[Justin10000]

I think Orange should go all the way to Finch Station. That might benefit a lot of riders.

 

[doady]

I think Orange should go all the way to Finch Station. That might benefit a lot of riders.

Considering the poor ridership of the 77, I don't think Orange serving Finch would benefit many people at all, especially if it serves Richmond Hill Centre at the same time... It would benefit more people put those buses on the 77 instead. VIVA Orange should just be cancelled altogether. Having BT take over the service is a great idea.

 

[Electrify]

I'm going back to school this fall to study Urban Studies at York, AND THERE IS NO WAY I'M TAKING THE VIVA PURPLE!!! The stopover at Promenade Mall is bad enough, but that left turn at Keele St is a deal breaker. I drive all over Vaughan for work everyday, and I avoid that left like the plague.

For those who are unaware of the situation, basically it is a single left turn lane where turns are only permitted on the signal, even though you have a clear view of oncoming traffic. The result is backed up traffic for several hundred meters, requiring multiple cycles and up to 15 minutes just to make it through the intersection! If not build an extra turning lane, they should allow for lefts on the green/yellow or route the westbound route along Rivermede Rd.

I still need to weigh my options, but I figure I will either drive to King City GO and take the new YRT route and/or GO train, or drive to Langstaff station and take a GO bus from there. The only way I can see myself driving all the way to York is if I carpool and parking and gas net to be less than transit.

 

[reaperexpress]

I sent this idea to YRT/Brampton

I like that idea. I would add even more distinction to the routes, with Viva orange running express from Keele to RHC. That way the bus can just stay on Highway 7, which is very fast (>80km/h) and has very little traffic, even at rush hour. It also saves lots of time from skipping Promenade and the turns onto Centre and Bathurst. It takes a ridiculous amount of time for westbound Purples to use the Promenade terminal because it involves 4 left turns.

I also agree with Electrify about that left turn at Keele, it's really frustrating. Rerouting to Rivermede is a long detour though. It would probably only save time at rush hour. At other times, they could use the current routing.

 

[xtremesniper]

I like that idea. I would add even more distinction to the routes, with Viva orange running express from Keele to RHC. That way the bus can just stay on Highway 7, which is very fast (>80km/h) and has very little traffic, even at rush hour. It also saves lots of time from skipping Promenade and the turns onto Centre and Bathurst. It takes a ridiculous amount of time for westbound Purples to use the Promenade terminal because it involves 4 left turns.

I also agree with Electrify about that left turn at Keele, it's really frustrating. Rerouting to Rivermede is a long detour though. It would probably only save time at rush hour. At other times, they could use the current routing.

Ugh, tell me about it. I must have gotten high blood pressure twice a day when I used to ride the Purple because of that turnoff onto Bathurst to Promenade. To service who, a bunch of high school kids going to the mall who aren't even paying their fares?

A split route would save a good 10 minutes or more on the commute time, especially since during most rush hour days, the bus is too full to even bother servicing the people waiting at those stops in the first place.

As "complicated" as it might be for a relatively simple bus service, most systems offer A/B/C alternate routes. If there were alternative routes that did not go through certain detours (like Promenade) and stuck to Hwy 7, that would probably increase ridership. I know of too many people who don't take the Viva because it deviates from Hwy 7 too much.

 

[reaperexpress]

Ugh, tell me about it. I must have gotten high blood pressure twice a day when I used to ride the Purple because of that turnoff onto Bathurst to Promenade. To service who, a bunch of high school kids going to the mall who aren't even paying their fares?

Yes, I myself being one of them, though I pay my fare. On an unrelated topic, many of my friends have discovered that it's cheaper to never pay, and simply pay the fines when they get caught. The fine is something like $200, which is about 2.5 monthly passes, but people get caught far less frequently than that.

As "complicated" as it might be for a relatively simple bus service, most systems offer A/B/C alternate routes. If there were alternative routes that did not go through certain detours (like Promenade) and stuck to Hwy 7, that would probably increase ridership. I know of too many people who don't take the Viva because it deviates from Hwy 7 too much.

I actually think there's a good chance YRT may implement something like this, because they already introduced Viva Blue A, skipping RHC. This is fairly similar, so if they find Viva Blue A to be successful, they may try it on Viva Purple too.

 

[ShonTron]

I think Viva Purple should merely serve Promenade Terminal from on-street stops on Centre. Promenade is not a major transfer point. There's a traffic light right there anyway.

 

[reaperexpress]

I think Viva Purple should merely serve Promenade Terminal from on-street stops on Centre. Promenade is not a major transfer point. There's a traffic light right there anyway.

Actually it is a major transfer point by York Region standards. There seem to be just as many people waiting there as at Richmond Hill Centre. On Route 3, for example, often half the riders will leave at Promenade.

 

[Justin10000]

The 88 always has a lineupat Promenade.

 

[unimaginative2]

Malls are almost always excellent transfer points. Look at all of the subway stations with large adjacent malls: they`re consistently among the busiest in the system.

 

[Electrify]

I like that idea. I would add even more distinction to the routes, with Viva orange running express from Keele to RHC. That way the bus can just stay on Highway 7, which is very fast (>80km/h) and has very little traffic, even at rush hour. It also saves lots of time from skipping Promenade and the turns onto Centre and Bathurst. It takes a ridiculous amount of time for westbound Purples to use the Promenade terminal because it involves 4 left turns.

I can deal with the detour to the Promenade. While it can be a little frustrating (priority signalling could help) it is a major economic center and the stop is well used. The 407 GO bus already offers direct service to York, and you may be able to take the YRT/Viva to it for as little as 50 cents (though I know people who have taken feeder routes to Viva to Langstaff GO have had fare disputes due to a fare communication breakdown that would make even the TTC blush)

I also agree with Electrify about that left turn at Keele, it's really frustrating. Rerouting to Rivermede is a long detour though. It would probably only save time at rush hour. At other times, they could use the current routing.

Though Friday was my last day doing deliveries, I spent a good chunk of time in and around central Vaughan. Even outside rush hour that left at Keele and 7 is a clusterfuck! And while a little out of the way, detouring along Rivermede is much, much better. Surprisingly, taking a left from Bowes Rd on to Keele there is virtually no traffic whatsoever, though that can be a little far out.

 

[taal]

You know, I do think the VCC extension will make downtown living more appealing in many ways to a few (not a bunch) ... for example, to me a similar expansion to Yonge and Hi-way 7 would make it more enticing then say NYCC (just for it's hi-way access) ... btw, I'm not at all implying these are the most needed expansions all I'm saying is it makes it easier to live downtown and work abroad Which is getting a lot more common now a days.

I doubt it changes much the other way around i.e. downtown Markham for example is full of so many investors ... I really wonder if the rates are ever higher then downtown Toronto ... anyway, if you want to live there or VCC I don't think it'll be an alternative to downtown, maybe in time and to select crowd but honestly even in a while I don't think so ... it'll be an alternative to NYCC / SCC and MCC for example.

Anyway in short, I'm saying VCC may help people downtown more then anyone else ... who are for transit.

 

[xtremesniper]

Yes, I myself being one of them, though I pay my fare. On an unrelated topic, many of my friends have discovered that it's cheaper to never pay, and simply pay the fines when they get caught. The fine is something like $200, which is about 2.5 monthly passes, but people get caught far less frequently than that.

I figure a lot of people have that kind of mentality, and I don't think they realize that all they are doing is condemning the bus service that they seem to rely on to get places to either A. never expand or B. eventually implode due to insufficient funds. You can congratulate them for screwing themselves over.

I think what happens for quite a few people is when they get to the stop and see that the bus is coming and there isn't much time to buy a ticket, they'll panic and not pay their fare just to catch the bus because the drivers are inconsistent in their policy of waiting for someone to buy their ticket or not. If they have to wait for the bus, then chances are they'll buy a ticket (if they already were going to, and were not the aforementioned kids). Good on you for paying your fare, though.

I actually think there's a good chance YRT may implement something like this, because they already introduced Viva Blue A, skipping RHC. This is fairly similar, so if they find Viva Blue A to be successful, they may try it on Viva Purple too.

We can only hope, I suppose. I know a lot of Blue riders hate the RHC detour just as much as people on Purple hate the Promenade detour, so we'll see.

 

[reaperexpress]

We can only hope, I suppose. I know a lot of Blue riders hate the RHC detour just as much as people on Purple hate the Promenade detour, so we'll see.

This didn't take long:

http://www.yrt.ca/news/index.asp

Viva blue "A" trips increase this fall

The number of Viva blue "A" trips will more than double this fall in response to the popularity of the new service.

Effective September 7, Viva blue "A" will operate 11 morning and 13 afternoon rush hour trips between Newmarket GO Bus Terminal. These new trips reflect a significant increase from the previous five trips each way and will help relieve overcrowding on vehicles.

August 13, 2010

I guess you were right. People do hate the RHC detour!

 

[xtremesniper]

This didn't take long:

http://www.yrt.ca/news/index.asp



I guess you were right. People do hate the RHC detour!

So then I guess they should look at the Purple as a gold mine for the same type of implementation. Ridership would skyrocket. Everyone east of Bathurst absolutely hates going through that detour (most of the time during the morning rush, the bus is full to the brim with York students who have no interest in the Promenade anyway) and it's an even longer detour than RHC is, so as far as I'm concerned it's a no brainer.