The future of Hamilton's public transit

[mishap]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

I'm assuming A-Line will terminate at the GO Centre? I notice a stop at King, which I thought HSR and the City wanted to eliminate.

The route will terminate at at King and Hughson, where the B-Line stops. The 1A will get bumped out and share the stop with the 1.

[miketoronto]

They need a better name than "A Line". I understand the idea behind why they are calling it that. But I thought the reason the B-Line was called that was to have a play on words, for "B-Line" meaning its fast, and your making a b-line to your destination.
A-Line does not convey that message.

[hamiltonguy]

Originally Posted by miketoronto

They need a better name than "A Line". I understand the idea behind why they are calling it. But I thought the reason the B-Line was called that was to have a play on words, for "B-Line" meaning its fast, and your making a b-line to your destination.
A-Line does not convey that message.

Actually I like the BLAST Names. B-Line because it was the original, A for airport (way to miss it), T and L for the Shapes and S for South and Stoney Creek.

HSR BLAST Rapid Transit. Sounds good. I preferred HSR RAPID, but this seems to have its own unique charm.

[matt602]

B-Line was originally Beeline, spelled exactly that way and meant to be a play on words. It was officially changed to B-Line shortly after the new articulated buses arrived and the route changed over to longer service hours. I think it was also later envisioned that it be part of the whole "BLAST" rapid transit system naming convention.

[ryan_mcgreal]

See here for details:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...15#post4421615

[hamiltonguy]

Originally Posted by matt602

B-Line was originally Beeline, spelled exactly that way and meant to be a play on words. It was officially changed to B-Line shortly after the new articulated buses arrived and the route changed over to longer service hours. I think it was also later envisioned that it be part of the whole "BLAST" rapid transit system naming convention.

Oh I wasn't claiming differently, just saying I think we should keep the names because they work well the way the have been developed now.

[matt602]

Originally Posted by hamiltonguy

Oh I wasn't claiming differently, just saying I think we should keep the names because they work well the way the have been developed now.

I know, I was just providing background info.

[SteelTown]

City unveils new buses
18 hybrids at a cost of $16m

August 31, 2009
Daniel Nolan
Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/626425
The buses are here.

The City of Hamilton took delivery today of 18 new hybrid buses for a new transit route from the transit agency Metrolinx.

The buses were unveiled at a ceremony at the Warplane Heritage Museum in Mount Hope with city, provincial and Metrolinx dignitaries on hand. The vehicles were built by Winnipeg-base New Flyer.

“These improvements will result in more frequent service, more capacity and more comfort for our riders,” said Mayor Fred Eisenberger. “We look forward to working with Metrolinx in the coming months to implement future transit projects in Hamilton.”

The diesel-electric buses cost $16 million and came from $33 million allotted to Hamilton by Metrolinx this spring to try and provide immediate transit improvements for residents. The bus purchases, however, were first announced at the end of 2008 as part of a deal with New Flyer to buy 160 buses for 12 municipalities.

Metrolinx chair Rob MacIsaac said the buses will help alleviate congestion on area roads.

“Anyone who travels around the region knows how difficult it is to get around,” he said. These 18 buses are “ready to be added to the streets of Hamilton. Hamilton is a growing city and it has a strong history of transit.”

The vehicles will be placed on a new A-line route through the city, which will run north-south and substantially on Upper James Street. it will serve such destinations as the city’s waterfront, the rail stop on James Street North (behind Liuna Station), the downtown, the GO station on Hunter Street, Mohawk College and the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport.

Six buses were lined up on the tarmac and their destinations signs spelled out the message: Hamilton and Metrolinx launch the new 20A Line Express Transit Routes.

The new A-line route is set to begin service Tuesday, Sept. 8, the day after Labour Day. It will operate on weekdays during peak periods, running at 30-minute intervals. Over time, it is anticipated the A-line will provide all-day service and operate at more frequent intervals.

The vehicles will also be employed on the city’s popular B-line, which runs east-west across the city.

Hamilton is set to get another 17 new hybrid buses next year under the 2008 announcement with New Flyer.

[matt602]

Heh, those buses were actually delivered months ago. I guess they're going into service now, however.

[urban_planner]

A line is a great idea except the last dpearture from the airport is before the 3 evening Westjet flights arrive, stupid. They need to push the times ahead 1.5 hours.

[SteelTown]

Metrolinx said today that eventually the plan is to expand the A-Line service, all day service. They hinted 24/7 service for B-Line.

They also said Metrolinx and the province is working together on LRT for B-Line and the case benefit would be released in a few weeks. They first need to finalize an agreement with the province, so it sounds like funding agreement.

[miketoronto]

To be honest guys, the A Line should start with atleast a 10-15 minute rush hour service. 30 minutes is really bad and not going to do much to attract people.
HSR really should look into that.
Even GRT in Waterloo Region, started the IXPRESS with 15 minute rush hour service.

[mishap]

Originally Posted by miketoronto

To be honest guys, the A Line should start with atleast a 10-15 minute rush hour service. 30 minutes is really bad and not going to do much to attract people.
HSR really should look into that.
Even GRT in Waterloo Region, started the IXPRESS with 15 minute rush hour service.

So did the B-Line. But 30-minute service to the airport is more than adequate. What they need to do is have 15-minute service with split ends, half of the buses going somewhere like Limeridge Mall. Maybe another spur can take people to the Meadowlands. Someday, when a terminal is in place at Mohawk College, they can keep some of the mountain buses above the escarpment, and add short-turn A-Line buses to serve as a shuttle. The net effect could be to have 10-minute service (or better) between downtown and the college.

[SteelTown]

HSR looking to raise fares, cut service for 2010
Transit boss: 'We have big challenges'

By Kevin Werner/News staff
News
Sep 02, 2009
http://www.hamiltonmountainnews.com/news/article/186857

Hamilton public transit officials are considering, yet again, a fare increase in 2010, while also cutting services to meet this year’s two per cent budget ceiling, says the director of transit.

Don Hull said that a “reasonable” fare increase will be presented to councillors, along with proposed service “rationalizations.” The ideas are contained in HSR’s operational review report expected to be presented to council in October.

“We have big challenges,” said Mr. Hull. “We are looking at a (fare increase) that would be reasonable. I don’t advocate for a fare increase. But we would want something that would be sensible and pragmatic.”

Part of the challenges for transit is finding enough money to expand the city’s specialize transit service, such as the Disabled and Aged Regional Transportation System (DARTS).

For the last few years proposals from the city’s transit officials to increase fares has generated overwhelming opposition from transit users and social service advocates who argue it hits vulnerable and senior residents the hardest. Last year transit staff proposed to increase the cash fare by 10 cents to help cover a $2.1 million deficit in the transit budget, but it was defeated by councillors in a close 8-7 vote, keeping the current $2.40 fare, and $1.85 a ticket. In 2008, councillors increase the bus fares twice within less than a year.

Mr. Hull, who told councillors earlier this year there could be a fare increase for 2010, points out Hamilton has one of the lowest cash fare in Ontario.

Some councillors, including Sam Merulla, have argued the city should provide free transit to boost transit use.

As part of its transportation master plan, transit officials are looking to increase its ridership from 47 riders per capita, one of the lowest in the province, to between 80 and 100 riders per capita.

The possibility of another fare increase, plus service cuts are measures transit officials are looking at to meet council’s imposed two per cent tax increase for departments. He said it was too early to identify where those service cuts would occur.

“We could reallocate resources in areas where they are underserviced,” he said.

Hamilton transit is introducing expanded transit service on Sept. 8 along Upper James to the Hamilton Airport and Mohawk College, and along Rymal Road from Eastgate Square across the city to the Go Station on Hunter Street.

He said transit staff has already identified possible non-service cuts that could be implement to meet its 2010 budget goals.

“We are following council’s guidelines,” said Mr. Hull.

Concurrent with the operational review that is ongoing with its operations, transit staff will be presenting to councillors this month a report on what they believe Hamilton transit service should look like.

This “vision report” follows on the heeds of the grass-roots transit organization, Transit Users Group (TUG), asking residents to participate in their on-line survey about Hamilton transit.

Mr. Hull applauded TUG’s initiative, saying they need TUG and the rest of Hamilton residents to support what the city’s transit officials are doing to improve the service.

“We see them as an advocate,” said Mr. Hull. “We need the public to help us to improve our system.”

[matt602]

I don't mind a raise in fares but a drop in service at the same time to me is unacceptable. The HSR has been doing a great job at attracting more ridership and expanding service in the past 5 years, this would completely undo all of that hard work.

[realcity]

Go figure ... the poorest city in the province has the lowest public transit use. I guess because there's no jobs, no where to go to. I can just walk to the quik-e-mart for smokes and milk.

Something is so wrong with Hamilton.

[miketoronto]

The HSR has to start Park & Ride lots.
If you look at Hamilton compared to cities of comparable size in Canada, the transit network while it provides services to all areas, does not offer some of the services other systems offer.

For example. Halifax which is smaller than Hamilton, has Park & Ride to downtown, and also commuter express service from outlying rural areas.
Even Quebec City does this with the addition of supper express routes from suburban areas into downtown during commute hours.

It seems like Ontario's smaller cities lack things like this. Even London does not have Park & Ride, etc.

[drpgq]

With the way our roads are set up presently, there's no problem driving in to downtown and there's a million cheap parking lots.

[emge]

I agree a couple Park 'n Ride lots, strategically placed, would make people consider taking transit to and from downtown, though. Endpoints of the Rapid Transit lines are a good place to start, and strategically working with a few other locations. Just to get the mentality there.

Looking just at Toronto's transit, Hamilton could take some cues from how Etobicoke/North York functions with those.

London (Ontario) a real tough city to work with transit at all, I have relatives there. I'm glad we're not London.

[Jon Dalton]

Originally Posted by realcity

Go figure ... the poorest city in the province has the lowest public transit use.

Interesting. Look at what's parked in the lots of Hamilton Housing properties, sometimes you'd be surprised.