[Barnaby]

VLSE is a success. When VLW opens this will be even busier, so I guess it'll be good that Warehouse Park is being built. Maybe less pressure on just 2 stops will help?

I was DT last night, and I've never seen it so busy.

 

[TAS]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1741688119777251428

Pro tip
Get on the lrt on the other side heading west since it's only one more stop and then you have your spot as it heads back east.

 

[ChazYEG]

4 words:
New
Years
Eve
celebrations

Plus good weather. Last year it was nearly as busy DT

 

[TAS]

I was DT last night, and I've never seen it so busy.

A friend who lives in Ritchie walked down to Whyte on Saturday night (the 30th) and couldn't believe how quiet it was. Maybe people were staying home because New Years the next night? Oilers vs. Kings was on Saturday but Whyte was very quiet despite a warm night. I wonder what downtown was like Saturday?

It certainly helps dt to have major successes like last night with restaurants + bars so busy and as more of these occurrences happen, hopefully that builds some momentum for new business + residents.

 

[fromyeg]

First time taking a bike on the train. Very smooth experience, albeit not too busy today.

 

[EdwardEdm]

I was impressed with seeing the crowds on the Valley Line yesterday. I believe they were running every 10 minutes, all 2 car trains. The way the process works apparently for TransEd's level of service, be it frequency and/ or train length, is that the City puts in the request in advance for the level of service they want (makes sense, as it's the City that is then paying for the operation of those trains). The contrast between the Valley Line and Capital Line due to train capacity was noticable. ETS went with 15 minute service, but 5 car trains on the Capital line. Due to limited capacity of the Valley Line, they had to go with 10 minute service with all 2 car trains. A 2 car train is about equivalent to a 3 car Capital Line train. Personally I think ETS should have had more frequent service on the Capital Line, but, I believe 15 minute service is generally par for the course on New Years Eve.

 

[Didama]

Went by Churchill today and it seems the poop has been cleaned.

 

[Barnaby]

311 works. A few of us posted complaints through 311 online about it. We complain on here a ton about things, but often it's just shouting into the abyss. Perhaps our default course of action should be the 311 app.

 

[thommyjo]

Biking by 178st at 87ave.

 

[Foolworm]

Went by Churchill today and it seems the poop has been cleaned.

It was already cleaned on NYE. Makes sense that they want to have everything spick-and-span for the event rush

 

[Tropical]

Can verify - transit was very busy on NYE. It's almost as if removing the fare promotes transit use?

 

[occidentalcapital]

Can verify - transit was very busy on NYE. It's almost as if removing the fare promotes transit use?

Not sure how you can draw that conclusion when the 'experiment' occurred on a day with massively increased nightlife demand. Clearly there were other factors here at play, such as NYE?

Until we get a handle on the violence and harassment problem on transit, fares are a must to maintain at least some measure of control where only people who are actually using transit should be in transit spaces.

 

[accord1999]

Can verify - transit was very busy on NYE. It's almost as if removing the fare promotes transit use?

For this debate, the question is if ETS had another $125-$150M/year in funding, would it be better to use it to make fares free or to improve transit service.

Free fares seems to be mostly a thing for US transit systems that have low ridership and don't actually have much passenger revenue to lose, unlike the much more successful Canadian ones.

 

[dunno]

For this debate, the question is if ETS had another $125-$150M/year in funding, would it be better to use it to make fares free or to improve transit service.

Free fares seems to be mostly a thing for US transit systems that have low ridership and don't actually have much passenger revenue to lose, unlike the much more successful Canadian ones.

It's also been implemented in Europe.

 

[BrettB]

For this debate, the question is if ETS had another $125-$150M/year in funding, would it be better to use it to make fares free or to improve transit service.

Great question! My money would be on improving frequencies and expanding some services. I personally have no problem having users pay a portion of the cost for services, but as a frequent user, I can see the allure of free service.