Rainbow Haven is 6.5km past the end of the bus route# 61. Why can’t Metro Transit extend that route by 6 lousy km so people without cars can get to the beach once in a while? Not even all year. Maybe just from Canada Day to Labour Day. It wouldn’t even have to service the beach every trip. Three or four trips a day would be adequate. I guarantee that bus would be full to capacity every trip.
This article appears in Jul 10-16, 2008.
Alas, you are forgetting that HRM does not acknowledge that poor people exist. They have determined that the under-unprivileged are an urban myth created by the evil and depraved NDP. Besides…Rotten Ronnie has suggested that all the people in NS work the days they want to go to the beach…so he can collect more taxes for his helicopter rides…that chopper gets HIM to the beach just fine thank you very much.
try taking it to council, its a worthy bitch indeed.
Umm hate to break it to you, but this city sucks!
yeah this is a worthy and doable change, especially since HRM is putting some more money into transit just now (developing bus service to several outlaying areas). More people should take things to council anyway- those meetings can be deeeaaaddd for public participation.
Christopher, why do you assume anyone who doesn’t own a car is poor and underprivileged? You’re as bad as that Keith guy.Coyotex, fuck off.I can’t believe this idea hasn’t been suggested to council and to Transit a million times already. It’s a great idea, and I can’t think of any reason they couldn’t do it. Maybe the Sage of All Things Transit, Ex-Hali, has some insight.Homie, step away from the Google…
I think this sort of idea just doesn’t get mentioned in council becuase so many many people don’t go to council meetings! maybe homie, coyotex, ex hali et al should go…stir things up a bit ;)and yeah..in this economy, I’m sorry, but the middle class and normal can’t afford to have a car a lot of the time……..
Wow Miranda, I fail to see where I say ALL people without a car are underprivileged. You’re as bad as that Keith guy…whoever that is. By the way…who in NS is not financially under siege and not slightly disadvantaged, at this point?This suggestion has been brought up NUMEROUS times in the past, not on this site but in the media and to Council and Metro Transit. The reason it has not been implemented? Because it is a good and rational idea…you may or may not be aware of Council’s adverse reactions to rational thought but they are quite afraid of logic and reason.
What Miranda, Can;t handle the truth about Halifax?! It sux, ask anyone who’s an outsider or someone from here and traveled. They’ll agree!
I can handle the truth, Coyotex. You just don’t know what it is. Plus, I don’t like you and you smell funny.Christopher, you brought up poor and underprivileged people. If you didn’t mean to imply that there’s a connection between being poor and underprivileged and not having a car, then what was your point, dude?
wow miranda….maturity isnt your strong suit huh? Funny how you think everyone must agree with your opinion on how good halifax is. The problem with extending routes, is that it isnt just a snap your fingers solution. The current length of a route is timed so that it can meet up with other buses at transfer points. The system is “supposed” to make it so that transfering is convienient. To toss a 5-10 minutes on to a route would mean that it would miss desired connections.
Actually I did imply that there WAS a connection…DUDE, but that in implying said connection I did not indicate that it was universal ANYWHERE in my post…so pull your head out of whatever dark hole you have it in right now and READ the posts and stop projecting your opinion on my statements…not everyone is a generalist or make blanket statements like yourself.Good points as always Homie!
*raises her from Ontario handum, coyotex? I’m from away and I like it a lot here….I moved out west for a bit and came BACK because I thought Halifax was a nice place to live. besides, how does saying the city sucks (or sux as you woul dhave it) contribute anything to the conversation but goading miranda? really now……
It’s fun to be immature sometimes, Homie. Especially when it makes some people pinch up their faces like a dog’s bum.
Opps I forgot to add a slightly tongue in cheek slight against Council on my last post….Council is made up of simple-minded simians…boooo!!!
wait didn’t you just tell miranda not to make blanket statements or sweeping generalizations?a lot of councilors are actually nice, responsibile people who are doing their best. and if they aren’t? I’m blaming the simians who voted for them.
LOL did you not read the HUMOR (slightly-tongue-in-cheek is a humorous phrase if you were not aware). : )But you are ENTIRELY correct in where to place blame…I am still pretty disappointed in the last by-elections as many are probably now with the track history of this latest sitting Council. What a mess.
Hedgy, i am from ontario as well.I have said many times, i like lots to do with this city. There are lots of pros, and lots of cons. However one thing people tend to forget, that most of ontario, isnt like Toronto. London, and Kitchener, are a lot like here in terms of speed and lifestyle. The political structure and the mentality here about that structure is what is fucked.you are having all the same problems that cities like the one’s mentioned have, panhandlers, businesses leaving the dt core, heritage vs modernizing, aging facilites.Its the way those things were dealt with there, as opposed to here that makes this place shitty and is allowing the world to pass this place by. Tourism here should triple that of London ontario. London has huge competition from many other cities the size of halifax, and toronto nearby. It however can compete because here, no one wants to really do much about what you have. Convention center is tiny, arena sucks, no amusement parks, shopping so far from downtown hotels……
Things do need to improve and im all for positive ideas like the one suggested by the OP. If it happens or not its still a good idea and positive thinking.There is one thing that Halifax is good at though apparently and thats making this guy coyotex miserable, thats gotta be worth something right?
T, I think the most recent thing passed at coucil was the “Let’s all shit in Cryotex’s cornflakes” by-law. That’s foward thinking.And homie, you are a DJ or something, so change the fucking record….we’ve heard that one before and I think it’s skipping. Loooovveee Youuuu.
I definitely would have voted in favour of that by-law!
what does me being a dj or something have to do with anything?I merely stating points that support the reasoning behind why out of towners get bored or do not like this place. It seems as though those that love this shit off here, are impervious to being critisized. Hey, i can understand why people found my old home towns to thier disliking. Toronto was too big, too much to do for a vacation. There is a far quicker pace there. I can appreciate why people wont like that shit. London, I can appreciate that people think it is snobby because of the wealth there. I can appreciate how people do not like that it is a total grid formation and what not. I can appreciate how people think it is fairly unsafe in the downtown core. My profession had nothing to do with my opinion on this.
haha…i think and I may be wrong but Miles could have been telling you that you repeat your self. A LOT
Jeez, Christopher. Defensive much? You really don’t like being asked to clarify your points, do you? You made a comment that was easily interpreted as meaning something you didn’t intend to imply. Don’t shit all over me because you didn’t express yourself clearly.Homie, are you really completely devoid of any sense of irony or sarcasm? Or is your obtuse answer to Miles’ quip some kind of attempt at humour?Now, I think all us non car owning beach lovers should sign a petition demanding a Beach Bus. Does the decision making power over that sort of thing lie with city council, or with Transit? Anybody know?
should i repeat why they cant just add on to a bus route or did that slip by you miranda?Ya cant just lenghten routes. I stated why…. so read below. And i guess i missed the sarcasm there. It happens when you are working.
hedgyhog, well if you haven’t noticed, the OP was wondering why he/she can’t go to the beach, due to transportation, which our city’s transit system sux, making the city a sucky place to live, making my post the 3rd one on this thread, then you being the 4th, and then Miranda being all high and mighty with her Halifax pedestal that decided to start the name calling contest. If you like it here, all the power to you, I don’t have to and I should free express so. With all the beaches that are within 15-30 min drives from the city, Halifax still hasn’t incorporated that into it’s transportation. Rainbow Haven isn’t close, nor crystal crescent is, nor clam harbour, or any of the ocean beaches. The NS government, knowing the amount of beaches we have, could have done something and made it simpler, like dedicating a transport system to beaches twice a day in the summer for a set price. But that’s way too advanced for Halifax, hence the reason this city sux. Miranda, what are you, 5 or something?! Next you’ll fling boogers at me?!Also hedgyhog, you moved out west and moved back, before that where were you if you don’t mind me asking? I moved out west, and hated it, why? no beaches, but i can tell you cities over there offered more than what halifax did. And I came back to finish school, and I came back because a company from AB had an office here and made me an offer I couldn’t resist, and I stayed here because I got a better offer from a company here that i accepted. All because I left NS. I can’t help but think had i stayed in Halifax, i’d still be working in a call center. or a company that pays as much as a call center. Aren’t you making more now that you left, gained some experience and got back? If I personally stayed in Halifax it would have taken me another 10 years to be where I am today. I left NS and all it took was 5 months.If Halifax was so great and had lots to offer, can anyone explain to me please, which i still find fascinating, why global Halifax had a full 15 minutes news segment on what’s happening in Moncton for the summer and I still have yet to know what’s actually happening in this city aside from the Busker’s (That ever single city in Canada hosts)?I agree with The Homie. It’s not easy to change the transit system, but it’s really easy to add to it. Like a special Bus that leaved Halifax Shopping center going to Crystal Crescent. We’re not asking them to produce miracles, but we’re paying taxes for a reason.Haligonians are hilarious tho. Reading the rest of the threads on here, I wonder why we even have tourism if that’s the attitude Haligonians display.
They alter bus routes all the time, Homie. Every 6 months MT tweaks a few routes, servicing new areas, occasionally introducing new routes and discontinuing others. Nobody’s suggesting they should start servicing the beach tomorrow. But there’s no reason it can’t be done in the future.
Coyotex, I apologise. You are, of course, free to dislike the city in which you have chosen of your own free will to live. You are also free to express that dislike, ad infinitum and ad nauseum. Just remember that everyone else is also free to mock you for it.
Homie, I am surprised you are not more behind this idea. Here is an example of Haligonians in almost complete agreement about a good idea, and now you are shitting all over it saying it can’t be done. This has got to be one of the easiest to implement ideas I have ever heard of. Ex-haligonian could solve this problem in an afternoon and I hear his rates are quite reasonable.
You can mock all you want. Just don’t hate the truth.
hey, haligonians might want to just drop taxes and that might not be a bad idea, but again, it comes down to the consequences and implementation of the idea. In this case, miranda just seems to think it is alter a few routes, and tweak this and do that. I know for a fact it isnt that simple. To add distance to a route means that connections will be missed or a bus will have to speed up to accomodate connections. THis is a potential hazard as routes are estimated based on the time from point a to point b at a SAFE speed. In this case, to stretch out only 6.5 km, in which most of that wouldnt have any stops in between would alter the timing by almost 7-10 minutes. While it might be great for those using it to get to the beach. Transit times for those that have been accustomed to thier buses would have to adjust to new transit times. I know since i have been here, the same bus has appeared at my stop at 17 and 37 after the hour. This allows for me to pull into Bridge terminal at the same time as any number of connections. To mess with that timing by a few minutes to serve an extra few blocks would ensure that i would miss connections of my driver would have to speed up in a residential area where kids are always out playing. One trend i noticed here, and Tim is a major example of this. People give out suggestions without thinking of the inconvience to others or how the implementation of such a thing could be logistically a nightmare.
oh and miranda…… for the most part, the adjustment of times is based on the likelihood it will meet its connections. Or altered because traffic was continually heavier in one area thus making the intended time at one location always late. There are very few cases where times are altered because the routes are extended. Especially for a route that wouldnt be used in the winter. That would be a waste of fuel and gas to keep the route going to that beach in the winter. If you suggest that they just go back to the original route in the winter, the regulars that use that route would have to adjust thier times again as the schedule would have to go back to what it was, because of the shortening of the route.NOT as easy as it sounds. Very inconvienient to the regulars that use the route and fund that route.
“can anyone explain to me please, which i still find fascinating, why global Halifax had a full 15 minutes news segment on what’s happening in Moncton for the summer”Probably because its Global Maritimes and global halifax doesnt exist.I realize that you are free to say that Halifax sucks and people can agree or disagree. But when they disagree to say things like you people just hate the truth is such a weak argument from an obviously weak person.Weak mentally, if you disliked it so much and could make just as much money elsewhere then you have put your self in a position where you are unhappy and that is really really funny…have a good weekend
might be a weak argument T, but seriously look at what people are saying about the place, you get the defenders refusing to accept what the others are saying. Example in this case is miranda suggesting that someone wouldnt know the truth, that is just as weak as what the other person said. Its as though they are the authortarian of the truth. Two people arguing subjective things like this makes both sides look silly. Especially when it comes down to insults and name calling.This argument between this two is as stupid as “my mom is cooler than your mom”. The fact that both are arguing it over and over to the bitter end and thinking that are that right, makes them both silly
My only point is that Halifax needs more ideas like this and positive thinkers. Constantly being down on a place and what it does not have doesn’t do any good. Im not a huge supporter of if you dont like it leave but maybe more if you dont like it move somewhere that would make you(not you homie) happy, or work towards happiness where your at without being so pestamistic.About the bus route I think a more realistic option would be a shuttle that runs on weekends or that can be booked – granted it would cost more to the traveler but at least it could actually happen.
The shuttle is a far better idea than a route extension. You see that is the problem here. Again i cite tim as a prime example. I always go back to them Games. Someone had an idea, that could move forward and take this city to a new level. The opponents find reasons to hate on the progress. Much like i stated earlier with how people do not think about the logistics of implementing these things, these are the same people that when they object to something, do not offer an alternative. They will say, if you dont like it, leave. Or in Tim’s case, i asked for any alternative that can replace what the games would have brought in terms of venues, and replacing things that need to be fixed here. So far, nothing. There isnt an alternative from them. Since we missed these games, there isnt anything new being done about the shit we have, which is continuing to age. Scrapping progress cause we cant afford it, but we dont have an alternative and our shit ages around us. Smart thinking. I cite my hometown. Had the Canada games. Now they have one of the most modern downtown arenas in a city comparable in size to halifax. Building up around the downtown core to stop the urban sprawl and an attempt to keep local merchants from moving out to the burbs with the big boxes. The fight there is being won, here the heritage people just want to preserve shit, but businessess arent prospering. Heritage people fight change, and soon they will be protecting nothing, because no shops or stores want to be downtown. While i understand heritage, the fight here is incredible compared to other cities. Heritage people want to preserve, but dont have answers that are reasonable and practical to merchants in this day and age.
Sorry homie, but your facts aren’t very convincing this time. Are you seriously suggesting that changing a bus route or indroducing one that takes people to the beach (let’s assume for now that it would be well utilized) is really that tough of a challenge? My god you must really think we are a bunch of hicks. We managed to set up the current schedule with minimal head explosions and only one person got stomach pumped for eating too much finger paint. It’s a bus route for crying out loud. How hard can it be to add/change the current schedule? That’s what computers and over-paid civil servants are for. Where’s Ex-Hali when you need him? He’ll know what to do.
Wow this like the alignment of the stars… To Coyotex, Christopher, and Homie… (In no particular order…) GFY… You TROLLS…And what a time saver that was… I think I’ll take a DRIVE down to the beach… So long suckers…
i am saying this miles. To extend a route a distance that doesnt justify adding another bus to that route is a hassle. It isnt just about that one route. It is about the connection time with the other routes that cross it’s path. Can you give a way to add on an extra 6.5 km to a route, that will not alter the time it takes to get terminals and transfer points, and not speed up the bus itself? Adding a bus that would retrace the same route, but go further is pointless. Having a seasonal bus is not going to happen too. Show me one example of a route in this city that is seasonal, and has the same GO times at each of the stops. There isnt any. Remember, the route has to remain the same year round. It isnt about being that hickish bro, its about the logistics. I am willing to bet that EX will tell you this exact thing. Examples of how this creates problems, is new subdivisons, they are usually up and running LONG before a transit run goes through them. What is the reason? Its the altering of the remainder of the route.
Can we just get past the tiresome fucking “Halifax sucks” discussion for five bloody seconds? Here somebody is suggesting a great idea, to almost universal agreement, and we’re back to the neverending argument about whether Halifax suck or rules. I really don’t give the tiniest little turd of a shit whether anybody likes it here or not. I am just sick unto death of hearing (reading) Coyotex in particular bleating about it every goddam day, often several times a day. I know, I know. I don’t have to read it. And I try not to. But it’s like picking a scab.And I don’t buy your arguments as to why we can’t have a seasonal alteration to a bus route, Homie. It already happens with several routes. There are routes that service some areas during the academic year but not during the summer, for example. There are routes that change depending on the time of day. Scheduling is done by a complex computer program, not by some guy with a pencil and a notepad. You enter the variables and the program spits out a solution. Of course that solution will always be imperfect when translated into the real world. It’s not going to be perfectly convenient for everyone, even when it actually works the way it’s supposed to.
the routes that do make stops during acedemic year alter routes by a km or 2… not 13 like you are suggesting. Especially one that would have only one stop added on.Notice, even when the stops on those that alter the route for school years, the times at the other stops REMAIN EXACTLY THE SAME
*banging head against wall*I actually understood your comments the first time you made them Homie and I am in no way disagreeing with them. The best idea right now seems to be a shuttle or something. But we would never come up with ideas like that without DISCUSSING them first. A bus to the beach is a good idea that should not be poo-pooed. If extending a route is not the solution, than find another one. The OP has a good idea, just because it can’t be implemented the way he/she said doesn’t make it a bad idea. The problem is: Haligonians want to go to the beach. The solution is: let’s put them on some form of mass transit. The rest is details that should be fairly easy to sort out if you can convince council to agree to the idea and if it is going to be utilized enought to justify the resources to implement it. It remains a topic worthy of more discussion, probably by people more qualified than us LTWWB bozos. I am all for taking this to council to let those bozo’s roll it around their noggins.
I understand what Homie is saying about stop times staying the same all year round but many other transit systems don’t have that luxury and I can tell you about the STM in Montreal where times don’t just differ each hour, they often differ in frequency from one bus to the next on the same route. But most of the major stops have bus schedules posted and updated schedules are available 4 times a year to pick up until they run out (usually 2-3 days after coming out) then you are forced to get them from the website.An example can be found here: http://www.stm.info/bus/Planibus/211.pdf (be advised that the fine print for the weekday schedule is applicable for the weeklong construction holiday when roadwork stops and many large projects and industries close up for vacations) The 211’s Gare Dorval stop is a 15 minute walk to Trudeau Airport but you can transfer to the 204 and get to the main entrance of the airport. Subtle hint to Metro Transit and the HIA who claim it can’t be done! I don’t see why Metro Transit can’t assign one or two buses to run a shuttle from a major transfer point in Dartmouth out to Rainbow Haven. They could easily use the manpower that would normally be assigned to the Dalhousie U-pass routes which don’t run in the summer. Even Moncton’s ass backwards Codiac Transit puts on a bus to Magnetic Hill/Magic Mountain each summer and that part of town is without bus service the rest of the year: http://www.codiactransit-moncton.com/magic%20mountain.htmlIts all possible to do but whether HRM council and administrators will actually let it happen….
Ex, the difference with montreal’s transit is that it mixes with many other transit systems, and other types such as subways. They also have a much larger budget to make it possible for that awkward of a set up to work. A simple shuttle system would be cool, but the problem would arise of the cost, should a wetter than normal summer arrive. It would make that a costly trip to a place where no one is going to go. Hey, i am for people getting there. However the thought of just whipping busses on there and altering schedules, isnt really pratical. I tried to tell miranda and miles, but they seem to not want to by it. Even in montreal, routes that have half hour frequencies, they are usually way out on the outskirts….(like this would be) and dont wander astray from the regular schedule.
Homie, how more plainly can I say this…I UNDERSTAND. Changing a schedule is complicated. I get it. It is NOT impossible. It is not even that difficult considering that computers do most of the work. There is nothing you have said that sounds insurmountable.Further, Neither Miranda nor I are saying extending the route is the only nor even the best option…at best we are just saying that it IS an option. How are people supposed to come up with good ideas if they can’t discuss the options? In your games rant you accuse Halifax of being pessimistic and poo-pooing good ideas and now you are bitching at us for being too optimistic and naive. Damned if we do, damned if we don’t eh?
no sir, its called considering the actions. If you were using a tiny portion of your brain you stooge, you would have seen that i agree with your suggestion, never once said it isnt possible, but i did state that a shuttle is more realistic.Is it me are you people too hung up on wanting to be right and fight?
Homie – transit routes rarely cover the cost out of the farebox revenues so it really wouldn’t matter if a wet or sunny season occured, once way transit gets a windfall and the other sees more money coming out of the budget. Even Acadian Lines and Trius’ line runs depend on the charter trip revenue as a subsidy to help the bottom line.I don’t see a huge difference between Montreal and Halifax except for size. The purpose is still the same and if comparing to Montreal then the routes to Herring Cove, Tantallon, Eastern Passage and Beaverbank areas would be contracted out just like the STM and other Montreal Urban Communities do. The transit corporations run the inner-city/downtown stuff and the private operators do the longer routes in many cases. And those private operators still manage to provide increased frequency compared to city operated buses and the private operators need to turn a profit at the end of the day.The subway and outlying transit operations (ie. Laval, Richelieu, etc.) don’t make one bit of difference when explaining public transit only works if you can schedule and route buses to go where people need to go.
Are you there Black Kettle? It’s me, Pot… but you can call me Homie.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2217882132Transit Traveller
consider the route in question here EX…that is my point. The link you gave was a busy one.
and that is yet another great comment by the wise qwerty. what a waste of a post you are most days. Its as though you are afraid to make an attempt at sounding intelligent.
Really? Because from here, it looks like you’re trying desperately and pathetically to SOUND intelligent (mainly by excessive use of words like “merely” and “silly”…???) while failing to realize that the people you think you’re smarter than are, in fact, so much more intelligent than you it’s hilarious.
Wow I read this and thought “oh this is a good bitch…I’ll comment” but then I see there is already 51 replies, I’m sure someone has already said what I wanted to say 🙂
Yowza.I think everyone can agree that the idea of a bus route to the beach is a good one. We can also probably all agree that some really good points have been raised challenging the feasibility of extending a current bus route to accommodate this. Finally, no one has any serious disagreement with the idea of a special shuttle (possibly privately contracted) that starts at the END of the existing bus route would be the best and most feasible alternative.So, everyone more or less agrees with the conclusion – a shuttle is the way to. Case closed! Now who’s gonna take it Council?? :-D(Not me, because I really don’t care about this issue.)
Okay Homie, I used the busy STM route schedule to show that not all transit operations keep a schedule to the same time each and every cycle. Even on the lower ridership routes you could catch a bus at (an example) 11:00 and 11:30 but the next ones were at 12:08 and 12:42, then then again at 13:03, 13:27 and 13:39. That same idea continues all day long based on bus and driver availability since they usually finish one route, take a few minutes then do another completly different route. People have adjusted to the unique timetables and I bet Haligonians could do just as well IF the end result was improved transit operations.If you want to compare Moncton as a smaller city, then look at Codiac putting on a bus to Magnetic Hill for the summer. They are known as a frugal transit system and take a seasonal gamble on the weather with this route, same as MT would have to do re. Rainbow Haven. Its only in the last 7 years that Moncton has introduced evening service, sunday service and more recently an Express 15 minute frequency run that covers a crosstown route. Prior to 2000, evening service was only run on Thurs & Fri nights until 10pm, Mon – Wed was until 6:30ish and Saturdays shut down an hour earlier. We now have service throughout most of Moncton from 6:30am until 11pm Mon to Sat and 8 to 8 on Sundays. Riverview and Dieppe own their own buses and contract Codiac to supply maintenance and drivers based on their own budgets which don’t currently allow for the enhanced services offered in Moncton.Halifax should have been much more advanced by this time seeing how Metro Transit and the former Halifax Transit/Dartmouth Transit have been around a lot longer than Codiac.
Jammie, I doubt you’d see a private operator get rights to such a route because of 2 obstacles:1. The NSURB public passenger division has to issue an operating license and Metro Transit has exclusive rights to Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford and Sackville. MT can contest the application and the board would have no choice but to dismiss it.2. The ATU contract governing MT operations states no contracting out of transit services will take place during the contract period. HRM could try to get this concession as part of contract talks but the drivers and maintenance staff would park their buses before allowing this to take place – and that means walking out or going on strike.
Good points EX. There would also probably be union issues. I am going to take a wild guess and say you must work in the transit field, urban planning, or something similar??However, there may be precedents for this sort of thing that do not involve actual contracting with MT. There are private shuttles that operate airport lines, and one that runs Truro (or Elmsdale?) to Halifax. Several healthcare organizations in the province own their own vans to shuttle people between facilities. Just some examples…Perhaps the “Friends of Rainbow Haven” (if such a community groups exists) could sponsor, partner with, or operate a service that just happens to sync with the terminus of a bus route?There has to be a way…
Interesting idea, but not really feasable for Metro Transit to implement. Rerouting the 61 would lead to it becoming as confusing as the 51 during rush hour and wouldn’t be fair to those in North Preston either. That said, a new route to the beach would be too costly unless you had the ridership to support it. Years ago, there used to be a rush hour run to Ross Rd. It no longer exists today. Things might be different today, but transit looks at employment as its main reason for new routes or reroutes as it’s responsible for a large chunk of ridership.A private shuttle service may fill that gap if the demand was there for a run from, say, Penhorn mall. Any takers?
P.S. The issue of exclusive contracts, union barriers, etc. etc. is so typically Nova Scotian, is it not? It is so obstructionist; we are incredibly good at finding all the reason we CAN’T do something. I find it interesting that the pro side and the con side here are BOTH more focussed on all the NAYS than on the YAYS.We need to get much better at finding the ways that we CAN do things. There is always a workaround, if leaders have the balls to risk some criticism.
Totally with you Plastic Diver. It CAN be done if people can find a good leader who will charge forward and JUST DO IT.
You were close in your guesses Jammie, I have worked on and off in the bus industry since 1990 in NS, NB and QC. I drove charter and school buses in Halifax prior to amalgamation, did the same in Moncton and Fredericton NB and drove for a motorcoach, scheduled route and corporate shuttle operation in Montreal last year. I’ve worked in union and non-union facilities and worked for bosses who listened to their employees and others who cared less what the employees thought about the workplace and clients. I had some inside views of Metro Transit operations when driving for Zinck’s and the francophone school bus division of Nova Charter in the mid 90’s as the ATU also represented drivers at these firms, so we attended union meetings where much of the talk was about transit issues. I took a lot away from these meetings seeing how I was also a transit user at the time.I’m presently doing a business plan and licensing application for a charter operation for South East NB which will cater mostly to schools and other low-budget groups who cannot find chartered school buses due to the school boards not having enough vehicles for extra and co-curricular trips and the ridiculous rates being charged to hire a motorcoach when a school bus would do fine for these cash strapped groups. The idea is to bring in a couple of used school buses and test out the market for two years, my advantage being lower overhead and lower startup costs. Hopefully it works!
EX I really want to chat to you about my own work, as public / subsidized transportation for certain population groups is a huge issue we are exploring – and rather stumped by. I don’t want to post an email address. Is there some way we can chat off-Bitch?
Scratch that EX. We wouldn’t even need to chat. I don’t want to solicit free advice. I could just point you toward some strategy work to which you may be interested in selling your services…
Let me set up an alternate email address over the weekend and I’ll post the addy for ya. I’d do it tonight but already got into the Keiths while preparing for a friend’s birthday bash tonight at midnight. Typing is way too slow.
Don’t say everyone thinks it’s a good idea. I think it’s a terrible idea. How would you get the sand out of the bubblegum stuck to the seats? Oh, the horror…But everyone here who votes NDP and thinks this is a good idea should remember ex-Hal’s post about why the ATU won’t allow it. They are the main reason why transit is so bad in this town.
I thought about the sand too. And agreed on the union thing.How about we say everyone agrees it’s a “nice” idea?
Definitely take it to council !
How about this: a “beach bus” running from the Portland Hills terminal. Limited service, just a few trips a day, as the OP suggests. Metro Transit already has a regular bus route that does precisely that – the #3. So we already know they can make it work. First trip arriving at Rainbow Haven when the park opens, last trip departing when the park closes, Canada Day to Labour Day. I think the OP is right. That bus would be standing room only every day unless it was pissing down rain.
Miranda, you give me hope that in this crazy world of ours, there are still people who can express a great thought coherently. Don’t ever leave me.I didn’t read all the comments, so I apologize if I’m repeating, but if the bus charged something like $5 or $10 (or possibly more) each way, it could possibly be a very lucrative venture, not to mention a way to restore faith in a system that everybody agrees sucks, but are divided about what they suck the most at.
OK, what they really need to do here is to make a new route that goes from the bridge, to Eastern Passage, then through Cow Bay, past Rainbow Haven, into Cole Harbour. Then it can go to Penhorn Mall and then back to the bridge. They could make one go in the opposite direction as well. This would not only solve the beach issue, but would solve the issue of trying to get from EP to CH in less than 90 mins by bus, when it only take 15 mins by car. Having lived in EP for most of my young life, it was incredibly annoying to see that I had to go all the way into Dartmouth to transfer to a bus to get to CH, when the school bus to CHDHS did it in 20 mins.
Miranda…I get tired of people projecting themselves in my posts, it’s not about being defensive, just tired of people seeing something that is just not there in the post. I “Shit on you” because you shit on me and in a way that was not “asking to clarify” a point…you jumped on me under ASSUMED intent…that rarely ever creates or fosters the right communicative environment you are looking for. I am all for some good debate, but not based on assumptions. Just ask me next time and I will whole-heartedly (and politely) reply with a clarification.
uhhh did the font and size just change for everyone else?
So who decided to steal the shuttle Idea that i suggested?!
NASA..??
Dear sand between my toes. I agree so much with your complaint about the bus system and the beaches. It’s somehting that has been bothering me for a long time. I’m glad I’m not the only one. I wanted to tell you something you may not have tried. There is a bus that leaves from the portland hills terminal called porter’s lake community transit. If you take it to the very end of the line and then walk another mile you will come to a beach. It is alot like lawrencetown but not a lot of sand. Be careful because there are no lifeguards. apparently people use this for surfing. I don’t know about rainbow haven. I find it is not good for swimming. full of seaweed and mucky and you have to walk out forever to get to any depth. Tell me if you think I am wrong on this.
Dear sand between my toes. I agree so much with your complaint about the bus system and the beaches. It’s somehting that has been bothering me for a long time. I’m glad I’m not the only one. I wanted to tell you something you may not have tried. There is a bus that leaves from the portland hills terminal called porter’s lake community transit. If you take it to the very end of the line and then walk another mile you will come to a beach. It is alot like lawrencetown but not a lot of sand. Be careful because there are no lifeguards. apparently people use this for surfing. I don’t know about rainbow haven. I find it is not good for swimming. full of seaweed and mucky and you have to walk out forever to get to any depth. Tell me if you think I am wrong on this.