Grand River Transit

[UrbanWaterloo]

Grand River Transit gets $8.5 million from province
December 18, 2007
Record staff - WATERLOO REGION
http://news.therecord.com/article/284174

Ontario has reconfirmed that it will provide Grand River Transit with $8.5 million next year to help pay transit costs. The annual contribution is part of a regular transfer of fuel taxes that started several years ago. The transit service got just over $8.3 million from fuel taxes this year.


STRIKE VOTE
The Record - January 22, 2008


Grand River Transit buses transfer passengers at Fairview Park mall yesterday, a day after 400 drivers and mechanics voted 99 per cent in favour of strike action to back their position on a new collective agreement. Negotiations between Waterloo Region and Local 4304 of the Canadian Auto Workers are scheduled to continue until Feb. 11. The collective agreement expired Dec. 31.

Bus service threatened by dispute with drivers
February 05, 2008
RECORD STAFF - WATERLOO REGION

Starting Valentine's Day, Grand River Transit users may have to find alternate transportation if 490 drivers and mechanics go on strike.

"The transit service would be shut down," said Rick Lonergan, president of Local 4304 of the Canadian Auto Workers, which represents regional transit employees.

The strike deadline is Feb. 14 at 12:01 a.m.

Mike Murray, regional chief administrative officer, said only transit services for medical emergencies, such as dialysis treatment, would continue.

During a strike, "there is no way to safely provide conventional transit service," Murray said.

Last month, bus drivers and mechanics voted 99 per cent in favour of strike action to back their position on a new collective agreement.

The two sides have been negotiating since last December and further talks have been scheduled for Thursday and Friday of this week, and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, the union said in a news release.

"I think both parties are really working hard to reach a collective agreement," Murray said.

Under the current three-year contract, which expired Dec. 31, 2007, a bus driver earns $22.86 an hour.

Lonergan said working conditions, wages and benefits are the contentious issues.

A news blackout has been imposed on negotiations, but Murray said the region will provide further updates in the event of a strike.

There has not been a transit strike since the region assumed control of transit services on Jan. 1, 2000.




http://grt.ca/web/transit.nsf/$All/C0027D8A26AFA603852573EF00235BBD?OpenDocument

February 14, 2008
1:00 a.m.

Region of Waterloo and CAW Local 4304 reach tentative agreement

Waterloo Region - A tentative agreement has been reached between the Region of Waterloo and Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) Union Local 4304, Grand River Transit/MobilityPLUS, operators, dispatchers, fleet mechanics and service attendants. Ratification dates have yet to be set.

Having reached this agreement, all services will continue as scheduled.

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For more information please contact:

Bryan Stortz, Director, Corporate Communications, 519-575-4408

Transit deal tackles hourly wage disparity
February 15, 2008
FRANCES BARRICK - RECORD STAFF - WATERLOO REGION


Passengers board a Grand River Transit bus yesterday. Drivers and the company reached a tentative contract agreement, averting a strike.


Bus drivers in Waterloo Region were the third lowest paid among 10 large Ontario municipalities in the transit industry's most recent study of wages.

"There was a huge gap when we were comparing ourselves to others and we were trying to narrow that gap," said Rick Lonergan, president of Local 4304 of the Canadian Auto Workers, which represents 490 local transit workers.

A strike by Grand River Transit workers was averted when a tentative agreement was reached at 1 a.m. yesterday, one hour after the strike deadline.

Details of the agreement won't be released until after both sides hold ratification votes.

The transit workers vote Tuesday, and no date has been set for regional council's vote.

Lonergan said the union has been trying to narrow the wage gap since the region took over Grand River Transit in 2000.

A study by the Canadian Urban Transit Association -- which compared 53 transit services across Ontario -- found that in 2006, local drivers earned $22.10 an hour, the third-lowest hourly rate of 10 large transit services in the province.

More recent comparable statistics weren't available.

Of the 10 cities studied, Toronto paid its bus drivers the most, at $25.74 an hour, followed by Mississauga at $25. 61. The lowest-paid drivers were in York Region, at $20.02 an hour, and in London at $21.75 an hour.

Under the three-year contract at Grand River Transit, which expired Dec. 31, 2007, drivers earned $22.86 an hour.

Mike Murray, chief administrative officer for the region, said the study comparing wages was brought to the bargaining table.

He said one of the region's challenges in transit services has been the issue of compensation for drivers, mechanics and dispatchers.

"Wages are always a significant part of negotiations," Murray said yesterday.

This year, regional council decided not to increase transit fares. Murray said that when details of the deal are released, it will become clear how the agreement will be paid for.

"I think (the tentative deal) is fair to both sides," he said.

Meanwhile, there was a collective sigh of relief as 50,000 transit users didn't have to find alternate ways to get to work and school yesterday.

No one was happier than the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, which is the biggest transit user. More than 3,000 high school students rely on public transit to get to class.

"It was like dodging a bullet," said board spokesperson John Shewchuk.

Shewchuk had expected chaos if the buses stopped running.

"It was a happy ending," he said.


Details from the transit negotiations: http://region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/$All/5A4E20BDD5AF9943852573F5004BFC91?OpenDocument



February 20, 2008

Region of Waterloo approves agreement with Canadian Auto Workers, Local 4304

Waterloo Region – The Region of Waterloo approved a one year agreement with the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) Local 4304 representing Grand River Transit/MobilityPLUS operators, dispatchers, fleet mechanics and service attendants.

Last evening the members of CAW Local 4304 ratified its tentative contract settlement. This settlement addresses a wage gap that existed between GRT and similar transit services in other communities and follows the Regional practice of targeting a “middle of the pack” compensation strategy for all employee groups.

“This one-year agreement provides a market adjustment to bring bus operators to the median wage of comparable transit services,” said Regional Chair Ken Seiling. "We believe this is a fair settlement. The Region would have preferred a longer term contract, but was unable to reach an agreement with the CAW on wage increases beyond year one."

Highlights of the agreement include:

• A one year agreement – January 1, 2008 – December 31, 2008.
• A three per cent across the board wage increase for all classifications.
• Market adjustments for bus operators and skilled trades. As of January 1, 2008, bus operators and skilled trades will receive a market adjustment of 75 cents per hour and as of April 1, 2008 they will receive an additional market adjustment of 50 cents per hour.
• Minor benefit improvements.
• The total cost, including wage, market adjustments and benefit changes is 7.7 per cent in 2008.

“Having closed the gap with other comparable transit services, this agreement recognizes the importance of our GRT employees,” said Mike Murray, Chief Administrative Officer. “This one-year agreement keeps the buses running for the 50,000 people who depend on GRT services each day.”

The Region of Waterloo created Grand River Transit in January 2000. GRT employs 490 members of CAW Local 4304. In 2007 GRT conventional transit ridership was 14,400,000 and our specialized transit service, MobilityPLUS provides almost 500 trips daily to approximately 250 customers. Continuing to enhance transit service and increase ridership is one of the key elements of the Region’s Growth Management Strategy.

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[UrbanWaterloo]

GRT 2008-2010 business plan
http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web...e/P-08-005.pdf

Proposed service changes 2008

• iExpress 15 minutes midday
• Waterloo: improved EW link on east side; Waterloo North Industrial improved access and direct travel
• Kitchener: increased service to Conestoga College and SW Kitchener
• Cambridge: increased service CC, busines parks, Preston, Hespler; improved hours

Forecast for 2009-2010

• restructure routes on east side of Kitchener
• increase hours/service in Kitchener
• increase frequency on busy routes in Cambridge
• expand evening hours, Sunday service on select Cambridge routes
• increase peak iExpress service
• evaluate additional express routes on busy corridors
• rural service demonstration project to St Jacobs and Elmira (Mon-Fri peak hours ev. 30 min)

Prep for Rapid transit

• increase cross-town routes to connect to RT stations
• develop modified grid and multi-centred network
• identify and build multimodal stations, which may include a University of Waterloo Transit terminal

[UrbanWaterloo]

Passing grade awarded to U-Pass and GRT
Marco McCullum Baldasaro - Assistant news editor
January 11, 2008 - http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca/index.ph...ate=2008-01-11

While there have certainly been occasions of over-crowding, both Grand River Transit and Feds agree that overall, the September 2007 implementation of the U-Pass has gone well.

"[The] general sentiment has been very positive and students have been very pleased with the U-Pass program at UW," said Feds president Kevin Royal. "The numbers I’ve seen through the U-Pass Working Group have shown such a high level of usage that clearly the program is being well received at UW."

It’s immediately obvious to anyone who has used the transit system prior to the inception of the U-Pass that since September, the number of riders is up. "There have been instances of congestion," said Gethyn Beniston, the Region of Waterloo’s transit planner. Overall though, "[it] has gone very well," he said.

Grand River Transit had not anticipated the noon-hour bus rush, an instant headache to anyone who has experienced it. GRT discovered early on that as a result of the increase in demand, an extra peak time developed. "It hadn’t been expected," said Beniston. Modifications to the original changes in service were made as a result.

As of January, additional Route 12 busses have formally been added to the changes implemented at the beginning of the fall term. Prior to January, GRT had simply been slotting in extra busses to meet demand as it arose.

And to those temporarily left out of the U-Pass as it stands, change is on its way.

"Without question, by the summer 2008 term, co-op and regular students will be able to opt-in to the U-Pass program when working in Waterloo region," said Royal. "I commend a number of directors, especially director Aho (engineering) and director Neal (St. Jerome’s) for supporting me in making that part of negotiations a dealbreaker."

In regard to the proposed swipe card system, originally positioned as a potential replacement to the simple but vulnerable flashing of the WatCard as a means of entry, an upgrade is still in the works. "At this point, it’s still uncertain whether we will continue the current procedure, implement a swipe card system, or implement other possibilities," said Royal.

While happy to have the U-Pass, some new student users are finding it difficult to navigate through route maps and timetables.

"It’s confusing to figure out the schedule," said Serge Koloupaev, a math and actuarial science student, "but the buses aren’t too busy or crowded on my routes."

Maps of GRT bus routes are available for free in the Student Life Centre on the wall across from the CIBC bank machine near the turnkey desk. Additional bus and route info is available online at www.grt.ca.

For students still at a loss to effectively navigate the available route maps and schedules, expect a GRT interactive trip planner to be available online soon.

"The system is currently in testing," said Beniston, "but will be rolling out this winter." Expect it to be similar to the system used by the City of Brampton.

Grand River Transit is holding three feedback sessions in January to discuss proposed changes, new rural services, and plans to create a region-wide specialized service. Check out www.kwnow.ca for more information.


GRT - UNIVERSAL TRANSIT PASS (U-PASS) PROGRAM UPDATE
Date: February 19, 2008
http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/C21FC07C77A6371F852573EF005C2CD2/$file/MEMO.pdf?openelement

Introduction
This memo provides an update on the U-Pass programs at the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University.

A Universal Transit Pass program was implemented in September 2007 for undergraduate students at the University of Waterloo (UW). This program builds on the previous success of a similar program with Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU), which was initiated in September 2005. UPass programs allow qualifying students unlimited use of Grand River Transit (GRT) service for a fee charged per-term as part of their tuition.

Eligible students have the U-Pass fee (currently $41.08 per term) added to their tuition statement. At both universities, eligible students include all full-time registered on-campus undergraduates. Part-time students, students attending satellite campuses outside the Region (WLU Brantford, for example), and students on co-op work terms are not currently eligible. Full-time graduate students at WLU have been included in the program since September 2007.

U-Pass Ridership
In 2007 GRT provided over 1.4 Million rides to U-Pass holders. This represents approximately 7% of GRT’s 19.1 Million 2007 boardings (revenue passengers totalleded 14.4 Million). Approximately 60% of GRT ridership growth in 2007 can be attributed to the U-Pass programs.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Province chips in for region's new buses
RECORD STAFF
WATERLOO REGION

Plans by Waterloo Region to increase its bus fleet by 10 could now be covered by the province.

Yesterday, the region received $5.3 million from the Ontario government to improve public transit services.

"This will help us pay for those buses and potentially free up money for other transit acquisitions," said Mike Murray, regional chief administrative officer.

This one-time grant of $5.3 million is the local allocation of the $500 million the province announced for public transit in December.

The money can be spent to buy buses, shelters, security equipment or fare-collection systems,

Murray said the region plans to buy 10 additional buses in 2009, of which six will be hybrids.

Another 11 replacement buses will be bought.

A conventional bus costs about $400,000, while a hybrid bus costs $500,000, bringing the total cost for the 10 new buses to $4.6 million.

The region's capital budget for Grand River Transit is $12.8 million this year and $10.6 million in 2009, and this announcement means regional taxpayers will be paying less of that bill.

"Announcements like this really help," Murray said.

Since the region assumed control of Grand River Transit in 2000, both ridership and hours of service have increased by 50 per cent.


2008 Transit Service Improvement Plan
DATE: March 4, 2008
Report: http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/WEB/Region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/E35DE6918C8EDEC0852573FE00570710/$file/P-08-029.pdf
Draft Brochure for 2008 Consultation Centres (Waterloo Version) - http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/WEB/Region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/E35DE6918C8EDEC0852573FE00570710/$file/APDX-P-08-029.pdf

2008 service proposals also include increased frequency on iXpress to every 15 minutes from the current 30, during the midday (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) period.

Waterloo Service Proposals: http://grt.ca/web/transit.nsf/5f2289...f!OpenDocument



Cambridge Proposed Service Improvements: http://grt.ca/web/transit.nsf/5f2289...4!OpenDocument




http://region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/$All/9F42C285F8A51E5E8525740A0054E01B?OpenDocument

GRT ON BOARD PASSENGER TRAVEL SURVEY
MARCH 17 - APRIL 2, 2008
Start of Service to 7:00 p.m. on K-W service routes

As part of the ongoing process to plan for future transit needs in the K-W area, The Region of Waterloo will be conducting GRT on board passenger travel surveys.

Surveyors will be on the buses handing out a short questionnaire which contains a number of questions related to passenger travel patterns and use of the GRT system.

We are asking passengers to take the time to fill out the survey cards while on board the bus and return it to the surveyor. (survey drop off boxes will also be located at each terminal)

Information being collected will be held in confidence and will comply with Provincial Privacy Policy requirements and Region of Waterloo practice. The results of the study will be made public later this year.

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Should passengers require more informtion on the travel surveys they may contact:
Jill Dickinson, Transit Analyst, 519-575-4814

[UrbanWaterloo]

Neighbourhood wants to get off busy bus route
April 24, 2008
Jeff Outhit, RECORD STAFF - CAMBRIDGE

Residents of a west Galt neighbourhood could not persuade regional council to keep Grand River Transit off their streets.

"I am really disappointed," Debbie Dokas said. She asked council on Tuesday to keep a bus off Westcliff Way, saying her street is too steep for safe bus travel.

Route 57 will be extended into the Westview subdivision in September, with buses running every half-hour. Six new bus stops will be installed on Blair Road, Princess Street and Bismark Drive.

Critics, armed with neighbourhood petitions, contend the buses will be noisy and polluting, draw few passengers, threaten the safety of children playing outside and decrease property values.

Grand River Transit says its buses can travel safely through the neighbourhood. The route is expected to draw 40 more passengers a day by bringing 400 more homes within a five-minute walk of a bus stop.

Chair Ken Seiling rejects arguments a bus can't travel safely on Westcliff Way. "This road is I think quite appropriate for bus service," he said after driving there to check it out. Council has rejected several neighbourhood campaigns against new routes. Ridership on the new route will be reviewed after a year.


SUBJECT: 2008 TRANSIT SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN
DATE: April 22, 2008
http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/16E5303A010EA67B8525742F0048C645/$file/P-08-048.pdf?openelement

ROUTE 57 BLAIR ROAD EXTENSION TO WESTCLIFF WAY
DATE: April 22, 2008
http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/16E5303A010EA67B8525742F0048C645/$file/P-08-049.pdf?openelement


Planning and Works Committee - April 22, 2008 Minutes
http://region.waterloo.on.ca/web/reg...8!OpenDocument

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

f) P-08-048 2008 Transit Service Improvement Plan

J. Cicuttin provided Committee with a presentation on the 2008 Transit Service Improvement Plan. He highlighted the extent of public consultation, new services to be added and what routes will be modified. A copy of the presentation is appended to the original minutes.

*C. Zehr left the meeting at 3:04 p.m.

Committee members asked staff how many people on a daily average are using the Region’s transit system. Staff responded that on an average weekday there are approximately 55,000 revenue passengers who are boarding a bus and paying a fare. In terms of the passengers using the system and factoring in transfers the number is closer to 70,000 passengers per day.

Committee members discussed looking into better customer service methods (smart card) as well as different marketing tools. Staff stated they will be bringing a transit business plan to the next Planning and Works Committee meeting.

MOVED by J. Smola
SECONDED by J. Mitchell

THAT the Regional Municipality of Waterloo approve the transit service improvements, effective Tuesday September 2, 2008, as described in Report P-08-048, dated April 22, 2008

CARRIED

[UrbanWaterloo]

NEW GRAND RIVER TRANSIT (GRT) BUSINESS PLAN 2008 – 2010
May 13, 2008
http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/485B8DACA8B4D797852574440055695F/$file/P-08-054.pdf?openelement

2008 TRANSIT FACILITIES STRATEGY UPDATE
http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/485B8DACA8B4D797852574440055695F/$file/E-08-032.pdf?openelement

Region's plan to boost ridership includes expansion, newer buses
May 16, 2008
Jeff Outhit, RECORD STAFF - WATERLOO REGION

Grand River Transit plans to operate newer buses more often, in a bid to boost ridership by 17 per cent by 2010.

This week, regional councillors endorsed a transit expansion that will cost taxpayers $5 million over three years. Highlights include:

Modernizing the fleet by replacing buses after 12 years rather than 18.

Adding evening and weekend buses and more daytime buses on various routes.

Launching service to Elmira by next year.

Expanding service for disabled passengers on Mobility Plus.

Making fare changes, including a discounted summer "eco-pass" for adult passengers in 2009.

In addition, the regional transit service intends to:

Launch a study to redesign the bus network to integrate with a rapid transit system in 2013.

Evaluate a smart card system for fares that could launch in 2011.

Enhance driver training and programs to improve employee productivity and effectiveness.

Councillors who have made transit expansion a key policy hailed the proposed improvements. But Coun. Sean Strickland, of Waterloo, opposed the plan, concerned it does not propose how to improve financial performance.

For example, fares pay just 45 per cent of local transit costs. That's well below the benchmark of 55 per cent on average by comparable transit systems.

"It's really hard for me, as much as I support transit, to support this business plan, with that lack of analysis," Strickland said.

Transit service is expected to rise by 6.5 per cent a year. Ridership is expected to rise by 5.8 per cent per year.

"It takes a while to change the transit culture," explained Graham Vincent, director of transportation planning.


New GRT Business Plan Approved
May 2008
http://grt.ca/web/transit.nsf/$All/5F513A709126111285256E4D005970FA?OpenDocument

Building on the success of the previous Grand River Transit (GRT) Business Plan, Regional Council has accepted the GRT Business Plan for 2008-2010. This new plan provides direction and outlines initiatives that continue to increase GRT's ridership and ensure continued improvement to routes and service. A few key recommendations of the new plan include;

• Annual service improvements
• Implement a pilot transit service to the Town of Elmira in September 2009.
• Expand the application of advanced transit technology (2009-10) to enhance service monitoring, service development, customer information and transit priority.
• Implement a transferable adult monthly pass and a discounted adult summer pass with the next fare change scheduled for July 2009.
• Implement in 2008, region-wide MobilityPLUS service and fixed-route/schedule service for cognitively disabled clients attending workshop day programs.
• Implement an organizational development program in the Transit Fleet section to support new work processes and improve quality, productivity and operational effectiveness.

May 2008
- Starts running on a test basis


There's only so much technology can solve
June 07, 2008
JEFF OUTHIT, RECORD STAFF

Grand River Transit wants you on their bus and they're using technology as a lure.

Yesterday, the regional agency launched its EasyGo service, intended to make it easier to ride public transit. Highlights include:

A website where you can plan your trip from door to door, showing times, distances and transfers.

A telephone number to provide you with departure times at your stop.

Text messaging, to reveal the next three times the bus is scheduled at your stop.

Governments are spending $3 million on consumer-friendly technology to promote transit. Other elements, already in place, include flat-panel information displays at terminals, real-time displays on express buses, and green-light priority for express buses at 17 intersections. These are all welcome initiatives, detailed at www.grt.ca. They will make public transit a better experience.

"The goal really is to get people out of their cars, and change their habits," Kitchener Centre MPP John Milloy said.

It's a laudable goal. Unfortunately, what EasyGo shows me is why I still drive my car.

Let's say I want to commute by bus, leaving home at 8 a.m. and returning after 5 p.m. I asked the online trip planner: What's the fastest way to get from my front door to The Record and back again?

As promised, the planner told me where to walk, where to catch the bus, and what buses to take. A helpful map was provided. But the result was disheartening. My daily commute by Grand River Transit would require a transfer each way at Fairview Park mall and consume 91 minutes. This includes:

24 minutes of walking to bus stops.

15 minutes of waiting for buses.

52 minutes on buses.

The online planner missed the closest bus stop to my house, making me walk a bit longer than necessary. But here's the bigger concern.

I live seven kilometres from work. I can drive there and back in 24 minutes. So my commuting options are 24 pleasant minutes by car or 91 minutes on transit, outside in bad weather, mingling with strangers.

It's a no-brainer.

Taking transit would consume an extra 67 minutes of my day. I have other things to do with that time. I can actually walk to work and back in two hours, which is not much slower than taking the bus.

So yes, soaring gas prices hurt, and driving is bad for the environment. But EasyGo reminds me that public transit is achingly slow. In my case, it's almost four times slower.

Until that changes, I'll be in my car.

[UrbanWaterloo]

TRANSIT NETWORK REDESIGN AND OPERATIONAL DATA ANALYSIS
June 10, 2008
http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/79264A7514DFA7EE85257460004C2660/$file/P-08-065.pdf

RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Regional Municipality of Waterloo approve a study to redesign the conventional bus network to support Rapid Transit including the development of an operational data management system, to be undertaken in collaboration with the University of Waterloo at a cost of $197,940, as described in P-08-065, dated June 10, 2008.



GRT unveils new hybrid technology bus
August 28, 2008
http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/$All/4575EA8EA10C8EDF852574B300541617?OpenDocument

Kitchener – Grand River Transit (GRT) unveiled the first of six environmentally friendly hybrid buses Thursday evening.

These buses will be used in a pilot program for low-speed, high-stop bus routes where they are expected to have the greatest impact, both economically and environmentally. Five buses will be used on routes that serve Kitchener and Waterloo and one bus will operate in Cambridge.

"The hybrid bus pilot is one more step towards a more sustainable community," said Ken Seiling, Regional Chair. "Using less fossil fuels and reducing greenhouse gas emissions is part of our ongoing commitment to better environmental practices here in the region."

Although these buses initially cost more than conventional diesel models, they are expected to use less fuel, have reduced emissions and lower operating costs. In the right environment, they can reduce fuel use by up to 30 per cent. With six buses, this could lead to a savings of 50,000 litres of fuel every year as well as a 60 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The unique hybrid-electric system will also result in lower operating costs due to reduced stress and maintenance on mechanical components.

A hybrid-electric vehicle uses two power sources: a combustion engine and a battery. The two sources work together to produce energy. The battery powers the vehicle during acceleration and when moving at lower speeds. As the vehicle reaches 40 km/hr, the mechanical power provided by the engine continues to increase while the electric power gradually decreases. The engine takes over, powering the vehicle at high speeds when it is most efficient. The battery can also collect energy from the rolling vehicle as it is braking and convert it into electricity. It uses this electricity to recharge itself, instead of relying on the engine.

“I applaud the initiative taken by Regional Council on improving the efficiency of our transit fleet and reducing the carbon footprint of GRT,” said Jake Smola, Regional Councillor and Chair of the Environmental Advisory Committee.

For more information on Region of Waterloo green initiatives, visit www.region.waterloo.on.ca/sustainability.

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HIGHWAY 8, FAIRWAY ROAD TO SPORTSWORLD DRIVE, BUS-BYPASS SHOULDERS
September 30, 2008
http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/250DA3BE6C9E07D4852574D00059372C/$file/P-08-075.pdf

RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Regional Municipality of Waterloo enter into an agreement with Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario (by its Ministry of Transportation) to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Planning, Housing and Community Services and the Regional Solicitor to provide capital funding for bus bypass shoulders on Highway 8 between Fairway Road and Sportsworld Drive, as described in P-08-075, dated September 30, 2008.


Bypass shoulders will help speed buses
October 11, 2008
JEFF OUTHIT, RECORD STAFF
http://news.therecord.com/article/427989

More people would ride transit if buses could avoid traffic jams. Making this happen is expensive.

Consider the latest transit plans for Highway 8 between Kitchener and Cambridge.

Traffic is often stop-and-go. Grand River Transit buses regularly detour to local roads to avoid highway congestion. It doesn't help much. Heavy traffic often delays intercity express service by up to 10 minutes.

This bothers passengers and means more buses are needed to maintain schedules.

Regional council has now found a solution. When Highway 8 is widened for almost four kilometres between Fairway Road and Sportsworld Drive, road shoulders will be supersized, so buses can use them to bypass traffic jams.

Shoulders normally three metres wide will be extended to 4.25 metres. Pavement will be thickened to support bus weight. This will cost $4.3 million.

Costs are high because two bridges -- over the Grand River and King Street East -- need widening. Still, it's considered a bargain. It would cost $9.1 million if not co-ordinated with the provincial highway widening that starts next year.

Bypass shoulders are not regular driving lanes.

Buses will be allowed on them only when traffic falls below 60 kilometres an hour. Bus speeds on the shoulders are limited to 20 km/h above traffic speeds.

Widening the shoulders brings flexibility to traffic planning.

If bus rapid transit is launched between Kitchener and Cambridge, bypass shoulders would be available to keep those buses moving. Also, their presence makes it easier to convert regular lanes to high-occupancy lanes at some future date.

These lanes, for buses and cars with passengers, would go near the median. Shoulders would shrink to regular size. Their extra width would be used to buffer the high-occupancy lanes from regular lanes.

You might ask, why not add a full, dedicated bus lane rather than a shoulder with restricted access?

This has not been costed but would be far more expensive. It would require widening the highway by 3.75 metres rather than 1.25 metres. And it likely would not be necessary.

By 2011, Highway 8 will have eight driving lanes between Fairway Road and the King Street overpass, and six lanes between the overpass and Sportsworld Drive. This is expected to ease congestion for 15 years or more.

Supersizing the shoulder at the same time is a flexible way to support transit and traffic options without breaking the bank.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Public Consultation Centre - http://www.grt.ca/web/transit.nsf/$All/AF5301AD645E4D8C8525736100524862?OpenDocument


Maps: http://www.grt.ca/web/transit.nsf/$All/AF5301AD645E4D8C8525736100524862/$file/Elmira%202008%20map.pdf?openelement


New Year could bring bus fare hike
November 18, 2008
Jeff Outhit, RECORD STAFF - WATERLOO REGION

Grand River Transit wants to hike transit fares on Jan. 1.

If approved, it would be the fourth fare increase since 2004.

Highlights:

All monthly passes would rise $2. Adult passes would rise to $60, up 3.4 per cent.

All discount tickets would rise 20 cents. Adult tickets would rise to $1.80, up 12.5 per cent.

The cash fare would stay $2.50.

"This would be a modest fare increase," transit director Eric Gillespie said. "Grand River Transit fares are among the lowest in the province."

The transit service was planning to increase fares July 1, 2009.

Fast-tracking the increase by six months boosts revenues $800,000 a year, without hurting ridership that's growing faster than expected, planners contend.

Councillors have been told there will be no change for 1,100 low-income residents who will still get subsidized monthly passes for $34.

Ridership is expected to grow 11 per cent this year, thanks in part to university students whose fares are now paid through student fees.

At the Charles Street terminal yesterday, several passengers reacted warily to the proposal. "I think that's pretty bad," said Sasha Warmington, 18. She figures many people struggle to pay fares.

Skye Johns, 16, worries her family might not be able to pay more for her tickets.

"I just don't agree with it, but I have no problem paying the two bucks," said Joshua Finnamore, 21. He believes seniors should ride for free.

Justice Adusei, a University of Waterloo student, worries "some people might not be able to ride the bus any more."

Waterloo regional councillors are to consider higher fares today. Any increase would not be finalized until next month.

"I think the proposal is quite reasonable," Chair Ken Seiling said. "We can't continue to expand transit and face increased costs without some participation at the fare box."

Local fares are 17 per cent below the Ontario average and provide less than 40 per cent of operating expenses, the transit service says.

Transit services in Hamilton and London earn a higher share of costs through fares.

The last fare increase was in 2007. A study found ridership dipped slightly at first but rebounded as service was upgraded. Planners conclude the benefits of improved service outweigh the downside of modest fare increases.


Waterloo Region struggles with transit requirement
Updated Wed. Jan. 07 2009 1:46 PM ET
CTV SWO
http://swo.ctv.ca/news.php?id=3625

Waterloo Region is struggling to meet a Human Rights Commission order related to accessibility on public transit. Transit providers are required to announce all stops by July.


Transit service expands to Elmira
January 28, 2009
Frances Barrick, RECORD STAFF - WATERLOO REGION
http://news.therecord.com/article/478216



Elmira will get public transit service to Waterloo this year, as the regional bus company makes its first foray into the countryside.

Starting April 6, Grand River Transit will connect Elmira with the Conestoga Mall transit terminal, regional councillors decided yesterday.

The route will include stops in St. Jacobs, at the St. Jacobs Farmers' Market and the new Wal-Mart store north of Waterloo.

The one-year pilot project will be the first time Grand River Transit has expanded into a rural community.

"I think this is a good first step," said Regional Chair Ken Seiling, an Elmira resident.

Two buses will run at 30-minute intervals during peak times on weekdays and at 40-minute intervals on Saturday. One bus will run during the midday at 60-minute intervals.

Hours of operation will be from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. There is no Sunday service.

The pilot project will cost $240,000 this year and will require three additional full-time equivalent employees and two buses, which will come from the existing fleet.

If the service becomes permanent, it will cost about $320,000 a year and require the purchase of more buses.

The expansion will include only limited bus service within Elmira, in exchange for linking the town with other transit routes such as the popular express service.

Neil Malcolm, a regional transit planner, told councillors that staff chose frequency of service over in-town service to allow riders better connections with other buses at the Conestoga Mall terminal.

Coun. Jake Smola of Kitchener called the decision short-sighted.

"Sacrificing the numbers of stops and service in town for frequency is the wrong approach," he said.

Seiling disagreed. Town residents needing to get to work or school in Kitchener and Waterloo told him they want more buses, not more town stops, he said.

In Elmira, buses will travel down Arthur Street, left on First Avenue, right on Snyder Avenue, right on Church Street and then right on Arthur Street, heading out of town. A round-trip will take 55 minutes.

People living on the outskirts of the town will have to walk up to one kilometre to get to a bus stop.

People living in the core will have a five-minute walk, Malcolm said.

[UrbanWaterloo]

TRANSIT NETWORK REDESIGN FOR PROPOSED RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM
May 12, 2009
http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/141B5ABE49F2549C852575AF004E698E/$file/P-09-039.pdf?openelement

SUMMARY:
In September 2008, staff initiated a study in collaboration with the University of Waterloo, to comprehensively redesign the current conventional bus network to integrate with the proposed Rapid Transit system (alignment, stations and technology). This report provides an update on this study including a preliminary concept plan for a redesigned bus network that will be displayed at the upcoming rapid transit consultation centres. The preliminary concept plan will be refined as the study progresses towards completion in early 2010.


GRT still tallying numbers from first month of service
By: Joni Miltenburg, ObserverXtra
May 8, 2009
http://observerxtra.com/2/news/grt-s...th-of-service/

One month into the service, the new bus connecting Elmira and St. Jacobs to Waterloo is getting good reviews, even if ridership numbers remain up in the air.

Supporters of Grand River Transit Route 21 hope it will build speed over the next few months.

The Elmira route, a year-long pilot project, was launched Apr. 6. Transit planner Neil Malcolm said they won’t have hard numbers for ridership until mid-month, but anecdotally the response has been good.

“We keep hearing from the operators that they’re getting a lot of positive feedback. People are very excited about the service,” he said.

“There’s an awful lot of times there’s a lot of people on it,” noted Woolwich Mayor Bill Strauss. “The feedback is excellent.”

The GRT collects ridership numbers in two ways: by totaling the fares collected each month, and using special buses equipped with automatic passenger counters. Thirty of the GRT’s 200 buses are equipped with the counters, and staff have requested that those buses be used more frequently along route 21.

Initially planners considered a larger loop of stops in Elmira but ultimately opted for a shorter loop and more frequent service. Malcom said they’ve gotten some feedback requesting more stops in town, and that may be something they look at in the future.

“If the route is successful, and I hope it is, we’ll be looking at providing other options in town, whether it’s a secondary route that hits the residential neighbourhoods or a modification of the existing route.”

They’ve also heard from employers like Home Hardware in St. Jacobs who like the service and would like to make it more convenient for their employees, perhaps by making changes to the schedule to better match shift times.

Malcolm said transit planners haven’t set a firm ridership number to determine if the new route will stay. They’ll be monitoring numbers over the summer to see if ridership picks up as more people incorporate the bus into their travel plans.

“We’ve tried to get the awareness out there, but maybe not everyone knows or knows how they can use it for their travel,” Malcom said. “I think we’ll be seeing ridership improve over time.”


Bus service shuffled to combat overcrowding
June 03, 2009
By Jeff Outhit, Record staff
Web edition
http://news.therecord.com/News/Break...article/547167


A row of buses waited along Weber Street North in Waterloo to take students home from St. David Catholic Secondary School on Tuesday.

WATERLOO REGION — Grand River Transit will add buses to overcrowded routes while trimming buses from little-used routes.

The shuffle approved yesterday by regional councillors will create winners and losers, without boosting transit costs.

Winners will include passengers crammed onto express buses or left stranded by full buses.

This happened often between last November and February, due partly to soaring student demand. “We just had to leave people behind,” transit director Eric Gillespie said.

Losers will include 106 passengers who will lose some of the daily service they now get. “I think rationalizing the service, and realigning it to where the demand is, makes good business sense,” Gillespie said.

Among the impacts:

- Buses will be added on the Route 7 Mainline, the Route 9 Lakeshore, the Route 12 Conestoga Mall, and the intercity express service.

- Buses will be removed from 22 other routes in various ways. For some routes, buses will run less often at certain times. Other routes will see some trips shortened.

In total, councillors intend to transfer 4,000 hours of annual service from quiet routes to busy ones.

It’s estimated this could help transit add 218 passengers per day, overshadowing the impact to disadvantaged passengers.

Changes take effect Sept. 8.


Proposed Service Changes for September, 2009
http://www.grt.ca/web/transit.nsf/$All/5730F59FAF039C4D852575A20061AA8C?OpenDocument
Proposed Service Changes
Effective September 7, 2009
Pending Regional Council Approval

The proposed service changes for September, will be included in a report to the Regional Planning & Works Committee on June 2, 2009.

iXPRESS Add an extra trip on weekday mornings between Fairview Park Mall and the University of Waterloo in response to increasing passenger demand, and increase the frequency between Conestoga Mall and Fairview Mall on Saturdays to every 15 minutes from the current 30 to address passenger demand and improve schedule reliability


PROPOSED 2009 TRANSIT SERVICE CHANGES
June 2, 2009
http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/8ef02c0fded0c82a85256e590071a3ce/F9E1FB94C3DFA5D6852575C5004DE58F/$file/P-09-051.pdf?openelement

SUMMARY:
This report outlines proposed service improvements to Routes 7, 9, 12 and iXpress amounting to approximately 4,000 annual service hours (Appendix 1) to address overcrowding and schedule adherence issues. Regional staff have reviewed how these hours may be provided within existing resource levels. In order to fund the proposed service improvements, a range of service reductions are proposed including elimination of trips, reduced service frequency and route restructuring (Appendices 2 to 4).

A customer outreach program to inform GRT customers of the proposed reductions was initiated during the week of April 27, 2009. The program included signs on buses and at terminals, details on www.grt.ca and notices via the customer email subscriber list. In response, 27 GRT customers have provided feedback, summarized in Appendix 5. Customers expressed disappointment at proposed service reductions. Customers also expressed support for proposed additional service on key GRT routes and provided suggestions for additional service improvements which will be considered in the development of future service improvement plans.

If approved, these service changes would be implemented Tuesday September 8, 2009.

REPORT:
In 2008, GRT ridership grew by 9.9% from 14.4 million to 15.8 million. This ridership growth followed a 7% increase in service hours in 2008. The routes shown in Table 1 generated 75% of this ridership growth.

Table 1: Key GRT Route Growth 2007 - 2008
Route - 2007 Ridership - 2008 Ridership - % Growth
7 Mainline 3.2MM 3.4MM 5.2%
9 Lakeshore 0.45MM 0.68MM 48.2%
12 Conestoga/ Fairview 1.3MM 1.55MM 14.4%
iXpress 0.9MM 1.28MM 43.2%

[UrbanWaterloo]

EXPANSION OF GRAND RIVER TRANSIT ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
June 16, 2009
http://chd.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/Region.nsf/0/A8650BED0FCE3C4A852575D300579E22/$file/P-09-060.pdf?openelement

RECOMMENDATION:
THAT the Regional Municipality of Waterloo approve the acquisition and installation of advanced technology from INIT Innovations in Transportation, Inc. at a total cost of $254,522.34 plus applicable taxes for 13 new 2009 NOVA buses and $196,504.48 plus applicable taxes for 19 existing 2004 NOVA buses as outlined in Report P-09-060, dated June 16, 2009.

SUMMARY:
Since early 2007, 15 iXpress buses and 19 regular buses have been equipped with advanced technology supplied by INIT Innovations in Transportation. The computer-aided dispatch (CAD/AVL) system and automatic passenger counting (APC) systems have provided significant benefits relating to operational efficiency, service quality and customer service.

In light of these benefits and the ability to implement automated stop announcements, staff is proposing the roll-out of the INIT advanced transit technology to the total bus fleet. As a next step, this report recommends the implementation of the CAD/AVL system and APC system on 13 new 2009 NOVA buses and the AVL system on the 19 existing 2004 NOVA buses which are currently equipped with the APC system only. This work can be accommodated within the current approved capital budget.

Staff is also currently negotiating with INIT for a fixed price quotation for installation of the technology on the remainder of the conventional transit fleet in 2010. A report to Planning and Works Committee outlining the implications of a system-wide rollout of the advanced technology is tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2009. A funding request for this project has been submitted to the federal government infrastructure stimulus program.


Trouble on King Street W. for transit buses
November 02, 2009
By Terry Pender, Record staff

KITCHENER — There is not enough room at the corner of King and Ontario streets for Grand River Transit buses to make right turns when leaving the downtown terminal.

As a result, westbound drivers on King Street will soon have to stop several metres east of the intersection. A sign saying “Stop Here on Red Signal” will be installed.

“We have been doing quite a bit of work with the City of Kitchener because our organization had some concerns about King Street,” Eric Gillespie, the head of Grand River Transit, said Friday.

For several months King Street between Frederick and Gaukel was reconstructed. The roadway was narrowed, the sidewalks widened, decorative light standards installed and a lot of trees planted.

The wider sidewalks make the roadway appear narrower than it really is and there was a concern that two buses heading in opposite directions would not be able to pass one another.

“We have done some testing on that and it is all good,” Gillespie said.

The tests were done last Tuesday.

“It was a bit of an optical illusion. A number of our employees had concerns just looking at King Street that two buses would not be able to pass,” Gillespie said.

Buses should be rolling over the reconstructed section of King Street some time this week.


Student demand leaves some passengers waiting for buses
December 01, 2009
By Jeff Outhit, Record staff

WATERLOO — Just about every day, overcrowded Grand River Transit buses leave dozens of waiting passengers stranded at bus stops.

It happens regularly on up to seven routes near Waterloo campuses, where university students flash their student cards to board.

University of Waterloo student Victoria Chan sees less crowding on public transit in her native Hong Kong. There, she can always get a seat on a double-decker bus.

But here, she has to squeeze up against strollers and crowds of students. “You get stepped on,” she said. “It’s not cool.”

“It’s crowded and sometimes I get left behind,” said Sean Siva, also a UW student. “The driver says, ‘Sorry, you have to wait for the next bus.’”

This makes him “kind of angry, because they should have more bus services.”

Manav Kapoor, also a UW student, waited for a bus Monday that never showed up. He was trying to get from his off-campus home to class.

“Sometimes the bus driver won’t even stop for you,” he said. “He’ll just keep going and wave at you, and tell you that the bus supposedly can’t stop.

“It’s very annoying, because I end up walking to school.”

All three students want more buses on their routes. But Grand River Transit doesn’t have enough drivers to meet soaring demand.

Now, regional councillors are considering hiring two more drivers, to expand service starting in January. The added service, including new drivers, would cost taxpayers $250,000 as part of a proposed 2010 tax increase.

“If we want people to keep riding the buses, and encourage them to use them rather than driving, we need to make sure the bus service is good, and doesn’t leave people standing,” Regional Chair Ken Seiling said.

Grand River Transit estimates 18 to 25 buses cram to capacity every day. It’s estimated this leaves 50 to 80 waiting passengers stranded at the curb.

Chronic overcrowding highlights the success of a U-pass program that lets UW and Wilfrid Laurier University students board with their student cards.

Students pay a fee of $50 per term, added to their tuition costs. It’s an 80-per-cent discount over monthly adult passes, negotiated by politicians to boost ridership.

“Students appear to love it,” says Chris Neal, a vice-president with the UW student government.

He hasn’t heard many complaints about overcrowding but says adding buses to campus-area routes makes sense.

Campus-area routes were given extra buses when U-passes launched a few years ago. But growing demand continues to swamp them.


Buses struggle while politicians dream of trains
December 12, 2009
Road Ahead column by Jeff Outhit
http://news.therecord.com/article/643231

It’s good that Grand River Transit is drawing more university students. But the poor service they’re getting doesn’t inspire confidence in a small system that aspires to greatness.

Students are lining up for buses to take advantage of a steep fare discount. They can flash student cards and ride for about 80 per cent less than the cost of a monthly adult pass. The small fee is added to their tuition costs.

Politicians are targeting students in part because it builds ridership more easily than luring commuters from their cars.

This may not help the environment much, because many students would be walking or cycling if they weren’t on a bus. But it could be argued that getting students onto transit increases the likelihood they will stick with transit after they become commuters.

Except what they’re learning is that transit is a rough ride.

It’s estimated up to 80 passengers are stranded daily at the curb, by up to 25 overcrowded buses plying up to seven campus-area routes. Students are packed into the aisles or left behind. One student said it’s worse than Hong Kong, where she could always find a seat.

Students are being taught that if you want to get around comfortably and reliably, buy a car and put your miserable public transit days behind you.

To fix this, Grand River Transit needs to run more buses, more often. That’s how you build ridership.

The transit service has already redeployed some buses from quieter routes, but the increase is not keeping pace with student demand. Council is now considering a $250,000 tax increase to add more buses to campus-area routes.

This highlights a bigger issue, which is that politicians, reluctant to raise taxes, have stopped expanding transit. Service per resident has flatlined since 2006. Last year, it actually slipped a bit.

Yet regional council continues to seek $800 million from senior governments, to install a flashy rapid transit system of electric trains and fast buses.

Rapid transit is an ambitious scheme that politicians love. It has more to do with urban redevelopment than with moving people around. It’s exciting and sexy.

Regular transit is boring, by comparison. And it’s struggling. Benchmarks show it’s still not a well-used service, despite a few overcrowded routes. And it consumes a heavier subsidy than in comparable cities.

There’s grunt work to do, but politicians have stars in their eyes.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Grand River transit riders will soon be able to Google their ride
December 31, 2009
By Terry Pender, Record staff
http://news.therecord.com/article/649756

WATERLOO REGION — Some time next year Grand River Transit riders should be planning trips using an increasingly popular feature of the world’s most-used search engine — Google Transit.

But Waterloo Region hopes to add several layers of detail that many transit operators currently do not include in Google Transit.

In addition to schedules and routes, the usual fare found at Google.com/transit, the planners at the Region of Waterloo want to include streets, sidewalks, bike lanes and trails.

John Hill, a planner with Waterloo Region, calls this multi-modal mapping.

“From our conversations with Google it seems like it is feasible that we could do something like this,” he said.

The idea is to let someone find the most convenient bus stop and what sidewalks or trails are nearby. They could use Google Street View to actually see the stops and neighbourhoods.

Someone who is making a trip that combines cycling and transit would enter their origin and destination into the Google application.

“And using all of our information, where bike lanes are, where trails are, Google could give them a preferred route,” Hill said.

“They could choose to ride a bike to a certain bus stop, take the bus into the city and then bike to their destination,” he said.

“It hasn’t been done in the way we visualize it. We want something that is easy to use and we are not sure how it is all going to work out at this point,” Hill said.

If the multi-modal mapping plans do not work out, at the very least, Grand River Transit should have its schedules and routes on Google Transit in 2010.

Montreal, Ottawa and Vancouver are among the Canadian cities on Google Transit. New York, Chicago and San Francisco use it in the United States.

“It is just a matter of getting our data in the right format to use on their website,” Neil Malcolm, a transit planner with the region, said.

After Grand River Transit provides the data to Google that information is made available on the web for free.

Malcolm said Google Transit operates in much the same way as Grand River Transit’s Trip Planner.

“The more ways we have to get data and information out to the public the more people are going to use it — the easier it is to plan your trip the more likely you are to go out and take the bus,” Malcolm.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Grand River Transit buses roll past the 10 year mark
January 02, 2010
By Terry Pender, Record staff
http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/649922

WATERLOO REGION — The buses rolling through the Central Transit Terminal in downtown Kitchener passed a major milestone on Friday — Grand River Transit is 10 years old.

It’s hard to believe now, but prior to 2000 you had take a commercial inter-city bus to get from Kitchener to Cambridge.

Now, the iXpress takes you from downtown Kitchener to the Anslie Street Terminal in Galt in less than 40 minutes for an adult cash fare of $2.50.

Shanna Halstead of Kitchener rides the buses nearly every day with few complaints.

“It is good to me,” Halstead says.

“The only thing is I don’t like the holiday schedule,” Halstead says.

No buses ran on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day.

Combining two, small transit operators and increasing the level of service across three cities called for big increases in staffing and spending.

“Dealing with that expansion has been the biggest challenge,” Thomas Schmidt, the regional commissioner of transportation, says.

It was made doubly hard because this region seems hard-wired to be anti-transit.

Waterloo Region has the second highest rate of car dependence in the country with about 400,000 registered vehicles for a population of 506,000 people.

The Conestoga Expressway bisects Kitchener and Waterloo leading to suburban sprawl and increased reliance on privately-owned automobiles.

Cambridge has been dubbed Commuter Central because of its proximity to Highway 401 and connections to Milton, Mississauga, Toronto, Guelph, Stratford, Woodstock, London, Kitchener and Waterloo.

Grand River Transit faced these challenges in 2000 with 140 buses, 331 workers and a total budget of $29.6 million.

Grand River Transit carried 9.8 million riders in 2000 who paid $13.3 million in fares. That revenue reduced the impact on taxpayers to $16.3 million.

An aggressive program of hiring drivers, buying buses and expanding routes increased the annual number of riders to 16.3 million in 2009.

The increased ridership was made possible by more than doubling expenditures.

The proposed 2010 budget is $76.1 million. This year’s revenues are pegged at $33.1 million. The support from taxpayers this year will be about $43.9 million.

Grand River Transit now has about 220 vehicles, an increase of 80 since 2000. A new bus costs between $400,000 and $500,000. There are now 538 regional transit workers.

About five years ago the iXpress service was added. This year service was expanded to Elmira. There is a late night loop that picks up partiers in downtown Kitchener and takes them to the student housing of Waterloo.

“We have been doing a much better job than we did in the past, but we still need to go a ways to catch up to the amount of service being provided by London or Hamilton,” Schmidt says.

Willi Mehr of Kitchener rides a Grand River Transit bus five or six days a week.

“Right now I think it’s good,” Mehr says as he waits for a bus at the Central Transit Terminal. “I have no problems with it.”

A region-wide transit system was established 17 years after Waterloo Region was formed.

And that only occurred after the Conservative government of former premier Mike Harris eliminated provincial financial support for public transit.

Kitchener and Cambridge agreed to kick the service upstairs to the region. Waterloo had never bothered to create a transit service and just contracted from Kitchener for some routes.

In the era of smart growth and new urbanism it is hard to believe that a decade ago Waterloo was building entire subdivisions without a thought for public transit. In the late 1990s that city reduced the number of routes it contracted from Kitchener Transit.

But attitudes seem to be changing.

There is now a public group called the Tri-City Transportation Group that lobbies for more spending on transit, cycling and walking infrastructure.

“I think GRT is quite good,” Michael Druker of the Transportation Group, says.

If you live near King Street there is a bus at least every 15 minutes most of the time. In the suburbs the frequency drops to every 30 minutes or even once an hour in the evenings and one weekends.

“If your work is not along the main line you will have a hard time getting there by transit,” Druker says.

2010 will be a big year for Grand River Transit.

An announcement is expected soon about whether the provincial and federal governments will fund the construction of a light rail system from Conestoga Mall in the north to Fairview Park mall in the south. Fast buses will take riders from Fairview down to the Anslie Street Terminal.

The cost: an estimated $850 million.

“They are telling us it is going to cost $800 to $900 million, by the time it is done it will be $1.5 billion,” Gary Wiebe, a 63-year-old Kitchener resident who rides the bus nearly every day.

“They don’t need to spend that much money, they should buy more buses instead,” Wiebe says. “To me light rail is a toy for regional council to play with.”

But Druker disagrees, saying it will transform the urban landscape around the rail line leading to a more compact, sustainable, mixed-use and transit-friendly area.

“It attracts development, it changes the way land is used around it,” Druker says.

[UrbanWaterloo]

Proposed modification to Route 55 St Andrews
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TKVBYV6

We are proposing to modify Route 55 ST ANDREWS as shown on this map.

Route 55 buses often arrive late at the Ainslie Street Terminal, especially between 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Route 59 CHRISTOPHER buses are often late as well, since Route 55 connects with Route 59.

To make both routes more reliable, we are studying a change to Route 55.
By relocating Route 55 to Cedar Street and Ainslie Street instead of using St Andrews Street and Main Street, buses would save 3-4 minutes per trip. If approved, this change would begin on April 5, 2010.

We would like to obtain Route 55 riders’ opinions of this proposed change. Please tell us your opinion of this proposal using the form below.
Your opinion will be taken into consideration when we make a recommendation on this routing to the Regional Planning & Works Committee in February, 2010.




Proposed modification to Route 58 Elmwood
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XXXG7GG

We are proposing to modify Route 58 ELMWOOD as shown on this map.

Route 58 buses often arrive late at the Ainslie Street Terminal, especially between 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Route 62 WOODSIDE buses are often late as well, since Route 58 connects with Route 62.

To make both routes more reliable, we are studying a change to Route 58.
By relocating Route 58 to Avenue Road between Gail Street and Elgin Street North instead of using Gail Street, Rouse Avenue, Kovac Road, Munch Avenue and Elgin Street North, buses would save 3-5 minutes per trip. If approved, this change would begin on April 5, 2010.

We would like to obtain Route 58 riders’ opinions of this proposed change. Please tell us your opinion of this proposal using the form below.
Your opinion will be taken into consideration when we make a recommendation on this routing to the Regional Planning & Works Committee in February, 2010.

[RangersFan]

Yesturday's record had an interesting article oddly enough written by jeff outhit

TheRecord.com - Local - Kitchener ends outdated parking perk

Road Ahead column by Jeff Outhit

The City of Kitchener is the first local government to end an outdated municipal perk. It will no longer provide employee parking at public expense.

According to a city report, employees at Kitchener City Hall in the Kitchener core will now have to park on their own dime. If they need their car for work, they will be reimbursed a parking rate.

It’s estimated this will save taxpayers $300,000 spent each year to subsidize employee parking. “It’s good from an environmental standpoint,” Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr said.

Some city employees are now looking at carpooling or Grand River Transit, Zehr said. Others may choose to pay for their current parking space, or hunt for a cheaper one.

Taxpayers continue to fully subsidize parking for employees of the cities of Waterloo, Cambridge, and Waterloo regional government. Governments need to end this subsidy so they can be seen to practise what they preach.

Politicians talk a lot about getting residents out of their cars, to reduce emissions, ease road-building costs, improve fitness, and restrain suburban sprawl. Some steps are underway.

For example, municipal planners are considering ways to reduce parking at new private developments. This is intended to nudge more people onto transit, sidewalks, bicycles or carpools. Yet while they ponder restrictions on private parking, councils pay for civil servants to park for free.

Another example: Waterloo regional government proposes to spend $800 million to help put electric trains on local streets. This is meant to lure more downtown commuters onto transit.

Yet regional council spends $398,000 a year to provide free parking for its employees. Most of this amount is spent to lease spaces in downtown Kitchener and Waterloo. Council also plans to buy 100 underground parking spaces in Kitchener, for $4.5 million or more.

Providing regional employees with free downtown parking is no way to promote transit.

Local governments are reviewing parking subsidies, in part due to a federal ruling that says employer-paid parking is a taxable benefit.

Kitchener council has shown the way forward. Stop spending taxes on this. Make public servants pay for their parking. If they have to use their car for work, reimburse them. That’s fair.

Governments that aim to get commuters out of their cars need to walk the walk.

Jeff Outhit can be reached at 519-895-5642 or jouthit@therecord.

[Spokes]

This would be a perfect article for a Parking thread Ive been meaning to start which would include the Uptown parking strategy and what not, good idea?

[mpd618]

This would be a perfect article for a Parking thread Ive been meaning to start which would include the Uptown parking strategy and what not, good idea?

Yes. Parking is an important topic in its own right.

[Spokes]

Yes. Parking is an important topic in its own right.

So should we do one big parking thread, or separate ones for generic parking issues, Uptown Parking Strategy, etc?

[mpd618]

So should we do one big parking thread, or separate ones for generic parking issues, Uptown Parking Strategy, etc?

I'd be more inclined to do one big thread, but I don't know if that's a good idea.

[mpd618]

This is probably the right place to plug TriTAG's zoomable map of GRT routes: http://www.tritag.ca/resources/trans...egion/grt-map/