Transportation

TUG Campaign: A Vision for Transit in the 21st Century

By Ryan McGreal
Published August 27, 2009

Hamilton Transit Users Group (TUG) has launched a campaign to develop a new community-based vision for transit in Hamilton in the 21st century. (Disclosure: I'm working on this campaign as a coordinator.)

The City of Hamilton has committed to doubling transit ridership (to 100 rides per person per year) by 2020. But how do we get there from here? Instead of waiting for the city to figure this out, TUG is making a series of presentations and providing an online survey so Hamiltonians can share their vision of how transit could develop.

Initial results of the survey will be presented in a public meeting to the community in late October.

TUG will then use the information collected through the survey to develop initiatives around improving public transit in Hamilton.

Background

These are exciting times for transit, thanks to the discussion of light rail and the creation of some new routes and discount passes. Yet we know that there is still overcrowding on some routes of the HSR, and battles continue over what should be appropriate levels of fares and public support of transit.

The HSR is currently undertaking a full operational review of its routes and schedules, so this is an especially good time to present a broad-based community vision for where we want transit to go and how we can make it happen.

Links

The TUG presentation explains the current situation in Hamilton and proposes a community-based exercise to develop a progressive vision of transit in Hamilton. TUG will be making this presenting to various community groups in Hamilton over the next few months.

http://hamiltontug.com/vision/presentation/

The Transit Vision Survey is a way for Hamiltonians to share their ideas of what public transit could be in this city.

http://hamiltontug.com/vision/survey/

I strongly encourage you to take the survey and help develop a new vision for transit in Hamilton.

Ryan McGreal, the editor of Raise the Hammer, lives in Hamilton with his family and works as a programmer, writer and consultant. Ryan volunteers with Hamilton Light Rail, a citizen group dedicated to bringing light rail transit to Hamilton. Ryan wrote a city affairs column in Hamilton Magazine, and several of his articles have been published in the Hamilton Spectator. His articles have also been published in The Walrus, HuffPost and Behind the Numbers. He maintains a personal website, has been known to share passing thoughts on Twitter and Facebook, and posts the occasional cat photo on Instagram.

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By Really? (registered) | Posted August 28, 2009 at 15:43:48

*ALL-DAY B-LINE (5:30am-1:30am)

*ALL-DAY A-LINE (5:30am-1:30am, Every 15mins, NOT 30mins as is currently)

*24HR 1A King (Every 30mins between 1:30am-5:30am, then onto regular day service)

*24HR 41 Mohawk (Every 30mins between 1:30am-5:30am, then onto regular day service)

*24HR 27 Upper James (Every 30mins bet 1:30am-5:30am, then onto regular day service. This would pick up the A-Line's route after A-Line hours)

*Better Service times ALL AROUND! ie: Buses running every 30mins should run every 15mins; buses running every 60mins should run every 30mins, etc.

*A BRAND (& Marketting Campaign), ie: 'TTC - Ride the Rocket', Portland's 'GO BY LIGHT RAIL/STREETCAR/BUS' campaign, 'HSR - Straight Away!' (sorry, not a Marketting-type)

*More (Themed?) Transit Rider Amenities, ie: nicer, more noticeable shelters (such as Toronto's: http://torontoist.com/attachments/toront... with 'Next Bus/LRT' displays at major nodes; HSR System Maps facing both inside and outside of Bus Shelters (ensuring they don't fall and crumple upon themselves); Benches, Garbage/Recycling, Newspapers (Metro!?), etc.

This is what Public Transit Users, and Non-Users, want to ensure a timely, comfortable, and enjoyable Bus/LRT ride.

How does one rid their ride of the rare Crazy? I suggest an iPod!

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By MattM (registered) | Posted August 31, 2009 at 21:30:12

Everything that was said above is exactly what I agree with, though with minor changes to the 24 hour service and frequencies.

Also I think HSR already has a slogan: "We'll Take You There". Not really all that great and they basically never use it, but I suppose it's a start. Nothing compared to "Ride the Rocket" or "The Better Way". Toronto definitely capitalized on those catchy slogans.

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