[ShonTron]

I also wonder if Metrolinx will finish upgrades to the Stouffville Corridor in time for better than hourly two-way service -- particularly the Highland Creek bridge. That's the only transit that's going to be viable. I suspect attendees will be encouraged to park at Mount Joy and Centennial stations and take the train in. (Not a lot of parking at Markham).

Though the claim is that the new location puts the event closer to its fans, I'm not at all convinced. It's farther from the more populated West GTA and Hamilton, and transit access is much poorer. But it will have the cars racing past a Honda dealership on Kennedy Road.

 

[cplchanb]

Even if they weren't, to call the appalling levels of service run on the Stouffville line and VIVA Purple as "excellent regional access" is some next level propaganda!

i think they will put a temp bus loop to drop people right in front of the entrance. dont forget guys the track itself isnt the boundary of the proposed venue there will be gates beyond the track.

 

[APTA-2048]

Viva is officially 20 years old today. I think about when it was launched how ambitious it was. We got our Rapidways, but we got a bit of a slow erosion of service.

 

[reaperexpress]

Viva is officially 20 years old today. I think about when it was launched how ambitious it was. We got our Rapidways, but we got a bit of a slow erosion of service.

I remember when it launched, and it was really impressive at the time. It was so much faster and nicer than typical transit service that many people were surprised that you didn't need to pay an extra fare.

Nowadays Viva buses are not remarkable but at the time YRT was still using mostly hand-me-down high-floor buses from the predecessor agencies. For many of us in York Region, Viva was our first experience with automated stop announcements, low-floor kneeling buses, next stop displays, information screens and wifi (though it rarely worked). Now most of things are not only standard, but also legally required. But it wasn't that long ago that you had to struggle to get a stroller on a bus, and when it was dark and rainy it was hard to tell where you are.

 

[cplchanb]

I also wonder if Metrolinx will finish upgrades to the Stouffville Corridor in time for better than hourly two-way service -- particularly the Highland Creek bridge. That's the only transit that's going to be viable. I suspect attendees will be encouraged to park at Mount Joy and Centennial stations and take the train in. (Not a lot of parking at Markham).

Though the claim is that the new location puts the event closer to its fans, I'm not at all convinced. It's farther from the more populated West GTA and Hamilton, and transit access is much poorer. But it will have the cars racing past a Honda dealership on Kennedy Road.

they can probably

I remember when it launched, and it was really impressive at the time. It was so much faster and nicer than typical transit service that many people were surprised that you didn't need to pay an extra fare.

Nowadays Viva buses are not remarkable but at the time YRT was still using mostly hand-me-down high-floor buses from the predecessor agencies. Viva was many of our first experience with automated stop announcements, low-floor kneeling buses, next stop displays, information screens and wifi (though it rarely worked). Now most of things are not only standard, but also legally required. But it wasn't that long ago that you had to struggle to get a stroller on a bus, and when it was dark and rainy it was hard to tell where you are.

You have to give it to viva that they pioneered alot of the tech that we now take for granted in the gta. Right now they are the first in the gta to use E-ink for the next stop displays at the stations. Wonder how far that will go.

 

[Sandpit]

Viva is officially 20 years old today. I think about when it was launched how ambitious it was. We got our Rapidways, but we got a bit of a slow erosion of service.

I remember them making a point of not calling them buses in their promotional literature: "They're so advanced, we call them RTVs - Rapid Transit Vehicles". This was quietly dropped once they realized literally no one else called them that.

 

[Bordercollie]

I remember them making a point of not calling them buses in their promotional literature: "They're so advanced, we call them RTVs - Rapid Transit Vehicles". This was quietly dropped once they realized literally no one else called them that.

But it's slower than the non BRT service that runs in parallel. So how does that make sense?

 

[T3G]

But it's slower than the non BRT service that runs in parallel. So how does that make sense?

Marketing is not based on making sense, but about what kind of BS you can sell to people with no imagination or curiosity about the world.

 

[ShonTron]

Marketing is not based on making sense, but about what kind of BS you can sell to people with no imagination or curiosity about the world.

Back in 1980, Brampton Transit, a tiny system that was only just amalgamated from the old privately operated town Brampton Transit and Bramalea Dial A Bus, called it “the world’s first above ground subway.”

That didn’t last long either.

 

[APTA-2048]

I remember when it launched, and it was really impressive at the time. It was so much faster and nicer than typical transit service that many people were surprised that you didn't need to pay an extra fare.

Nowadays Viva buses are not remarkable but at the time YRT was still using mostly hand-me-down high-floor buses from the predecessor agencies. Viva was many of our first experience with automated stop announcements, low-floor kneeling buses, next stop displays, information screens and wifi (though it rarely worked). Now most of things are not only standard, but also legally required. But it wasn't that long ago that you had to struggle to get a stroller on a bus, and when it was dark and rainy it was hard to tell where you are.

In a way, I kind of miss the uniqueness of Viva. It’s become less unique with wider adoption of those features elsewhere, but also with less higher specifications. I think the Van Hool buses are really comfortable, and I’m happy to see a bunch of them still in service 20 years later.

 

[T3G]

In a way, I kind of miss the uniqueness of Viva. It’s become less unique with wider adoption of those features elsewhere, but also with less higher specifications. I think the Van Hool buses are really comfortable, and I’m happy to see a bunch of them still in service 20 years later.

The Van Hools are wonderful, even after all this time riding one is like riding a cloud.

 

[Bordercollie]

The Van Hools are wonderful, even after all this time riding one is like riding a cloud.

Just don't sit in the back or your butt will catch fire.