Calgary transit rage

[pepper24]

If people that are driving are late for work wouldn't it be logical that buses that use the same roads are also going to be behind schedule?

The roads were brutal today and it's the first snowfall of the season. What do you expect?

[mykalberta]

There are weather delays, travellers need to prepare for the delay, leave 30 minutes earlier than normal until the system gets back to normal operating conditions.

It took some people an hour longer to drive to work, what are they supposed to do complain to their car - no they see it and react accordingly the next day by leaving earlier.

Its not rocket science.

[woob]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

There are weather delays, travellers need to prepare for the delay, leave 30 minutes earlier than normal until the system gets back to normal operating conditions.

It took some people an hour longer to drive to work, what are they supposed to do complain to their car - no they see it and react accordingly the next day by leaving earlier.

Its not rocket science.

Your sound logic is not welcome around these parts!

[Winsor_Pilates]

Calgary transit sucks because Calgary planning sucks and urban sprawl. Does anyone really expect an effective system in a city that snows a lot and is spread out this far?
Of course there's going to be major issues.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Tyler

2011 for CTrains.

Buses to come the next year I believe.

Buses, ok...c-trains what's the point?

If a bus is late, sometimes people can wait in their house/office a bit longer, or make other arrangements (take different route etc), given the infrequency of a particular route, and sometimes, like today, buses can't go up certain hills with crappy roads so have to take detours you'd have no idea about.

But for a Ctrain? They run on rails every 10-20 minutes all day long. If there are major delays or closures, there's annoucements made on the platforms.

Never understood those people who make a point to go to the edge of the platform and lean over to look down the tracks to see if a train is coming twice a minute, as if they're going to spot the train making a left turn somewhere and missing the stop. (I have seen buses do that) or make a decision to take some other form of transport because the train isn't fast enough for you.

It gets there when it gets there. If you're standing on the Ctrain platform, you don't really have an option other than to wait like everyone else.

[Pinner]

Originally Posted by fredr123

That is the biggest piss off. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how it is possible for the buses to get so bunched up like that.

The first bus is making all the stops, and picking up people takes time. The other buses should take the lead, GPS would be a great tool for the dispatchers.

If transit was a lot better, more people would use it, and that would get more cars off the road...

[SportsJunky]

Public transit is for the poor and unwashed. Get jobs, all of you.

[chemgear]

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by browna

Never understood those people who make a point to go to the edge of the platform and lean over to look down the tracks to see if a train is coming twice a minute

Eh it gives me something to do?

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by Pinner

The first bus is making all the stops, and picking up people takes time. The other buses should take the lead, GPS would be a great tool for the dispatchers.

If transit was a lot better, more people would use it, and that would get more cars off the road...

I can see how that second bus catches up but what about the third? Even when the weather isn't all that bad you see 2 or 3 or more 301s all bunched together quite frequently. That doesn't make sense.

I look forward to the day GPS is available. On days like today, "Next bus in <pause> eleven <pause> minutes; following bus in <pause> twenty six <pause> minutes; third bus at <pause> eight <pause> twenty seven <pause> am" is not helpful. You don't know if that next bus is on time or if they're running behind half an hour. Heck, the next bus could have been involved in a fender-bender and won't be running at all. You pretty much just have to stand there and wait for the three-bus caravan to arrive whenever it can.

[hotchocolate]

Im not from this city, but Calgary Transit is horrible. The C-trains probably breakdown twice a month and the buses have bad schedules. New buses and C-trains are coming so hopefully its a small start to fix the problems.

[Russic]

I took transit yesterday and arrived about as late as everybody else. There aren't dedicated lanes for buses ... if the roads are slow it's insane to think your bus is going to arrive on time. The bunched up bus question is legitimate, I don't understand that one. As for the whining though how anybody can be shocked is also puzzling.

[GirlySports]

I think after yesterday, less people are taking the bus today because they don't want to be on the packed busses or go through the insane wait times again.

So while the roads are better, there are more cars on them.

[Rathji]

The days I love transit the most are days like yesterday when the traffic is terrible. I just sit back with my iPod and sleep or watch some TV I need to catch up on. Way better than stressing about driving and other idiots on the road.

Just need to make sure you leave a little early so you are not late (or don't care if you are late)

[burning_acid1]

Calgary Transit is rarely reliable during the winter when there is a lot of snow.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Matata

If, in theory, one wanted to murder everyone involved in transit scheduling, how would one go about doing that?

Kill the General Manager's school kid.

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Calgary transit sucks because Calgary planning sucks and urban sprawl. Does anyone really expect an effective system in a city that snows a lot and is spread out this far?
Of course there's going to be major issues.

Everyone stuck on the Port Mann Bridge trying to get into work in Vancouver say HI and agree!

[Meelapo]

Originally Posted by fredr123

I can see how that second bus catches up but what about the third? Even when the weather isn't all that bad you see 2 or 3 or more 301s all bunched together quite frequently. That doesn't make sense.

This was quite a common occurrence for me when I worked downtown and took the 301. On nice and sunny days the bus, which is supposed to show up every 5 or so minutes during the commute home (~4:30-5:30pm) would take sometimes 25-30 minutes to show up and when it did there would be three or sometimes four of them grouped together.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by Meelapo

This was quite a common occurrence for me when I worked downtown and took the 301. On nice and sunny days the bus, which is supposed to show up every 5 or so minutes during the commute home (~4:30-5:30pm) would take sometimes 25-30 minutes to show up and when it did there would be three or sometimes four of them grouped together.

I can't count the number of times I saw a stack of 101/Coach Hill busses all at once (or within 5 minutes of eachother) downtown while waiting for a 6. The colder it was, the more coach hill busses waiting, tempted me to move more than once

[yads]

Originally Posted by Rathji

The days I love transit the most are days like yesterday when the traffic is terrible. I just sit back with my iPod and sleep or watch some TV I need to catch up on. Way better than stressing about driving and other idiots on the road.

Just need to make sure you leave a little early so you are not late (or don't care if you are late)

Yeah, I would definitely let someone else worry about the driving in this kind of weather if it weren't for the fact that I have to drop off and pick up my daughter at daycare.