This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.
The Lovely Transit system in the HRM
I am very confused by our transit system. Does everyone have a holiday tommorrow? Why are the buses running on a holiday schedule even though half of the HRM still have to work? Are we not important enough to be able to depend upon public transit but
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The transit system sucks because of the ingrained, systemic attitude that public transit is a form of welfare for people who can’t afford cars. If you could afford a car, you’d have one. And if you had a car, you’d be driving it. By extension, if you’re working on a holiday, you’re obviously pumping gas, serving meals, or some doing some other menial job. Unless you’re something important, like a nurse. And then, well, you’ve got a car, don’t you? The bottom line is, if you HAVE to take the bus, then you’re an insignificant serf who can suck it up or walk.Until this attitude changes, we can look forward to sucky bus service. If you don’t believe this, look at the service that’s directed at people who DO have cars. Especially the MetroLink service. Air conditioned buses? Reclining seats? Service every 15 minutes? And have you seen how clean they are? If you haven’t ridden on one of these things, I urge you to pay the extra fifty cents and see how the other half lives.Compare the service to Clayton Park with the service to Spryfield. Similar distance from the downtown core. Similar population density. But Spryfield has one bus that runs every half hour all day. Five buses service Clayton Park, three more during rush hour, and several more end or begin their routes at the Lacewood terminal. Why? Because Spryfield is poor and Clayton Park is affluent.
It’s not because Sprytown is poor dumbass..it’s because Clayton Park has more businesses and tons more population! The 20 is the worst bus ever though!!!!!
I said population DENSITY, not population. As in residents per square kilometer. Spryfield and CP do have similar population density. And CP has more businesses because people in CP can afford to patronize them. Economics is everything. And name calling only makes you look vulgar.
The word “Union” comes to mind. The buses dont drive themselves, they need workers as well, i dont think its appropriate to bitch about having to work on a holiday when the bus drivers, although arent runnign normal schedules are still, also working. I dont think that it would be appropriate to have them all work on every holiday, they as well have families, and work shifts ranging from 5am-1am. As much as it sucks, and yes, EVERY YEAR i am late for work on good friday because i forget its a holiday, i dont think it gives room to complain really.. in my own opinion
There are more people living and working in CP than in spryfield!!!! Simple enough!!!! That’s why there are more buses more often!!!!Has nothing to do with DENSITY! Sorry for the vulgarity in my comment, but really if ur that offended by “dumbass”, you should stay away from the stinky, dirty buses altogether as I’m sure I hear much worse daily from the ignorant fucks (sorry again) that ride them!!!!
@ LoriI don’t know why you seem to be taking this personally. It’s my opinion that there is more and better bus service to Clayton Park because people here have cars and can afford to drive them, and the transit authority knows that if the bus service sucks too much, they WILL drive them. Clayton Park does indeed have more population than Spryfield, but not eight or ten times the population. If your opinion is something different, then I’m ok with that. Just don’t call me names because you don’t agree with me.
I did take it personnally when you refer to Spry as poor and CP therefor as rich! I know people who live in Spry that are wealthy and I know even more people in CP that are barely getting by. So I just disagree with your conclusion that the reason for the crappy bus system is poor vs rich! Are you really bitching that bad over the dumbass comment? I take it back already. I’m sure your very intelligent, but then don’t refer to a whole community as poor, people will take offence!
Wait. Are you taking my comments as a slur against Spryfield? It was not meant that way at all. I was defending Spryfield’s right to adequate public transit. I don’t think access to adequate service should be contingent upon bargaining power. Maybe “poor” was a bad choice of words. I also know people who live in Spryfield who are doing just fine. And I am one of those people living in CP who is just getting by. The point I meant to make is that, demographically, Spryfield is a less affluent area. A larger percentage of Spyfield residents can’t afford cars, and I think Metro Transit exploits that fact to give the area substandard service.
Does everyone in this city think that everyone else is conspiring against them to make their lives hell? Holiday bus service has always been a reality so to those that have to unfortunately work on holidays (and by the way I used to be one of them) get your ass out of bed a bit earlier and suck it up!!!PS Bus drivers are people too (and have families and can work any of the 7 days of the week until midnight – so give them a break!)
yep – I think I agree with Brian, just get up earlier, and think about the poor bus drivers who have to dirve us on the holidays. Somebody should get a day off and enjoy. It usually goes by seniority and then we have less bus driver therefore less runs. I think the actual orgainization is in need of some adjustments. Honestly, I have been reading these bitches about MT for quite a few months now and all these “bitchie” bus drivers must really hate MT too, and they are just taking it out on some of the passengers. Granted there are some people out there that are bitches because that is is their personality flaw. But maybe along with the MT system being flawed for the public – maybe it is also a really shitty employer as well??Oh well, that’s my 2 cents…
they’re going on strike soon, so you won’t have to worry about the lousy service….blame the idiots at city hall for this btw the way
I have to point out the fact that the “get your ass out of bed a little earlier” arguement only works if your shift doesn’t start until an hour after the buses start running. If you have to be at work at 7AM, you’re pretty much screwed. Unless you’re prepared to spend an hour and a half’s wages on a cab. And I don’t think anyone is blaming the drivers for shitty service. The planners and administrators – none of whom ever take the bus, I guarantee you – that are responsible for that.
I had the misfortune of living in Sackville for a few months a few years ago. My shift at a store on Quinpool Road (only a few minutes walk from the willow tree at Robie) started at 9am.To be ‘not late’, ie to show up within a few minutes (10 or so) before I started I would have to catch the 0720am 80-Halifax. How fucked up is that? I’d be sitting in a bus, in traffic. When I was in Kanata a few years ago I saw these ‘bus only’ lanes on the highway to bring people from ‘out there’ into downtown Ottawa. Nice.I could ride that trip the bus took in 45 minutes, and did until the time changed and it was dark at 5pm. Who wants to bike on a non-bike friendly road in the dark after working 9 hours?No wonder people use cars instead of metro, I could have driven to work in less time than that bus (via the bi-hi).It took me sometime to realize that the timings on the bus schedule do not indicate what time the bus you are on will reach a destination (I think the 80 claims that Sackville-Scotia Square is a 45 minute trip if you read it that way) but only indicates approximate pickup times.Yep, get up earlier.Poor bus drivers? So the public should plan its schedule around theirs? Isn’t that a little backwards? I dunno.Sorry, this is scattered all over the map. Need another coffee…
Cranky, I find your comment a little cnfusing, maybe I need another coffee…I would just like to say that there are people who would get up 5 hours before there work day begins so that they have accommendate for their 3 1/2 hour communte. If someone is complaing about having to get up at 6 so that they can catch a 7am bus so that they can be at work for 9am, I say -yep that sucks ABIT. but be glad you you are going to a job at all.
A bit? Whats it like relying on the 80 sackville while working in halifax?Get up at 0630, catch the 0720 bus, arrive at about 0840, grab some breakfast from the local breakfast store.End your dat 1800(6pm), catch the 1820 bus back to suckville, arrive at 1930(less traffic) but you may be standing for awhile due to the students.Arrive home around 8ish.Eat and go to bed, ready to do it all again the next day…
yeh that does suck. But try and take some comfort in the fact that- you are helping the environment by not contributing to the polution with another car…KODOS for you! really that is a good thing, and also I will say this – at least you are going to a job and not to a cancer clinic for your weekly chemo. I would suggest trying to find something that you can do in that travel time, that makes it more worth while. It does suck that so much time can be wasted in transit but if you find something worth while it doesn’t have to be a wasted time…