93 express route, which would run on wharncliffe/western all the way to masonville place.

Before

After

Route 28: Known as the lambeth route. As of right now it comes out of Westmount mall, and goes down to lambeth and loops back. The new route would come out of White oaks mall, down Bradley, then white oaks road, exeter, and then continue down to lambeth and back. Another route I like, bringing service to Exeter road and some of white oak road will definitely be helpful for all the people working down there.

Before

After

Route 33: Remove the confusing AM/PM routing and make it straight through.

Before

After

That's about it. They also plan to add another community bus route (56), which will serve the Baseline/Berkshire area.

Source: http://www.londontransit.ca/2019/01/31/2019-final-service-plan/

ssiguy · #**404** Posted **Nov 28, 2019, 7:39 PM**

Are there any plans for London Transit to expand outside of the city itself?

With the huge amount of development taing place in Kil/Kom and Dorchester, some rush hour services would serve a lot of people and help ease some of the commuter traffic which will only grow on London's already overburdened road system. They could get muncipilaties to contribute their portion of the operational costs and initial infrastructure like shelters. The next extensions would bring Strathroy and Ingersol into the fold.

St.Thomas is obviously the first priority backed up by the fact that it already has a transit service so they could get their buses to coordinate their schedules to make for a seemless travel time.

London is now one of the fastest growing metros in the country and I think it's time the muncipalities and London city itself started to act regionally.

Djeffery · #**405** Posted **Nov 28, 2019, 8:18 PM**

They took forever to even run a Lambeth bus after Lambeth became part of London. LTC is already fighting a budget crush, I can't see them starting to run any type of regular service to the bedroom communities around London. There is a new service being launched to run between Sarnia and London with stops along the way, but it will only run a couple round trips a day. When BRT gets built, they are supposed to put some kind of terminal with parking in the south end somewhere, so out of towners can probably come in to that point and then connect with LTC from there. If there is any kind of strong demand, then a private company might jump in like the Sarnia thing. Also, running the buses a longer distance will be expensive and LTC and the city would expect those municipalities to cover that entirely themselves. I can picture the discussion of taxpayers in St Thomas or Ingersoll saying how they don't care about getting to London and don't want their taxes going up just so a few people can take transit.

ssiguy · #**406** Posted **Nov 29, 2019, 4:03 AM**

I actually did a little research and apparently there is going to be a small micro-transit running from London to Woodstock via Dorchester and Ingersol. It was announced earlier in the year and is suppoe to get up and running in the Spring. St.Thomas apparently is seriously looking at running their buses to London downtown or at leats White Oaks.

BIGGUY2891 · #**407** Posted **Nov 29, 2019, 1:57 PM**

The city's position has been quoted in the media from time to time. Basically they want the property tax dollars to stay in the city, not in the bedroom communities. No matter what the cost of living in the city is, it makes sense that London wants residents paying taxes here, not in a border community and then coming in just to enjoy the amenities that London taxpayers funded.

As we've seen with some of the recent announcements, with the assistance of the provincial government, it will be up to the communities around London if they want commuter service into the city. If London is to become a transit hub, it will be the provincial government to start and run it, just like Go Transit.

swimmer_spe · #**408** Posted **Nov 29, 2019, 4:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I actually did a little research and apparently there is going to be a small micro-transit running from London to Woodstock via Dorchester and Ingersol. It was announced earlier in the year and is suppoe to get up and running in the Spring. St.Thomas apparently is seriously looking at running their buses to London downtown or at leats White Oaks.

There is talk in London that GO may one day be extended out there. One day those routes you speak of may become GO Transit routes.

ssiguy · #**409** Posted **Dec 1, 2019, 8:31 PM**

I think a GO type system would work well in Greater London but a demand must be shown and that will start with St.Thomas. Any commuter-type system would begin with St.Thomas because if it can't survive there, it can't survive anywhere.

Besides the larger population base, St.Thomas has the advantage of already having a transit service. I can see why London doesn't want to spend any of it's own money on areas that don't pay any of her taxes. That said, there must be some form of compromise and the best one would be for St.Thomas to run the service with it's own buses but have LT offer some kind of fare integration so commuters who aren't going along the Wellington Corridor and/or Downtown don't have to pay a full double fare. That would bring more riders to LT so the {as an example} 50% reduction in their fares would help offset some of this.

Obviously the people of St.Thomas would benefit far more from a commuter system than Londoners so it is up to them to make the first move. If they do however, London should try to work with them in a coordinated fashion to encourage the service and not be completely fixated on the relatively very little amount of money it would cost the City.

GreatTallNorth2 · #**410** Posted **Dec 1, 2019, 9:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I think a GO type system would work well in Greater London but a demand must be shown and that will start with St.Thomas. Any commuter-type system would begin with St.Thomas because if it can't survive there, it can't survive anywhere.

Isn't there still the rail line from St. Thomas to downtown London?

Djeffery · #**411** Posted **Dec 1, 2019, 10:11 PM**

I disagree with the idea of a discount for St Thomas riders who aren't going all the way downtown. LTC is flat fare, whether you are going just beyond as far as you want to walk, or all the way across town. I don't know who would be using this type of service, but I'm guessing people who work in London and want to live in cheaper St Thomas. I remember back in the late 80's/early 90's when I lived in St Thomas, that the young adults I hung out with considered it a road trip to go to London to shop or do stuff. Not the case anymore, St Thomas has it's own shopping and social scene. So I think it will mostly be workers going to work in London. As far as I'm concerned, it's not on London taxpayers to make it easier for someone to avoid London taxes. I'd be in favour of the 2 systems working together, making the travel and fares seamless. But I don't see a lot of 2 way traffic on this so I think the people coming to London should be able to pay for it.

jammer139 · #**412** Posted **Nov 24, 2020, 11:53 AM**

LFP article on report just released on EV buses for LTC.

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/elec...missions-but-costs-would-be-steep-report

ssiguy · #**413** Posted **Nov 24, 2020, 8:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Djeffery

I disagree with the idea of a discount for St Thomas riders who aren't going all the way downtown. LTC is flat fare, whether you are going just beyond as far as you want to walk, or all the way across town. I don't know who would be using this type of service, but I'm guessing people who work in London and want to live in cheaper St Thomas. I remember back in the late 80's/early 90's when I lived in St Thomas, that the young adults I hung out with considered it a road trip to go to London to shop or do stuff. Not the case anymore, St Thomas has it's own shopping and social scene. So I think it will mostly be workers going to work in London. As far as I'm concerned, it's not on London taxpayers to make it easier for someone to avoid London taxes. I'd be in favour of the 2 systems working together, making the travel and fares seamless. But I don't see a lot of 2 way traffic on this so I think the people coming to London should be able to pay for it.

The number of workers who use the system will be dependent upon the fare and how often the service runs. If they are just rush hour buses then the effect will be minimal as it leaves workers stranded if they miss the last bus. It could be a VERY big draw for students going to Western/Fanshawe but again only if it offers all day buses as off-peak class hours are common. I agree that the people of St.Thomas should pay extra but there should be some kind of fare integration with the LTC.

As far as the EVs are concerned, it makes sense for the city to gradually turn over to electric as the buses naturally retire. They will be more expensive to purchase but will save on operational costs not only for fuel but also due to lower maintenance costs.

Truenorth00 · #**414** Posted **Jun 8, 2021, 11:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jammer139

LFP article on report just released on EV buses for LTC.

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/elec...missions-but-costs-would-be-steep-report

Ottawa is pledging to convert their entire bus fleet to electric by 2036. A combination of low interest loans from the Canada Infrastructure Bank and grants from Infrastructure Canada is supposed to ensure that their cash flow on transit spending stays constant.

I hope London pursues a deal like this.

K85 · #**415** Posted **Jun 9, 2021, 3:25 AM**

oh you sweet summer child...

London is so stubburn and sideways thinking, if they go for this in the next 20 years I'll eat a shoe. I wont just saying

Quote:

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

I hope London pursues a deal like this.

jammer139 · #**416** Posted **Aug 26, 2021, 11:04 AM**

LFP article on EV bus report. - https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/lond...d-about-potential-move-to-electric-buses

GreatTallNorth2 · #**417** Posted **Aug 26, 2021, 12:48 PM**

I just can't get that excited about electric buses when every other city is building light rail

tyeman200 · #**418** Posted **Oct 4, 2021, 11:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatTallNorth2

I just can't get that excited about electric buses when every other city is building light rail

I agree, have been to KW region a bit and their LRT system is pretty cool! The one in Ottawa seems to be failing a ton, but from what I remember didn't they order a bunch of new prototype trains?

ssiguy · #**419** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 4:09 AM**

LRT might look cool but I don't agree with this North American attitude of "look Mom , we have a streetcar too!".

KW has a very different urban development pattern than London as it is long and linear being very N/S focused from Waterloo to Cambridge. London is more spoke like and hence doesn't have as high a potential ridership from one individual route.

Also, London is a much older city with far thiner roads and no right-of-ways that Kitchener has. The point of rapid transit is to design a system that moves the greatest number of people in the most efficient manner and for London, BRT is the better choice.

Where London screwed up {thanks mostly due to Western} is that the money not used for the Western/Masonville route wasn't put towards other routes like a line to Byron via Oxford or an extension to the Airport even though federal and provincial funding is there.

ssiguy · #**420** Posted **Oct 5, 2021, 4:19 AM**

When doing the LRT or BRT debate, it is very important to remember the advantages of LRT/streetcar in terms of noise, ride quality, environmental impacts etc have shrunken dramatically and will continue to do so which is why many city's in the US & Canada are beginning to cancel their LRT plans in favour of BRT.

Bus's reputation of being loud, polluting, and uncomfortable are fading fast. This is due not only to improvements to the buses themselves with better ride quality, wider doors, level boarding, and LCD info but also due to electrification. Battery buses are MUCH quieter both inside and out than standard diesel and of course don't have the exhaust either. They also enjoy much faster acceleration and very much comparable to streetcars.

The ride quality of BRT is also enhanced due to being on it's own ROW. Buses have advanced greatly in the last few decades but can still be a rough ride but this is almost always due to the road itself and not the bus's suspension.

Another great advantage of BRT is that it can be expanded much more quickly and affordably than any streetcar/LRT system and can also be used for interlining on suburban routes in rush hours.