Who are Viva buses carrying?

rt_0891 · September 19th, 2005, 02:14 PM

Who are Viva buses carrying?
No figures yet on whether riders are new to public transit

Growing pains after two weeks of York's new rapid system

KEVIN MCGRAN
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER

York Region's new rapid transit system is being used by nearly 10,000 people each work day.

But two weeks after the launch of the system, transit officials can't say how many of those riders are new to public transit and how many simply switched from other bus services.

"It's very encouraging. The buses are full," said Mary-Frances Turner, vice-president of the York Region Rapid Transit Corp. "We're running vehicles fully occupied at 10 p.m."

But she said it's "just too early" to know whether passengers simply switched to Viva from York Region Transit, because the region's transit numbers are not yet available.

Ridership for Viva's Yonge St. line hit 6,950 last Wednesday, up from 5,887 a week before. Ridership on its Highway 7 line hit 2,793 on the same day, up from 2,218 a week before.

York Region Transit's busiest route is Route 99 on Yonge St., which carried 8,300 passengers a day at its peak in June. Fewer Route 99 buses operate now with the introduction of Viva, although regional buses make many stops while Viva stops only every kilometre or so.

When Viva launched Labour Day weekend officials said they hoped it would eventually encourage 7,000 drivers to leave their cars at home. On all its routes, Viva's 40 buses operate like a rapid transit system using a global positioning system to stay a step ahead of traffic. It also uses high-tech buses, has off-bus fare payment, and uses countdown clocks to show when the next bus will arrive.

Viva's Yonge St. ridership is about equal to the TTC's 108 Downsview bus service, which carries 7,100 riders in the Jane St. and Sheppard Ave. W. area. The TTC's busiest bus route is the 29 Dufferin, which carries 43,500 a day.

Viva is growing in its early days — and bus routes will be expanded west to Martingrove, east to McCowan and north to Newmarket in the coming months — but the system is also going through some growing pains:

#
Passengers need to get used to operating the fare vending machines and validation of tickets at Viva's stops.

#
Letting passengers know they can get on the bus at any door and don't have to show a ticket. Fare enforcement officers check for valid tickets.

#
Construction along Keele St. is slowing service into and out of York University.

samsonyuen · September 19th, 2005, 09:16 PM

Good news!

jayk18 · September 19th, 2005, 09:20 PM

Markhan, Ontario, Canada!!!

Observer Walt · September 19th, 2005, 11:48 PM

Give it some time; it is still very early to draw conclusions.

doady · September 20th, 2005, 01:00 AM

Considering all the money and effort they spent on advertising this new service, it is not unreasonable to expect the ridership to be higher. It will probably get better though.

The article states that VIVA Yonge St. ridership is close to TTC route 108 but that is wrong. Route 108 is much shorter so it is not comparable. VIVA Yonge is much closer to MT route 3 Bloor or 5 Dixie, which also have around 7,000 ridership, or TTC route 21 Brimley, which has around 8,000 ridership.

Gil · September 21st, 2005, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doady

Considering all the money and effort they spent on advertising this new service, it is not unreasonable to expect the ridership to be higher. It will probably get better though.

The article states that VIVA Yonge St. ridership is close to TTC route 108 but that is wrong. Route 108 is much shorter so it is not comparable. VIVA Yonge is much closer to MT route 3 Bloor or 5 Dixie, which also have around 7,000 ridership, or TTC route 21 Brimley, which has around 8,000 ridership.

I don't mean to open a can of worms or start a flame war, but I thought the comparison was being made to similar ridership levels, not actual service level hierarchy, in which case I'd agree with you. In terms of importance it is deserving of a higher level of comparison than the 108 Downsview, but here they are just comparing the number of people using it.

In comparison to some of the TTC's busier routes, they give the 29 Dufferin as a benchmark being the busiest route in the system (passenger-wise). The 108 (and subsequently VIVA) are about 1/6 of the level as the 29. Hopefully VIVA can get that up to a more respectable 1/3 or 1/2 of the 29's ridership. Time will tell if York residents embrace the system once more of it is completed.

partybits · September 20th, 2005, 02:42 AM

It's far to early to start making forecasts. I mean it's only been a two weeks. It won't be years until we can even start to see the true results of VIVA success (or lack thereof)

CrazyCanuck · September 20th, 2005, 03:18 AM

It carried me today, and imo it seemed a vast improvement over the old York Buses.

Confused Philosopher · September 20th, 2005, 10:46 PM

Yes, I agree.

taal · September 21st, 2005, 12:31 AM

I hope they are not comparing the figures prior too the first week in December ... once York university starts (which it already has) there is a large boost in the amount of people that use the YRT

York Transit · September 21st, 2005, 02:49 AM

The full system hasn't been launched yet, I expect lots more people coming from Newmarket when GO runs rush hour only service. Right now, the eastern terminus at Town Centre Blvd is in the middle of a grassfield, I almost got mowed down by construction trucks there so that'd explain Highway 7's empty buses, a lot of Highway 7 Markham's ridership comes east of Town Centre Blvd.

September 19th, 2005, 02:14 PM	#1
rt_0891 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Toronto, Hong Kong, Vancouver Posts: 2,697	Who are Viva buses carrying? Who are Viva buses carrying? No figures yet on whether riders are new to public transit Growing pains after two weeks of York's new rapid system KEVIN MCGRAN TRANSPORTATION REPORTER York Region's new rapid transit system is being used by nearly 10,000 people each work day. But two weeks after the launch of the system, transit officials can't say how many of those riders are new to public transit and how many simply switched from other bus services. "It's very encouraging. The buses are full," said Mary-Frances Turner, vice-president of the York Region Rapid Transit Corp. "We're running vehicles fully occupied at 10 p.m." But she said it's "just too early" to know whether passengers simply switched to Viva from York Region Transit, because the region's transit numbers are not yet available. Ridership for Viva's Yonge St. line hit 6,950 last Wednesday, up from 5,887 a week before. Ridership on its Highway 7 line hit 2,793 on the same day, up from 2,218 a week before. York Region Transit's busiest route is Route 99 on Yonge St., which carried 8,300 passengers a day at its peak in June. Fewer Route 99 buses operate now with the introduction of Viva, although regional buses make many stops while Viva stops only every kilometre or so. When Viva launched Labour Day weekend officials said they hoped it would eventually encourage 7,000 drivers to leave their cars at home. On all its routes, Viva's 40 buses operate like a rapid transit system using a global positioning system to stay a step ahead of traffic. It also uses high-tech buses, has off-bus fare payment, and uses countdown clocks to show when the next bus will arrive. Viva's Yonge St. ridership is about equal to the TTC's 108 Downsview bus service, which carries 7,100 riders in the Jane St. and Sheppard Ave. W. area. The TTC's busiest bus route is the 29 Dufferin, which carries 43,500 a day. Viva is growing in its early days — and bus routes will be expanded west to Martingrove, east to McCowan and north to Newmarket in the coming months — but the system is also going through some growing pains: # Passengers need to get used to operating the fare vending machines and validation of tickets at Viva's stops. # Letting passengers know they can get on the bus at any door and don't have to show a ticket. Fare enforcement officers check for valid tickets. # Construction along Keele St. is slowing service into and out of York University.

September 19th, 2005, 09:20 PM	#3
jayk18 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 4	Who is carrying Vivsa Buses? Markhan, Ontario, Canada!!!

September 20th, 2005, 10:46 PM	#9
Confused Philosopher if only i knew... Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Toronto/Birmingham Posts: 396	Yes, I agree. __________________ Satan loves me. This I know. For the Right-wing Bible Nuts told me so.

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September 19th, 2005, 09:16 PM	#2
samsonyuen SSLL Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Canary Wharf > CityPlace Posts: 8,546	Good news!

September 19th, 2005, 11:48 PM	#4
Observer Walt Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 25	Give it some time; it is still very early to draw conclusions.

September 20th, 2005, 01:00 AM	#5
doady Registered User Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 1,652	Considering all the money and effort they spent on advertising this new service, it is not unreasonable to expect the ridership to be higher. It will probably get better though. The article states that VIVA Yonge St. ridership is close to TTC route 108 but that is wrong. Route 108 is much shorter so it is not comparable. VIVA Yonge is much closer to MT route 3 Bloor or 5 Dixie, which also have around 7,000 ridership, or TTC route 21 Brimley, which has around 8,000 ridership.

September 20th, 2005, 02:42 AM	#7
partybits partybits Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,442	It's far to early to start making forecasts. I mean it's only been a two weeks. It won't be years until we can even start to see the true results of VIVA success (or lack thereof)

September 20th, 2005, 03:18 AM	#8
CrazyCanuck MOD SQUAD Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,729	It carried me today, and imo it seemed a vast improvement over the old York Buses.

September 21st, 2005, 12:31 AM	#10
taal Look Up! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 546	I hope they are not comparing the figures prior too the first week in December ... once York university starts (which it already has) there is a large boost in the amount of people that use the YRT

September 21st, 2005, 02:49 AM	#11
York Transit Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 252	The full system hasn't been launched yet, I expect lots more people coming from Newmarket when GO runs rush hour only service. Right now, the eastern terminus at Town Centre Blvd is in the middle of a grassfield, I almost got mowed down by construction trucks there so that'd explain Highway 7's empty buses, a lot of Highway 7 Markham's ridership comes east of Town Centre Blvd.