OC Transpo

[OCCheetos]

An new memo on the electric bus purchase: https://twitter.com/JimWatsonOttawa/status/1336057905137782790

Total purchase cost is $9.3 million with the additional $3.3 million coming from refinanced PTIF projects.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by OCCheetos

An new memo on the electric bus purchase: https://twitter.com/JimWatsonOttawa/status/1336057905137782790

Total purchase cost is $9.3 million with the additional $3.3 million coming from refinanced PTIF projects.

Sounds like they will be long-range buses, given that it sounds like charging infrastructure will only be at St Laurent garage.

From the New Flyer website, it looks like the maximum range is 360km. Is that enough?

I'm a bit surprised they went long-range TBH, I thought the quick-charging capabilities of the shorter range buses would make them more attractive- you can keep running them all day as long as you keep charging. With the long range buses, my understanding was that they take so long to charge that once they are empty, they are out of commission until the next day.

[Truenorth00]

All depends on how they use them. If they simply use them for morning and evening peak service and charge mid-day and overnight, they'll be fine.

Really curious to see how these buses do in our climate. Also curious how much of that $9.3 million was infrastructure.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

Really curious to see how these buses do in our climate. Also curious how much of that $9.3 million was infrastructure.

Me too. It makes the per-unit cost of each bus seem pretty high, but I suspect a significant amount is charging infrastructure that will be able to be used well into the future, even as more buses are purchased.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

Me too. It makes the per-unit cost of each bus seem pretty high, but I suspect a significant amount is charging infrastructure that will be able to be used well into the future, even as more buses are purchased.

The thing is how much infrastructure do they need for a 4-bus pilot?

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

The thing is how much infrastructure do they need for a 4-bus pilot?

Well, from the memo... "The infrastructure will include battery charging facilities at St-Laurent Garage and the required upgrades to the electrical supply system at this facility."

I could see this being in the $2-3M range...?

[OCCheetos]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

Sounds like they will be long-range buses, given that it sounds like charging infrastructure will only be at St Laurent garage.

From the New Flyer website, it looks like the maximum range is 360km. Is that enough?

I'm a bit surprised they went long-range TBH, I thought the quick-charging capabilities of the shorter range buses would make them more attractive- you can keep running them all day as long as you keep charging. With the long range buses, my understanding was that they take so long to charge that once they are empty, they are out of commission until the next day.

The NFI vehicles are supposed to be capable of on-route charging like the short-range models, but it isn't very clear whether OC Transpo will take advantage of that.

Theoretically a long-range model could be operated just like a short-range model and could be operated indefinitely, but maybe with fewer charging stops.

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

The thing is how much infrastructure do they need for a 4-bus pilot?

The memo suggests a not-insignificant electrical supply upgrade at the St. Laurent garage, which I can't imagine will be cheap.

[Truenorth00]

Originally Posted by OCCheetos

The memo suggests a not-insignificant electrical supply upgrade at the St. Laurent garage, which I can't imagine will be cheap.

The question is how much electrification capacity did they buy. Can they add 5 more electric buses without much more infrastructure? 10? 50?

[OCCheetos]

Manconi noted some per-route ridership percentages (compared to normal) today:

Overall Average - 30%

Route 11 - 47%
Route 12 - 43%
Route 14 - 43%
Route 85 - 43%

I wonder how the 6 stacks up because it's the busiest route I've seen as of late.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by OCCheetos

Manconi noted some per-route ridership percentages (compared to normal) today:

Overall Average - 30%

Route 11 - 47%
Route 12 - 43%
Route 14 - 43%
Route 85 - 43%

I wonder how the 6 stacks up because it's the busiest route I've seen as of late.

Good to hear. Why can't we get route-level ridership data as a matter of course?

I took transit the past couple of days at mid-day (routes 88, 90, 98 and 111). All were reasonably well used- certainly not empty, and probably not dramatically different than midday ridership during more normal times.

[OCCheetos]

Manconi noted (in response to Councillor Deans) that there is no short term flexibility in cutting commuter (connexion) routes due to booking logistics, BUT that if/when they do move towards cutting commuter service that those resources would redeployed elsewhere in the city instead of simply being cut.

So, that's kind of a relief to hear. I suppose we aren't in a huge rush just yet to move service onto urban routes since they're still at a manageable level of ridership but... we'll see how this turns out.

[J.OT13]

Jon Willing
@JonathanWilling

Discussion on ridership projections in 2021, transit GM Manconi said some bus routes are nearing 50% ridership: Routes 11, 12, 14, 85. Overall ridership still averaging 30% of pre-pandemic levels.
1:34 PM · Dec 9, 2020·TweetDeck

No surprise. All urban routes.

11 - Queen-West Wellington-Richmond
https://www.octranspo.com/images/files/routes/011map.gif
12 - Ogilvy-Montreal Road-Rideau
https://www.octranspo.com/images/files/routes_pdf/map_carte_012.pdf
14 - St-Laurent-McArthur-Rideau
https://www.octranspo.com/images/files/routes/014map.gif
85 - Albert-Preston-Carling
https://www.octranspo.com/images/files/routes/085map.gif

I'd also be interested to see how the 6 compares. Beechwood-St. Patrick-Wellington-Bank.
https://www.octranspo.com/images/files/routes/006map.gif

It goes through higher income neighborhoods, so I imagine ridership might have dropped a bit more with Federal public servants working from home, but still less than suburban rush-hour routes.

[OCCheetos]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

Good to hear. Why can't we get route-level ridership data as a matter of course?

I took transit the past couple of days at mid-day (routes 88, 90, 98 and 111). All were reasonably well used- certainly not empty, and probably not dramatically different than midday ridership during more normal times.

Manconi suggested that they'll be able to share data with councillors as they collect more. Who knows if that'll reach the public though

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by OCCheetos

Manconi suggested that they'll be able to share data with councillors as they collect more. Who knows if that'll reach the public though

I guess what I'm saying is that they should be providing this data quarterly, for all routes, all the time. This shouldn't be an ad-hoc request.

[J.OT13]

OC Transpo has launched a new Bikesecure program, where transit riders can lock their bikes at a select few stations.



Locations and available spots so far:

Greenboro - 12
Strandheard - 12
St-Laurent - 16
Fallowfield - 12

I hope this program expands far beyond those four (fairly odd choices). I would imagine stations from Tunney's to Lincoln Fields would have high usage thanks to a robust network of bike paths along that corridor. Ridership at Montreal and Convent Glen will likely be dependent on bike traffic since walking will not be all that realistic for many. Queensview and Pinecrest, which are off to the side of their respective neighbourhoods. We'd also need far more parking spots.

Pricing will be $6 for the key fob and $10/month for the reserved parking spot. Too bad it's not possible to use the Presto Card to access instead of a key fob. Honestly, if we're charging for secure bike parking, I think it's long time to charge for park-and-rides, which are far more expensive in terms of capital costs and maintenance.

More on OC Transpo's website: https://www.octranspo.com/en/news/article/bikesecure/

[J.OT13]

Here's Vancouver's bike parking options.

• The bike parkade. $1/day, max $8/month. Eleven stations have these so far, with 45 spots each.

• Video Link

• Bike lockers, $10/month. Individual lockers for bikes. Available at 30 stations.
  
• And of course free bike racks.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

OC Transpo has launched a new Bikesecure program, where transit riders can lock their bikes at a select few stations.

I was wondering when they were going to do something like that... they've had that shelter (complete with access card system) installed for a couple of years now but the door has never been locked.

Will be interesting to see how much they are used. I personally think South Keys would make a better station to have this at than Greenboro, since there are better bike path connections to South Keys, including the Juno Beach Bridge.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

I was wondering when they were going to do something like that... they've had that shelter (complete with access card system) installed for a couple of years now but the door has never been locked.

Will be interesting to see how much they are used. I personally think South Keys would make a better station to have this at than Greenboro, since there are better bike path connections to South Keys, including the Juno Beach Bridge.

And we may actually get a safe crossing over Hunt Club Road.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

I was wondering when they were going to do something like that... they've had that shelter (complete with access card system) installed for a couple of years now but the door has never been locked.

Will be interesting to see how much they are used. I personally think South Keys would make a better station to have this at than Greenboro, since there are better bike path connections to South Keys, including the Juno Beach Bridge.

I'm hoping with Stage 2, we'll see plenty more of these Bikesecure areas. These would be highly beneficial to deal with the last mile.

Moodie in particular, large Bikesecure areas for overnight parking, bike sharing/scooter sharing would be very useful for DND employees.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

I'm hoping with Stage 2, we'll see plenty more of these Bikesecure areas. These would be highly beneficial to deal with the last mile.

Moodie in particular, large Bikesecure areas for overnight parking, bike sharing/scooter sharing would be very useful for DND employees.

Agree. For a place like Moodie, folks may decide to rent one of these spots to store their bike overnight, using it for the last mile at the end of their trip, rather than the start.