Sunday 23 September 2018

Entry# 60 Changes coming to Conestoga College Fall 2019

Starting next year, the buses that service Conestoga College will be getting a new terminal as well as more frequent service. As an alumni of Conestoga College, this is the next step for the college to get more frequent service, similar to the University area in Waterloo. This year and next year, Grand River Transit will be focusing their attention to South West Kitchener, and possibly Cambridge, so the routes will be restructured in such a way that they will either terminate at Cambridge Centre or Ainslie Terminal or the College itself. This year, Grand River Transit introduced a new branch on route 10 (10A via Old Carriage), route 16 to operate until 11pm, route 76 to service Robert Ferrie Drive and Thomas Slee Drive and route 110 to operate every 15 minutes Monday to Friday.

Next year, the service changes to the college are as follows

Route 16 will be getting new weekend service and at the launch of the ION LRT, route 16 will be extended to Uptown Waterloo

Route 57 will be resutrcured to service Ainslie Terminal and Conestoga College via Galt and Blair

Route 61 will be getting more service during the spring every 30 minutes and will operate until midnight

Route 76 will be operating every 30 minutes Monday to Friday

Route 201 will be servicing Conestoga College with more frequent service at the Launch of ION

Route 203 will be operating from Cambridge Centre to Conestoga College all day Monday to Friday during the Spring-Fall-Winter terms

New College transit facility will be located near the "A" Wing parking lot (off of Doon Valley Drive across from the college daycare.

As you can see from above, the college will be getting a lot more bus service from Grand River Transit. These changes will accommodate the ever-growing student population at Conestoga College.

Monday 6 August 2018

Entry #59 My Review of the 2018 Grand River Transit Service Changes

As of September 7 2015, Grand River Transit has altered many routes even discontinued others, the routes that have been changed are 10 Conestoga College/Fairview Park, 16 Strasburg, 33 Huron, 53 Franklin, 73 Northland, 75 Saginaw, 76 Doon South and the routes being discontinued are 33 Trillium, and route 78 Hanson. These changes needed to occur to provide more direct service between key locations and neighbourhoods. So without further question, here is my review of the new Grand River Transit 2018 service changes:

Route 10 Pioneer

Renamed route to Pioneer, added a second branch via Old Carriage Drive and Homer Watson Boulevard, named 10A, removed Bechtel extension during the weekdays due to route 16 operating; both branches operate every 30 minutes to mimic 15 minutes, Sunday service increased to 30 minutes. The 10 is a tricky one, I do understand that the 16 does need assistance when it comes to the student loads during the school year, that's why the 10A was implemented. Although, a suggestion that could be made to Grand River Transit would be, operating route 10A on weekends, while doing the Bechtel extension would help the people at the college during weekends as well as accommodate the students that live on Old Carriage Drive, and the 10A could help route 16 once it operates 7 days a week with the launch of ION LRT with the students. The 10A should be operating 7 days a week, as compensation for route 16 not operating on the weekends, that way, not just the students living on Old Carriage Drive can get to and from places they want to visit on weekends.


Route 110 College/Fairview Express

Increased frequency to every 15 minutes during the day, and 30 minutes from the College to Fairview every 30 minutes. This is another example of Grand River Transit getting it right, the college area is getting busier and busier, by providing more frequent service, similar to the University area, the students will have no problem getting to and from the College.



Route 16 Strasburg

Extended service hours until 11:30pm, removed Behin Drive extension. This is another example of Grand River Transit getting it right. By extending the 16 later in the night, will mean, route 10 can get a lot of the student pressure off and jump on the 16 and get to home or get to Forest Glen in evening and make connects to the various routes at Forest Glen. When ION LRT starts, route 16 will be operating 7 days a week every 30 minutes.



Route 26 Trillium

New route covers previous route 33 via Trillium. This route will operate during peak-periods from Forest Glen plaza to Trillium and Groff along Strasburg Road, MacIntyre Drive, and Trillium Dive every 30 minutes. Back when I was in high school, I remember route 26, as it was my main route to get to and from home to school. Although it does please me that I'm seeing it return and it does being back pleasant memories for myself. Grand River Transit did do good on this route, there is possibility to improve the 26. An example of it would be to extend the 26 to Conestoga College (to acclimate the 16 and 116 during the school year and summer school season) this would provide a fast connection to the college and Forest Glen.


Route 33 Huron

Revised route to service The Sunrise Centre and ION Block Line Station via Forest Glen Plaza along Wilderness Drive, Activa Drive, Fischer-Hallman Road, Seabrook Drive, Ludolph Street, Huron Road, Woodbine Avenue, Parkvale Drive, Strasburg Road, Block Line Road, Courtland Avenue E., Hayward Drive, and Lennix Louis Way. Something needed to be done with route 33. The amount of people that depend on it, not just during the AM and PM peak hours, but during the day, people in the Huron Village wanted a bus that can get them from point A to point B, and that was the 33, but back in 2008-2009, the ridership on route 26 was low, so route 33 replaced it, and ridership in the Huron Village picked up, the industrial area remained the same. Now route 33 will be operating Monday to Friday every 30 minutes all day. I can see this route, if it gets busy enough, and it probably will, I can see route 33 operating 7 days a week, every 15 minutes, with the possibility of operating until 12:30am or later. This is a change that needed to happen and it will happen for the better.


Route 53 Franklin

Extended service into the early evening every 30 minutes. Route 53 will operate from 6:15am to 8:15pm. This is another example of Grand River Transit getting it right. Back a few years ago route 53 lost its evening and weekend service due to low ridership, now seeing that the demand for early evening service is there, there is a possibility it could run until 10:30pm and possibly get its weekend service back on schedule, but that is up to Grand River Transit.


Route 73 Northlake
Revised route to connect to Northfield ION Station via Kumpf and Randall Industrial area as well as extended Northlake loop to Rideau River Street in North Waterloo. Again, this is another great step in providing more service in communities. By extending route 73 further into the Northlake community, this bus plus route can possibly become a full conventional bus one day, providing service Monday to Friday, with hopefully the possibility of weekend service every 30 minutes.


Route 75 Saginaw

Added 40 minute service on Saturdays from 9am to 7pm as well as Sunday service from 10am to 6pm. This is anther great step in the right direction for weekend service. As a frequent Grand River Transit rider and transit maven, this additional service on route 75 is defenatly a huge step in the right direction. With only route 60 being the core route in that area, and it operates 7 days a week, the addition to route 75 operating can provide an alternative, and more direct way to connect the residents in the Shade Mills community.


Route 76 Doon South

Extended route along New Dundee Drive, Thomas Slee Drive, Robert Ferrier Drive, with an extension to South Creek via Robert Ferrie Drive. This is another great example of a route building up service in a neighbourhood so that people can go to school, work and possibly get their shopping done. This extension of route 76 will be excellent, and possibly will move to al day service within the year 2019 or 2020.


Route 78 Hanson: Route 78 connected the Hanson-Hayward-Fallowfield communities via the Forest Glen terminal. Route 78 operated every 30 minutes Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm. As of September 4, route 78 will be discontinued and a modified route 33 will be extended to replace it. I have done many trips on route 78, and they were not busy at all, maybe 2 people here or there, but what I would not mid seeing is adding a second branch to the 33, and modifying it to service Block Line Station via Fallowfield Drive and Homer Watson Boulevard. This would provide service along Fallowfield Drive. When route 12 was on the Fallowfield detour a couple years ago, man, many passengers used the 12 along Fallowfield, thus indicating that there is a demand for ridership along Fallowfield Drive. By adding a second branch to route 33, this would help the people along Fallowfield Drive.


This is my review of the new Grand River Transit service improvements.

Saturday 7 April 2018

Entry #58 2018 Service Changes

Hello internet surfers,

the 2018 service changes are coming, but not all of the changes are coming at once. Here are the following service changes

Waterloo

- Revised route 73 between Northfield Station and Northlake via Kumpf Drive.
- Extended service into the Rideau River Neighbourhood.

Kitchener

Route 10 Pioneer/110 College Express
- Split route 10 into 2 branches; 10 (current routing) and 10A (via Old Carriage Drive; weekdays only)
- Both branches operate every 30 minutes to mimic the 15 minute service
- Route 110 to operate every 15 minutes Monday to Friday

I can argue that 10A should operate 7 days a week and the current 10 routing should be weekdays.

Route 16 Strasburg
- Extended service from 6:30pm to 11:30pm

This needed to happen. Route 16 is incredibly busy, now what needs to happen to the 16 is weekend service.

Route 26 Trillium (Former route 33 Trillium/Groff)
- New route that operates from Forest Glen Plaza to the Trillium Industrial Park during peak periods.
- Once the ION LRT starts operating the routing for route 26 will change.

Route 33 Huron
- Expanded route between Sunrise Centre and Block Line Station via Forest Glen Plaza.
- Service to be extended from Peak Periods to 5:45am to 11:30pm Monday to Friday

- This needed to happen with the 33. The residence of Huron Park needed all day service. The only thing I can say the 33 needs now is weekend service. Having the 33 operate 7 days a week, would benefit the Huron Park residence.

Route 76 Doon South

- Revised route along Thomas Slee and Robert Ferrie Drive. Route 78 resources would be allocated to route 76.

Route 78 Hanson
- Route discontinued

Cambridge

Route 53 Franklin
- Extended service from 6:15pm to 8:45pm

Route 75 Saginaw
- New Weekend service

203 Maple Grove iXpress
- Extended service from 10pm to 11:30pm on Weekends

These are all good service changes for September.