[EdwardEdm]

I don't know the source of the "4% of all ridership" number. I see 6.3 million rides in May from just bus APCs. But again this is just raw APC data, it doesn't factor for transfers, unique riders, etc.

Of course, not every bus has an APC.

Since you say that it is raw data, is that 6.3 million activations? Or is that 6.3 million riders, factoring in each rider is going to activate the APC twice per vehicle (therefore 12.6 million activations)?

Are false activations possible from the very common practice of passengers hanging out at the rear doors? It would be negligible, but there would also be activations everytime drivers enter and leave the bus.

 

[Blizzard]

Of course, not every bus has an APC.

Since you say that it is raw data, is that 6.3 million activations? Or is that 6.3 million riders, factoring in each rider is going to activate the APC twice per vehicle (therefore 12.6 million activations)?

Are false activations possible from the very common practice of passengers hanging out at the rear doors? It would be negligible, but there would also be activations everytime drivers enter and leave the bus.

This is boardings only data. The APCs are pretty good at distinguishing between boardings and alightings. False activations are possible but rare - the rider must completely cross the threshold of the door. If anything the APCs have a higher chance of missing a rider than double counting them due to boarding characteristics. Large groups of people forcing the doors during peak periods and especially at schools may undercount passengers by as much as 10% because the APCs are unable to distinguish one person from another. This isn't seen as much in alightings as people have to filter from the aisle of the bus through the doors. Another common source of missed passengers is parents with children or strollers, where the child/stroller sticks close to the parents side and the APC sees it as one continuous being thereby counting the parent and child/stroller as one rider.

 

[thommyjo]

And wasn't the VL supposed to spur a wave of TOD's?! Groundbreaking was in 2016; eight years ago. And hardly anything. And don't give me, 'but the pandemic!'

The city has grown by huge numbers, population-wise, and yet, developers don't see the incentive to build anything meaningful near a VL station. Why? Oh, I guess Bonnie Doon has upgraded its parking lot. lol

Hollyrood went from a concrete tower, to now a wood frame building going up, lol

Wasn't an 'urban' lrt supposed to be the holy grail?!

I think it’s a mix. TOD hasn’t taken off like we want, but we also have a lot of undeveloped land in central areas eating up demand for what TOD sites would essentially provide. And we also have a lot of affordable housing near stations.

TOD works so well in Vancouver cause it’s 1.9-5mil houses nearby, no undeveloped land in the city, and so a 500-900k 1 or 2 bedroom is a great option.

You can’t build and sell new condos for 200k for TODs, but full houses are only 400k just around the corner from the train. So it’s a tough equation.

We also need to remember that mainly skytrain stops saw 0 TOD for 5-15 years. And some stations still haven’t. Even with all the constraints of land and astronomical prices. The valley line gives us good options for the next 20 years as we “hopefully” build up and in more than our.