[chrisw]

TransitApp introduces undergound tracking that even works with weak GPS. It even works offline with a lightweight model.

The main solution is using acceleration data, turning it to frequency data. Generally, when the train is moving it's 5Hz and 2Hz while walking.

Transit | No GPS required: our app can now locate underground trains

Bad service in the subway? Transit's offline motion detection shows where you are between stations, and reminds you when your stop’s up next

blog.transitapp.com

 

[Coolibop]

TransitApp introduces undergound tracking that even works with weak GPS. It even works offline with a lightweight model.

The main solution is using acceleration data, turning it to frequency data. Generally, when the train is moving it's 5Hz and 2Hz while walking.

Transit | No GPS required: our app can now locate underground trains

Bad service in the subway? Transit's offline motion detection shows where you are between stations, and reminds you when your stop’s up next

blog.transitapp.com

An interesting project. I understand the need for transit apps to differentiate and introduce unique features to stay relevant/useful in the competitive space...

However, I wouldn't put knowing the location of trains underground high on the priority list...

It's typically the surface routes with lower frequencies combined with the possible negative affects of weather (both for someone waiting in it and for delays caused by it) that are important for end users. Transit does an ok job at showing where the vehicle is, but I'd argue that not enough users use the platform, and it's a bit gimmicky: it's nice to see where the bus is, but I've found any sort of delay and the 'time to arrival' itself gets delayed. Just yesterday, a bus I was waiting for had the estimated arrival stuck at 4 minutes for 15 minutes due to traffic... I could see it was not moving, but wasn't really presented with alternatives or adjustments during the trip.

I presume the TTC knows precisely where it's trains are, but not worth the efforts to share with the public for a myriad of reasons. Every time I've checked the estimated arrival when riding the subway, I've found it to be relatively consistent (regardless of if the wait seemed appropriate). Perhaps others here with more frequent subway use can chime in...

Edit: i was responding uniquely from a Toronto context here... I imagine subway services in other cities may find the information more useful where arrival times are not easily available.

 

[Northern Light]

The details of the TTC Service Changes beginning Sunday, November 17 will be out shortly.

But I'm here to tell you what's not in them, UT.

Any increase in subway service. None, Zip, Nadda, Squat.

You must be kidding. The crowding both peak and at many times off-peak is becoming absurd.

Lots of surface route changes........but I can't summarize those as neatly as Steve Munro, so we can collectively wait on his analysis, which should be up later today.

The TTC has a page up with affected routes. But the actual details of the changes are omitted for the most part:

Line 6 Finch West extended LRT service and March service adjustments

www.ttc.ca

 

[Richard White]

Any increase in subway service. None, Zip, Nadda, Squat.

You must be kidding. The crowding both peak and at many times off-peak is becoming absurd.

Are you surprised NT?

The TTC will probably snap back saying service is adequate because it is still not back to pre-covid levels.

They will simply move the goalpost to justify not increasing service.

Honestly though, I wonder if this is a budgetary shell game or bad information.

 

[Northern Light]

Are you surprised....

Yes, actually. An increase in subway service in either October or November was contemplated during the summer.

Additionally, the TTC knows subway ridership is growing faster than forecast.

Honestly though, I wonder if this is a budgetary shell game or bad information.

I can't speak to the motivation. But I can say they have the information.

 

[chrisw]

@Coolibop One benefit of train tracking is that you can get an alert on your phone that your stop is coming up. Through headphones or as a popup.

Yeah, it might be hard to model that much traffic. There will also always be outliers. There's also a slight bias towards getting you to the stop early vs missing the bus.

Accurate Bus Arrival Predictions: A New Transit App Solution

Discover a new transit app that predicts bus arrival times with up to 80% more accuracy than traditional methods.

blog.transitapp.com

 

[evandyk]

This is why we need a TTC CEO who rides the system daily. They would know that the trains are absolutely at capacity at peak times and absurdly crowded at non-peak times. I get that they have staff who can tell them that, but maybe they need to actually see two trains pass by that they can't get on while trying to get from City Hall to TTC headquarters before they believe it.

 

[evandyk]

Good streetcar spacing on king.

 

[Amare]

The details of the TTC Service Changes beginning Sunday, November 17 will be out shortly.

But I'm here to tell you what's not in them, UT.

Any increase in subway service. None, Zip, Nadda, Squat.

You must be kidding. The crowding both peak and at many times off-peak is becoming absurd.

Lots of surface route changes........but I can't summarize those as neatly as Steve Munro, so we can collectively wait on his analysis, which should be up later today.

The TTC has a page up with affected routes. But the actual details of the changes are omitted for the most part:

Line 6 Finch West extended LRT service and March service adjustments

www.ttc.ca

Why am I not surprised that these clowns arent increasing subway service. I guess they like seeing 10 min waits during the mid-day to become a regularized event.

I'll refrain from commenting further until we see the surface route service change implications.

 

[Northern Light]

Well, @Amare ..........

Steve Munro's detailed post is now up, here:

TTC Service Changes Effective November 17, 2024

This article details upcoming service changes on the TTC network, most of which will occur on Sunday, November 17. Updated Nov 14 at 1:10pm: The section about supplementary service on many routes a…

stevemunro.ca

Steve has done is usual, excellent drill down w/easy to understand graphics.

There's lots there, so I'll just ask people to follow the link rather than my copy/pasting.

****

The most interesting thing to me is that there are a large number of service improvements to address bus crowding.........but they aren't budgeted for as such.

The TTC has redeployed the staff who were supposed to be operating Eglinton-Crosstown at this point to buses. The challenge, when/if Crosstown opens, the TTC will have to cut these improvements unless they are funded in next year's budget.

****

I will also note that shift workers and night hawks will benefit from the TTC being unable to deliver net new storage capacity for streetcars.

As the TTC has insufficient room to park its fleet, night service will get a boost as the King and Dundas routes will improve from 20 minute headways overnight to 15.

 

[Amare]

The most interesting thing to me is that there are a large number of service improvements to address bus crowding.........but they aren't budgeted for as such.

The TTC has redeployed the staff who were supposed to be operating Eglinton-Crosstown at this point to buses. The challenge, when/if Crosstown opens, the TTC will have to cut these improvements unless they are funded in next year's budget.

I suspect the TTC will be cutting the grand majority of these temporary service improvements as this is simply a reallocation of resources. Council cant even budget for increased subway service, so i highly doubt they will make these temporary improvements permanent. If anything, maybe a handful of routes (ie: not more than 5) might get these temporary improvements saved over, but I doubt it.

I will also note that shift workers and night hawks will benefit from the TTC being unable to deliver net new storage capacity for streetcars.

As the TTC has insufficient room to park its fleet, night service will get a boost as the King and Dundas routes will improve from 20 minute headways overnight to 15.

Hmmm, maybe the TTC should do the same for it's bus fleet, order a couple dozen more above the bus garage capacity so they'll be forced to run increased bus service.

Well, @Amare ..........

Steve Munro's detailed post is now up, here:

TTC Service Changes Effective November 17, 2024

This article details upcoming service changes on the TTC network, most of which will occur on Sunday, November 17. Updated Nov 14 at 1:10pm: The section about supplementary service on many routes a…

stevemunro.ca

Steve has done is usual, excellent drill down w/easy to understand graphics.

There's lots there, so I'll just ask people to follow the link rather than my copy/pasting.

Now with regards to the service changes as a whole, i'll leave some comments on certain routes:

-34 Eglinton East: The lack of additional service here is idiotic. The TTC decides to add services temporarily to various routes, but yet Eglinton remains an overloaded mess at various points in the day? Pretty comical stuff if you ask me.

-944 Kipling South Express: The stop addition on Horner makes sense, but this needs to be the absolute last addition made. Because asides from that, the "express" aspect of this service will be useless. Addtionally, service needs to to be expanded later into the night (until 8 or 8:30pm), the 44 is overloaded in the evening periods right after the rush with students and factory workers trying to get to Kipling Station. To the point where buses are bypassing stops.

-110 Islington South: This service routing changes makes no sense at all. Essentially, people living on the south end of the line are going to have significant additional commute times and will be going on a sight seeing tour all because the TTC wants drivers to layover at Kipling Loop? Stupid stuff all around here.

 

[duffo]

-110 Islington South: This service routing changes makes no sense at all. Essentially, people living on the south end of the line are going to have significant additional commute times and will be going on a sight seeing tour all because the TTC wants drivers to layover at Kipling Loop? Stupid stuff all around here.

As far as I can tell the change was very minor, instead of going on lakeshore>thirtheenth, its going on kipling>birmingham>twelfth (see black sketch vs. existing route in red). This appears to be enabled by a new extension of Twelfth up to Birmingham as part of adjacent development? If anything, the 110C won't need to use the loop to turnaround anymore given that it is heading north on the other side of the street past it.

 

[Amare]

As far as I can tell the change was very minor, instead of going on lakeshore>thirtheenth, its going on kipling>birmingham>twelfth (see black sketch vs. existing route in red). This appears to be enabled by a new extension of Twelfth up to Birmingham as part of adjacent development? If anything, the 110C won't need to use the loop to turnaround anymore given that it is heading north on the other side of the street past it.

View attachment 612043

From what i'm aware of, the whole thing with the 110C being extended to use Kipling Loop was so it would have a proper place to layover and due to some sort of resident concern of buses laying over on 12th St.

So now with this latest change, I dont get where buses would be laying over if they're no longer going to use Kipling Loop. I'm assuming they will still use Kipling Loop because if not, there's no other place for buses to have a "proper layover" (as per the TTC's logic) because they'd run into the exact same thing the TTC was apparently trying to avoid.

So all they're doing with this is just extending bus run times, using the same number of buses which is going to lead to even worse service.

 

[smallspy]

-34 Eglinton East: The lack of additional service here is idiotic. The TTC decides to add services temporarily to various routes, but yet Eglinton remains an overloaded mess at various points in the day? Pretty comical stuff if you ask me.

When is it overloaded? I take it at rush hour every day, and with the exception of the odd bus heading to Yonge in the mornings that is running in a gap, the buses are busy but never uncomfortably so.

Now, the Warden bus, on the other hand....

Dan

 

[Coolibop]

@Coolibop One benefit of train tracking is that you can get an alert on your phone that your stop is coming up. Through headphones or as a popup.

I'm not sure this is a problem they were looking to solve.

Yeah, it might be hard to model that much traffic.

I did not suggest to model traffic and end up with better predictions.

The apps do not deviate much from the route once selected - In my example above, it could have suggested a walk to the next transfer with plenty of time to spare.

Coincidentally, today, due to a bus arriving early for transfer, I had a suggestion to take a bus for 45 minutes around town versus a 10 minute walk all because it was fixated on transferring at a particular location midway through a trip. Dynamic re-routing is where these apps can get bigger bang for the buck from and end user experience: getting you where you want faster. I've noticed the Transit app does suggest alternate routes at a specific stop if a transfer is missed/early, but it omits the obvious sometimes.