Entry #34 Canada's 42 Federal Election

Another one of my hobbies beside transit is politics. There is a good reason why I do not being up politics at all, but this is an exception. Everyone has their own distinctive political party that they can relate to. For a while now, I've been keeping a close eye on the Canadian political parties as they get ready for the upcoming election on October 19. This election means a lot to Canadians as we head into this, because our current Prime Minister has been in the eye in the media for his current scandal regarding Mike Duffy. I have mentioned in a previous blog that the Duffy Scandal evolves around the Prime Minster's Office, his former chief of Staff and Mike Duffy. Since Duffy read the rules that were given to him, he followed them, then the PM (Prime Minister) changed them and Duffy got caught. His trial has been going these past weeks and more and more information has been coming out. PM Harper has been changing his story regarding this issue, and his former chief of Staff has answered what he did correctly. So the Canadian people have been seeing this and are looking at other parties. During the first Federal debate, the leader of the NDP (New Democrat Party) said that the PM denies that Canada is in a recession, Harper came out and said "I am not denying Canada is in a recession." This clearly shows how much the Consecrative Party cares about the local economy as well as getting people to work. Harper has been flopping back and forth on topics so much, I believe that fish are offended by him doing this. On October 19 2015, go out to your local polling station and vote.

Entry #33 Transit Stations/Terminals

When looking at transit routes they can service an area and service more than one transit station. For people that do not use transit, a transit station is where routes servicing that area connect and passengers can transfer to another route. In the Region of Waterloo, there are many transit stations/terminals for passengers to make connections with other routes. Below I will start with Waterloo and end with Cambridge terminals and the connecting routes as well. 

Waterloo Transit Stations

Conestoga Mall Station

Connecting Routes: 6 Bridge, 7 Mainline, 9 Lakeshore, 12 Fairview Park-Conestoga Mall, 14 Waterloo Industrial, 21 Elmira, 31 Columbia, 200 iXpress Ainslie Terminal, 201 Fischer-Hallman iXpress, 202 University iXpress

The Boardwalk Transit Station*

Connecting Route:s 1 Queen-River, 4 Glasgow, 5 Erb, 20 Victoria-Frederick, 29 Keats Way, 202 University iXpress, 204 Victoria-Highland iXpress

Uptown Waterloo

Connecting Routes: 5 Erb, 7 Mainline, 200 iXpress

Kitchener transit Stations

The Boardwalk Station*

Connecting Routes: 1 Queen-River, 4 Glasgow, 5 Erb, 20 Victoria-Frederick, 29 Keats Way, 202 University iXpress, 204 Victoria-Highland iXpress

Highland Hills Mall Station

Forest Glen Transit Station

Connecting Routes: 3 Ottawa South, 11 Country Hills, 12 Fairview Park-Conestoga Mall, 16 Conestoga College-Forest Glen, 22 Laurentian West, 33 Huron, 201 Fischer-Hallman iXpress

Fairview Park Transit Station

Connecting Routes: 1 Queen-River, 7 Mainline, 8 University-Fairview Park, 10 Conestoga College, 12 Fairview Park-Conestoga Mall, 23 Idlewood, 27 Chicopee, 52 Ainslie St. Terminal-Fairview Park, 200 iXpress Conestoga Mall-Ainslie Terminal

Stanley Park Mall Station

Connecting Routes: 1 Queen-River (Board on River Rd.), 20 Victoria-Frederick, 23 Idlewood

Charles St. Terminal

Connecting Routes: 1 Queen-River (Temporarily until LRT construction is completed), 2 Forest Heights, 3 Ottawa South, 4 Glasgow, 6 Bridge, 7 Mainline, 8 University-Fairview Park, 11 Country Hills, 22 Laurentian West, 34 Bingemans, 200 iXpress Ainslie Terminal-Conestoga Mall

Conestoga College*

Connecting Routes: 10 Conestoga College-Fairview Park, 16 Conestoga College-Forest Glen 61 Conestoga College-Cambridge Centre, 111 Conestoga College-Ainslie Street Express, 110 Fairview Park-Conestoga College Express, 116 Conestoga College-Forest Glen Express, 203 Mid-Region iXpress

Sportsworld Crossing Station*

Connecting Routes: 52 Fairview Park-Ainslie St. Terminal, 72 Cherry Blossom BusPlus, 200 iXpress Conestoga Mall-Ainslie Terminal, 203 Mid-Region iXpress

Cambridge Transit Station

Sportsworld Crossing Station*

Connecting Routes: 52 Fairview Park-Ainslie St. Terminal, 72 Cherry Blossom BusPlus, 200 iXpress Conestoga Mall-Ainslie Terminal, 203 Mid-Region iXpress

Hespeler Transit Station

Connecting Routes: 51 Hespeler Rd. 

Cambridge Centre Station

Connecting Routes: 51 Hespeler Rd., 53 Franklin, 56 Dunbar, 60 Northview Acres, 61 Conestoga College-Cambridge, 64 Langs, 67 Lovell Industrial, 200 iXpress Conestoga Mall-Ainslie Terminal, 203 Mid-Region iXpress

Ainslie Street Station 

Connecting Routes: 51 Hespeler Rd., 52 Fairview Park-Ainslie St. Terminal, 53 Franklin, 54 Lisbon Pines, 55 St. Andrews, 57 Blair Road, 58 Elmwood, 59 Christopher, 62 Woodside, 63 Champlain, 111 Conestoga College-Ainslie Express

The stations that were marked with a star (*) are in both cities so that passengers can make connections with intercity buses that can take them to Waterloo-Kitchener, Kitchener-Cambridge. 

Future Stations

With the implementation of the ION LRT there are transit stations that will be removed/reallocated to a new location. For example, Highland Hills station will be discontinued because everything is being moved towards the Boardwalk station. The only two routes servcing Highland Hills will be the 204 and 201 iXpress. Sunrise Centre will become a station to have route 22 Laurentian West and future 205 Ottawa Street iXpress will be servicing. There is the possibility of the route 2 and route 33 servicing it as well.  Forest Glen station will be moved to Block Line to provide connections with the LRT. 

The King-Victoria station will only have 2-3 routes starting there, everything else will be on-street parking. 

Entry #32 Possible 2016 Changes

Since I posted regarding the 2015 changes in less than three (3) weeks, I am starting to look at the possible 2016 changes at GRT. From what I was told, 2016 and 2017 are going to be huge years for the transit redesign in the Region of Waterloo. So let's start looking at the possible 2016 changes!
Possible routes to be changed/added service in 2016

Route 3 Ottawa South
I can see this route being modified and combined with either route 11 Country Hills or route 22 Laurentian West. With the combination of route 3 into another route, it could increase the ridership for more Sunday service. Looking at the combination of route 3 and route 22, modify it into a two-way loop linking the Strasburg, Ottawa Street, and Activa corridors. Service would be removed from Highland Hills and added onto Isiah Drive and the Sunrise Centre.

Route 9 Lakeshore 
Increase evening service from 60 minutes to 30 minutes and Sunday service from 45 minutes to 30 minutes and removed the Kumpf Drive extension.

Route 10 Conestoga College
Route 10 needs to be modified. It is a very busy run, so what can be done to modify the 10? Send the 10 into the Doon South Neighbourhood. Removed Bechtel Extension New service along Autumn Ridge trail, Thomas Slee, Robert Ferrie, Doon Village, Manitou and Fairway Road. Increase service from 30 minutes to 15 minutes.

Route 11 Country Hills
I can see only three routes actually turning around at the new King-Victoria Transit hub. Those routes are Route 2 Forest Heights, Route 11 Country Hills, and route 34 Bingemans. Route 11 would be modified to service Queen Street and Highland Road and Hoffman Street corridors. New Service along Ottawa Street to Kingswood Drive to the Block Line Station. 15 minute peak service and 30 minute midday, evening and weekend service.

Route 12 Conestoga Mall-Fairview Park
To reduce time on the route 12, I can see it staying on Westmount Road to Northfields Drive (as Westmount becomes Northfield) this would provide a direct link from Fairview Park, Block Line Station and Conestoga Mall. 15 minute service Monday to Sunday.

Route 14 Waterloo Industrial
Modfiy route 14 as a one-way loop connecting Conestoga Mall, the neighbourhood of Northlake and the Waterloo Industrial Park. 30 minute service Monday to Sunday.

Route 16 Forest Glen-Conestoga College
Modify route 16 to service the Pinnacle-Pioneer Corridors. New service along Country Hill and Old Country Drive. Removed Behin Drive extension, 30 minute service Monday to Sunday

Route 20 Victoria-Frederick
Extended route beyond the Stanley Park Mall terminal to Fairview Park via Oldfield Drive and Zeller Drive (20A) and Lackner Boulevard and Sims Estate Drive (20B) to Fairview Park. 20A and 20B 30 minute service Monday to Sunday.

Route 22 Laurentian West
Modified and combined route 3 Ottawa South and route 22 Laurentian West into one route. 15 Minute peak service 30 minute midday, evening and weekend service.

Route 27 Chicopee
New two-way service along Morgan Avenue with new service into the Sims Estate neighbourhood.

Route 29 Keats Way
Extended service beyond University/King turn around to Conestoga Mall station via University Avenue, Weber Street, Lincoln Street, Bridge Street, Dunvegan, and Davenport. 15 minute peak and 30 minute midday, evening, and weekend service.

Route 31 Columbia 
New 30 minute weekend service until 10:30 pm.

Route 51 Hespeler Road
Added new service along Jamison Pkwy (51B Melran) to provide a direct connection for the community of Melran and the Hespeler terminal. 51A and 51B 30 minute evening and Sunday service.

Route 52 Fairview Park-Ainslie Street Terminal
New 30 minute evening and weekend service for the Cherry Blossom Corridor.

Route 53 Franklin
New 60 minute evening and weekend service.

Route 61 Conestoga College-Cambridge Centre
New service along Shantz Hill and Preston Pkwy corridor, 30 minute evening and weekend service introduced.

Route 67 Lovell Industrial 
Modify and combined routes 56 Dunbar, 64 Langs and 67 Lovell Industrial to provide a two-way loop connecting the Lovell Industrial Park and the Eagle Street, Dunbar and Langs corridors. New 30 minute midday, evening and weekend service introduced.

Route 75 Saginaw
Modify and combine route 60 Northview Acres and route 75 Saginaw into one route. New two-way service along Elgin Street, Saginaw Parkway corridors. 30 minute evening and weekend service

203 Mid-Region iXpress
Extend service from Sportsworld Crossing to Conestoga College Doon and Cambridge campuses. 30 minute midday, evening and weekend service.

New Cambridge iXpress
It could be the Coronation iXpress or the South East/South West Cambridge iXpress. I am not sure

This is what I think 2016 might look like, I might have some right others may not happen in 2016 but are planned for the future.

Entry #31 My Alternative 2015 Changes

With the new service changes for September just three (3) weeks away, I have looked at where more
service could be added and where it would be revised.

Here is my "alternative" changes for September 2015. 

204 Victoria-Highland iXpress

15 minute service Monday to Sunday with 30 minute evening and late night service.

205 Ottawa Street iXpress

The introduction of the Ottawa Street iXpress would provide a direct link from Ottawa and Lackner to the Sunrise Centre along Ottawa Street. This route would operate every 15 minutes Monday to Sunday and 30 minute evening and late night service.

Route 1 Queen-River (Blue) 

I have left route 1 Queen-River as it is, but I added a new branch along the Franklin Street corridor to Wilson Avenue. During the rush-hour periods, route 1 would operate every 7.5 minutes (15 via River and 15 via Franklin) during the midday, evening and weekend each branch would operate every 30 minutes. The entire route would run every 15 minutes.

Route 2 Forest Heights (Maroon) 

This route would remain as is, the only thing that would be added would be Sunday service as a 6 month trial period. Route 2 would start off every Sundays every 60 minutes, and if ridership demand is there, it would be increased to 30 minutes and permanent.

Route 7 King-Weber (Red) 

Condensed route 7 into the King Street and Weber Street corridors. Route 7 would operate every 7.5 minutes Monday to Saturday with 15 minute Sunday service. A modified route 1 Queen-River and route 8 would be servicing Wilson Ave and Connaught Street.

Route 8 via Weber/Connaught (Green)

Streamlined route 8 into Weber Street to provide a direct link from Fairview Park to King and University via Weber Street. Sunday service would be increased from 45 minutes to 30 minutes.

Route 20 The Boardwalk-Fairview Park (Purple)

This route was interesting to look at. Since my hobby is scheduling and planning, I looked at various models to see what could be done. Approved for September 2015, route 20 would be connecting Stanley Park mall and The Boardwalk along the Victoria Street and Frederick Street corridors and the Heritage Park neighbourhood. The model that I looked at for my version of route 20 was a combination of route 52 Fairview Park-Ainslie Street Terminal and route 51 Hespeler Road.

In 2014, routes 51 Hespeler Road, 65 Fisher Mills, 66 Wintson and 71 Melran were combined because of budgeting issues. When I looked at that, that provide a Cambridge crosstown route that connected Downtown Galt, Preston and the Hespeler Village with 3 branches 51A Fisher Mills via Queen (Weekday) 51B Melran and 51C Fisher Mills via Franklin (to be discontinued September 2015 due to 203 iXpress weekend service). These branches except the 51C are busy. The 52 has two branches, 52 Fairview Park-Ainslie St. via Preston Pkwy., and 52 Fairview Park-Ainslie St. via Cherry Blossom. 

When I looked at the finalized route 20, it combined routes 15 Frederick St., 19 Victoria South, and 20 Victoria Hills, my version of the 20 combined routes 15 Frederick St., 19 Victoria South, 20 Victoria Hills and 23 Idlewood. Providing bus service along the Lackner Boulevard and Fairway Road corridors and extending it through the Idlewood, Zeller Drive, Oldfield Drive and Sims Estate Drive neighbourhoods, this would provide a crosstown route connecting Fairview Park, Stanley Par Mall and The Boardwalk via Downtown Kitchener. Route 20 would have 2 branches, 20A Fairview Park-The Boardwalk via Zeller Dr. and 20B Fairview Park-The Boardwalk via Lackner Blvd. 30 minutes each branch Monday to Sunday

Route 34 Bingemans (Dark Purple) 

This route would remain the same, the only difference would be the Centennial-Forewell section would be rush-hour only and during the midday, evening and weekends, route 34 would go into Bingemans Park to provide front door service (IF Bingemans allows buses on the property) every 30 minutes. 

That is my "alternative" changes for September 2015. Please provide comments and other ideas for this map. Comments and ideas are always welcomed. 

Have a great day

David Sej

Entry #30 Late Night Bus service

Since the Region of Waterloo (Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo) is developing and growing at a rapid rate, more and more people are looking at moving into the Region as well as looking alternative ways of getting around because of the increasing price of gas. The best solution to that would be looking at adding service to the iXpress routes (200 iXpress Ainslie-Conestoga, 201 Fischer-Hallman iXpress , 202 University iXpress, 203 Maple Grove iXpress, 204 Victoria-Highland iXpress, and future iXpress routes) the route 7 Mainline, route 8 University-Fairview Park, 1 Queen-River, 20 Victoria-Frederick, 23 Idlewood, 10 Conestoga College, 16 Forest Glen, 12 Conestoga Mall-Fairview Park Mall, 31 Columbia, 9 Lakeshore, 13 Laurelwood, 5 Erb, 29 Keats Way 51A/B Hespeler Road, 52 fairview Park-Ainslie St. terminal via Preston Pkwy/Cherry Blossom, 53 Franklin, 54 Lisbon Pines, 55 St. Andrews, 56 Dunbar 57 Blair Road, 58 Elmwood, 59 Christopher, 60 Northview Acres, 64 Langs and 75 Saginaw. This would provide late night people enjoying themselves to stay out longer as well as increasing ridership in the Region. Currently, ridership for GRT has already surpassed the 2016 target, and continues to go, I personally believe that with the introduction of 24 hour bus service on certain routes this would provide people more alternatives to get around, and in the case of an emergency or someone wants to go for a late night out, late night bus service would definitely increase ridership.
The proposed idea of late night runs would leave the main routes, like the 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 7  8, 1, 12 would remain the same, but other runs would be combined, like the 20 and the 23, 5 and 29. This would provide direct service along certain corridors getting people from their nice night out to a relaxing ride home. These late night runs would be numbered in the 80's because they are not being used so it would make sense.

With the help of late night runs, the number of ridership would defiantly grow within the Region.

I hope everyone enjoyed this blog regarding late night runs.
Have a great day everyone
David Sej.