Calgary Public Transit - Discussion

[TylerSVT]

Transit sucks for many reasons, but the biggest are the people that use it.

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Isn't there now a major C-Train parking garage at the end of the NE line? I thought I saw it when I was up there a while ago.

Yes. This is the Oliver Bowen Maintenance Facility that was built in conjunction with McKnight-Westwinds Station.

Originally Posted by ken0042

If so, these post rush hour trains may be just heading to get parked. With there being no express line they may as well pick up passengers as opposed to run empty.

I don't think so. As others have said, it is one of the NW-NE trains. They run two or three in the afternoon and two or three in the morning going from the NE to the NW.

[greaser4life]

Why do you think I was waiting? The buses are scheduled, but they often don't come.

Perhaps rush hour traffic has something to do with it. 17 has been late for many years every day of the work week. CT knows about it and refuses to adjust schedule. Sometimes there are 2 or 3 running together. WEST LRT construction makes things even worse.

[greaser4life]

Those are so annoying! A couple times I've gotten on the train at University to head to a Flames game and next thing you know we're at the Zoo stop and have to backtrack.

That's why you check the sign of the train you get on before you actually get on and pay attention to announcements. Not paying attention is your own fault.

[greaser4life]

OBMF has 5 tracks each with 4 consists of 3 car trains stored there for service (60 cars). Anderson and Haysboro are the other storage facilities and don't store as many trains. OBMF is barely a year old and already full. They are planning for expansion to be able to store close to 100 cars there. They will need that capacity when c-trains go to 4 cars and the West LRT opens up.

[stevinder]

Last Wed. night I saw a six-car train being shunted from Anderson to the Haysboro storage. Never saw it before and it was cool to see...for a Transit Geek.

[frinkprof]

New Calgary Transit iPhone application:

http://www.calgarytransitschedule.com/

Presumably just duplicates what Google Maps currently does, but I'd imagine they may add things to it later like delay information and realtime vehicle position information.

[ken0042]

^^ What would be really cool is if it could tie into your location using the iPhone's "GPS", you could select your route and it would know your stop number.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by ken0042

^^ What would be really cool is if it could tie into your location using the iPhone's "GPS", you could select your route and it would know your stop number.

This would be awesome.

What I have always wanted, and maybe this already exists in some form, is the ability to save multiple stops/paths and be able to access real time information (or just the scheduling information) for those stops/paths.

For example: I get on the 302 in the morning at the MacKenzie Towne stop. I take that bus to the same stop downtown every day.

I would like to be able to save that route so I can name it "Going to work" and it will tell me when I need to be at the bus stop and when it will get to my destination. This would let me program the 4 - 6 routes I normally use.

Then I could easily figure out things like : Should I take the 302 or the 117 at a given time of the day? When I am going to be home from work so the wife can plan dinner, which bus I need to get on in order to get to my class in time, When I need to leave work to avoid having to wait 25 mins for a bus during non-rush hour times.

As it stands now, I need to have a list of bus stop numbers saved into my phone, and either call teleride or go through the cumbersome process on CT website or the slightly streamlined Google maps process.

Am I asking for too much, or does something like this already exist?

Edit: Does CT have an API to allow external developers to access route data like this? Would take much for me to code up something for my own personal use if it did.

[stevinder]

Whitehorn Renovations:







(my images)

There's no work going on inside, so nothing to take pictures of.

[You Need a Thneed]

You can't really see the ramp down at the south end on any of those pictures. Although it is hard to see with all the construction stuff sitting on it right now.

[stevinder]

It is definitely there, but I couldn't get too close.

[frinkprof]

^So just making sure, it's 4 car length right?

[stevinder]

It's a four-LRV length, yes.

[Rathji]

Just some random thoughts on the 302, although I am pretty sure the concepts could be applied to some other BRT lines.

When the SE BRT first started I was expecting a lot less stops. When I started taking it in November last year, I was really startled that it stopped so much. Now after taking it for a year or so, I really think they should cut out 1/3 to 1/2 of the stops and encourage people to drive and park at the existing Mackenzie Town and Douglas Glen lots.

Then they should add a parking lot in the Ogden Area, north of 69th avenue in the old (and currently unused) train yard parking, where there will almost certainly be a further CTrain station or near the ball diamonds. You could also add parking along the northern end of Ogden Rd, across from the Rona or maybe more towards Inglewood near the Shamrock or the flea market.

At the same time they should add in short route buses which sole purpose is feeding these 302 bus stops at a couple points. For example, have a 302 stop at the Mackenzie Towne parking, and another one at 130th. Then have small buses running through Prestwick, Elgin, Copperfield, New Brighton to feed those 2 stops. If you do this right, you could eliminate the demand for the multiple express buses because the 302 line would be nearly as fast but serving multiple communities at the same time, and it would be more revenue neutral. Except it might need more big buses for the 302 line and more smaller buses for the feeder lines.

It would require some land to build parking and the right mixture of vehicles or course. I guess the basic thought I had is that the BRT should mimic what the LRT would do. Big buses running every 5-10 minutes and stopping infrequently to move people long distances.

Maybe my thoughts are out to lunch.

[cSpooge]

Originally Posted by Rathji

This would be awesome.

What I have always wanted, and maybe this already exists in some form, is the ability to save multiple stops/paths and be able to access real time information (or just the scheduling information) for those stops/paths.

For example: I get on the 302 in the morning at the MacKenzie Towne stop. I take that bus to the same stop downtown every day.

I would like to be able to save that route so I can name it "Going to work" and it will tell me when I need to be at the bus stop and when it will get to my destination. This would let me program the 4 - 6 routes I normally use.

Then I could easily figure out things like : Should I take the 302 or the 117 at a given time of the day? When I am going to be home from work so the wife can plan dinner, which bus I need to get on in order to get to my class in time, When I need to leave work to avoid having to wait 25 mins for a bus during non-rush hour times.

As it stands now, I need to have a list of bus stop numbers saved into my phone, and either call teleride or go through the cumbersome process on CT website or the slightly streamlined Google maps process.

Am I asking for too much, or does something like this already exist?

Edit: Does CT have an API to allow external developers to access route data like this? Would take much for me to code up something for my own personal use if it did.

The company that made the app has exclusive rights of the data stream from CT (My brother's fiance works for mediumrare).

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Just some random thoughts on the 302, although I am pretty sure the concepts could be applied to some other BRT lines.

When the SE BRT first started I was expecting a lot less stops. When I started taking it in November last year, I was really startled that it stopped so much. Now after taking it for a year or so, I really think they should cut out 1/3 to 1/2 of the stops and encourage people to drive and park at the existing Mackenzie Town and Douglas Glen lots.

Then they should add a parking lot in the Ogden Area, north of 69th avenue in the old (and currently unused) train yard parking, where there will almost certainly be a further CTrain station or near the ball diamonds. You could also add parking along the northern end of Ogden Rd, across from the Rona or maybe more towards Inglewood near the Shamrock or the flea market.

At the same time they should add in short route buses which sole purpose is feeding these 302 bus stops at a couple points. For example, have a 302 stop at the Mackenzie Towne parking, and another one at 130th. Then have small buses running through Prestwick, Elgin, Copperfield, New Brighton to feed those 2 stops. If you do this right, you could eliminate the demand for the multiple express buses because the 302 line would be nearly as fast but serving multiple communities at the same time, and it would be more revenue neutral. Except it might need more big buses for the 302 line and more smaller buses for the feeder lines.

It would require some land to build parking and the right mixture of vehicles or course. I guess the basic thought I had is that the BRT should mimic what the LRT would do. Big buses running every 5-10 minutes and stopping infrequently to move people long distances.

Maybe my thoughts are out to lunch.

There is no Park N' Ride lot slated for the station immediately north of 69th Avenue. However, there is one for the Lynnview Station as well as the Shepard Station. The idea behind the BRT is to mimic the future LRT service with stops roughly where future stations will be. Also, the Park N' Rides are being built partially to service the BRT, but also to get a head start on the eventual LRT construction.






From here

As for the rest of your post, some good thoughts. The SE BRT has had some struggles and some issues with operation. However, I think it is slowly becoming a success. More feeder routes would be good, but the big limiting factor is the budgeted service hours.

Unfortunately, the SE BRT will struggle to be as naturally popular as the route 301 West and North route is because the SE is harder to serve with a bus link to downtown simply due to geography and layout. It still should be a busy route though.

On the BRT note, I was thinking of including a section in the first post about other BRT lines that may be in the offing. There's been talk of ones going down Elbow Drive, 14th Street SW and serving the airport (this will happen). Also, MRU will see two new BRT routes when the West LRT opens. One will make a partial loop from Westbrook Station - MRU - Heritage Station, and one will go to and from downtown. There's also the route 305 serving Forest Lawn and Bowness via downtown that started up last year. However, I'm rapidly approaching the character limit for that post and I probably won't be able to add much more to it.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

On the BRT note, I was thinking of including a section in the first post about other BRT lines that may be in the offing........ However, I'm rapidly approaching the character limit for that post and I probably won't be able to add much more to it.

In case you want to use it- by using my mod powers I created a new post right uner your original one for you to use for additional updates.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

There is no Park N' Ride lot slated for the station immediately north of 69th Avenue. However, there is one for the Lynnview Station as well as the Shepard Station. The idea behind the BRT is to mimic the future LRT service with stops roughly where future stations will be. Also, the Park N' Rides are being built partially to service the BRT, but also to get a head start on the eventual LRT construction.

I am glad they are planning those Park and Ride locations, because it will help the situation alot. I was really pulling random spots out of my rear for possibly locations.

I briefly glanced at the document you posted but couldn't find anything that indicates a timeline for those lots. Is there anything, even a ballpark date, that they would like to have those lots in by?

[frinkprof]

^No. I'm not sure if they will actually be constructed in advance of the LRT. I was just saying that if any more were to be built, that they would be at locations that are slated for an eventual LRT station/Park N' Ride.

The document was for a portion of the LRT routing itself.

If I had to guess, I'd say any future BRT Park N' Ride lots built in advance of the LRT would actually go further south when the BRT is expanded down there after the hospital opens up and the surrounding areas are built out a little more.