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Superstar
I have been to many bus terminals where the departing buses back out. Clearly one need to take care!
Very interesting, I wasn't aware that there were 2 levels of the bus terminal and that buses from Level 1 will have to go up to Level 2 before exiting back on Lake Shore. Thanks for that posting @Michael62
If they really were to follow that plan, they'd only need to use a couple of bays for unloading, not all seven on the lower level. It seems like an inefficient system to me, but also more dangerous, as suddenly every bus must back out twice, not just once.^If that holds to be true, that would be a waste of 7 bus bays on the lower level in the immediate future assuming all current GO bus routes and regional buses use the terminal all at once. They currently have that kind of arrangement that the Hamilton GO Centre, but it works well there because they have a surplus of bus bays and there's not as many bus routes that serve that station.
However once GO RER is fully in place, that planned arrangement would work very well. In either case, hopefully the ventilation systems are powerful enough to vent out all the diesel fumes so the waiting area doesn't fill up with excess fumes.
Keep in mind that if they did use the lower bays for unloading, it would be common practice to use those spaces for layovers and the potential parking of spares as well. The 3 bays on both levels dont seem sufficient enough for that kind of activity with both regional buses and GO buses. The bus terminal can potentially get very busy with Megabus, Coach Canada, Ontario Northland, Greyhound, and GO using the terminal all at once if the plan does indeed hold true to relocate from the Coach Terminal.If they really were to follow that plan, they'd only need to use a couple of bays for unloading, not all seven on the lower level. It seems like an inefficient system to me, but also more dangerous, as suddenly every bus must back out twice, not just once.
In the end, once RER makes most GO buses obsolete, from an transportation system POV, you do want to be able to get the regional coach carriers in here too: two bays per GO one would be a ridiculous waste of space that they could be leasing out.
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I guess lining up like this would be almost impossible (to enforce):I'll also keep in mind that there is no more space on the second level for queuing than there is on the first, and in fact it looks like there's a little less space on level 2. I just do not buy the idea that an entire level would work better if it were consigned to unloading buses only.
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RER will expand the times of day that trains are running significantly, and it'll allow bus services to terminate at local stations in the periphery with riders switching to trains. It should radicalize the current system, bit by bit, as lines are converted. It will just be late at night eventually when trains are not running, and whatever few buses are needed at that time should still be able to be handled in a compact area.I can't see RER ever making GO buses obsolete and I am not sure why people are saying this (and metrolinx is making no such promises). There will always be regions and times not serviced by trains (and probably more so as the suburbs expand year after year) and in which buses will be needed and used.
Of course RER will not make buses obsolete - buses will be needed as feeders for trains much as they are for subways and, as you say, buses will be needed to serve areas where there is not enough passenger volume for a train (of any kind). Routes may change but …..I can't see RER ever making GO buses obsolete and I am not sure why people are saying this (and metrolinx is making no such promises). There will always be regions and times not serviced by trains (and probably more so as the suburbs expand year after year) and in which buses will be needed and used.
You would be surprised, GO bus passengers are actually really good with queuing up to board buses. Just ask riders of the 47, which is usually packed beyond belief. That diagram is actually what I envision happening at the new bus terminal, which is why unloading passengers in the upper level for certain routes (if there are no neighboring available bays for disembarking) would just be a mess.I guess lining up like this would be almost impossible (to enforce):
View attachment 149645
I don't think the entire 1st level will be dedicated to unloading buses, more likely 3-5 bays if that.I'll also keep in mind that there is no more space on the second level for queuing than there is on the first, and in fact it looks like there's a little less space on level 2. I just do not buy the idea that an entire level would work better if it were consigned to unloading buses only.
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