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Jan. 30th, 2013 08:30 amThere was a nearly 2 month transit strike last year almost this time of year. And the drivers got a very nice settlement and payout as well. In the fall, a brand new terminal was opened, to the cost of a few million dollars. Now it's budget time and guess who's asking for a fare increase? Yes, you could make the argument that they have to pay for the upkeep and new technology. I wouldn't mind so much if we got better service. If you live in the downtown core there are lots of options. If you live anywhere else, you get one bus, maybe two if you're lucky depending on which direction you want to go. You might not even have that bus on a sunday or a holiday though admittedly with Sunday shopping, most areas have one bus an hour for those days which isn't really that great. Many busses seem to come at once at the terminals or transfer points so if you miss that bus, especially on a Sunday/holiday, you have a very long wait. yet they want to encourage people to take the bus. They launched a trial period for Seniors to be able to get the bus for free. But only on Tuesdays. After the morning rush hour.
We do have monthly bus passes which save you a bit or a lot if you use it nights and weekends too. I would love to see weekly passes and day passes for the tourists. I would use weekly passes during those months when i have more than a week vacation. I buy tickets then but a pass is so much more convenient but i won't buy a monthly pass for just 2 weeks. Even better, wouldn't it be nice if they had a yearly pass loaded on a smart card? Maybe someday but we probably don't have the population to support that. Although... They have a scheme with most of the local universities now where the tuition was hiked by (not sure the exact amount) $150 (?) and the students all get a bus pass that's good from September to May. They all get it whether they want/need it or not.
I work for the City, which also runs the transit system as it's not privatized. I suppose we should be grateful because if a private company was running it for a profit, it would be even more expensive with worse service on routes that don't make much money. At least with the city running it, though they don't want to make a loss and need to at least make enough to pay for it all, it's a public service. I would love it if they gave city employees a bit of a discount on bus passes but they don't. Would i still use the bus for work even if i did have a car? yes. Downtown parking costs a lot, adding on the cost of gas and the cost of the bridge fare, it ain't cheap! Parking can cost you at least $150 a month, the bridge costs $10 a week (doesn't affect everyone but it would affect me, living on the other side of the harbour), gas is currently about $1.30 a litre. if it cost $50 to $70 to fill the tank and I'd probably have to do that at least twice a month or three times... you can see where a $70 monthly bus pass is much smarter. Tickets will cost a little more, maybe close to $80 a month (four weeks).
If and when i ever move house, i'll be sure to find somewhere nice and close to a bus stop, regardless of any future vehicle ownership, preferably a route which goes right into downtown at rush hours to save changing busses in nasty weather.
We do have monthly bus passes which save you a bit or a lot if you use it nights and weekends too. I would love to see weekly passes and day passes for the tourists. I would use weekly passes during those months when i have more than a week vacation. I buy tickets then but a pass is so much more convenient but i won't buy a monthly pass for just 2 weeks. Even better, wouldn't it be nice if they had a yearly pass loaded on a smart card? Maybe someday but we probably don't have the population to support that. Although... They have a scheme with most of the local universities now where the tuition was hiked by (not sure the exact amount) $150 (?) and the students all get a bus pass that's good from September to May. They all get it whether they want/need it or not.
I work for the City, which also runs the transit system as it's not privatized. I suppose we should be grateful because if a private company was running it for a profit, it would be even more expensive with worse service on routes that don't make much money. At least with the city running it, though they don't want to make a loss and need to at least make enough to pay for it all, it's a public service. I would love it if they gave city employees a bit of a discount on bus passes but they don't. Would i still use the bus for work even if i did have a car? yes. Downtown parking costs a lot, adding on the cost of gas and the cost of the bridge fare, it ain't cheap! Parking can cost you at least $150 a month, the bridge costs $10 a week (doesn't affect everyone but it would affect me, living on the other side of the harbour), gas is currently about $1.30 a litre. if it cost $50 to $70 to fill the tank and I'd probably have to do that at least twice a month or three times... you can see where a $70 monthly bus pass is much smarter. Tickets will cost a little more, maybe close to $80 a month (four weeks).
If and when i ever move house, i'll be sure to find somewhere nice and close to a bus stop, regardless of any future vehicle ownership, preferably a route which goes right into downtown at rush hours to save changing busses in nasty weather.
