Comments on: 20 Minute Transit Service starts July 7th http://mayorsblog.guelph.ca/2008/07/04/20-minute-transit-service-starts-july-7th/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:38:40 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Lyndsay http://mayorsblog.guelph.ca/2008/07/04/20-minute-transit-service-starts-july-7th/#comment-259 Lyndsay Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:23:11 +0000 http://mayorofguelph.wordpress.com/?p=172#comment-259 Some people think it's not important? Do these people realize not everyone has a car? I am so so happy to see signs at the stops showing stop times. This is long overdue. I think 20 minutes is good for a city this size. There are just a couple other suggestions I have. One is to not require exact change. And/or install a card system where people can put money on their card and swipe it when they get on the bus and only charge them $2 if they use the card instead of cash. I realize this would probably be expensive to install but it works in Sweden. Having exact change can be a pain. And a cheaper option might get more people to ride the bus. Additionally in Sweden, every stop is named and at the front of the bus the next stop is named on a screen. This is so helpful for newcomers who are learning the city or people going somewhere in the city they've never been to. They don't have to bother the bus driver about stopping at their stop. A map is at every stop with stop names. Some people think it’s not important? Do these people realize not everyone has a car? I am so so happy to see signs at the stops showing stop times. This is long overdue. I think 20 minutes is good for a city this size. There are just a couple other suggestions I have. One is to not require exact change. And/or install a card system where people can put money on their card and swipe it when they get on the bus and only charge them $2 if they use the card instead of cash. I realize this would probably be expensive to install but it works in Sweden. Having exact change can be a pain. And a cheaper option might get more people to ride the bus.
Additionally in Sweden, every stop is named and at the front of the bus the next stop is named on a screen. This is so helpful for newcomers who are learning the city or people going somewhere in the city they’ve never been to. They don’t have to bother the bus driver about stopping at their stop. A map is at every stop with stop names.

]]> By: Julia Grady http://mayorsblog.guelph.ca/2008/07/04/20-minute-transit-service-starts-july-7th/#comment-212 Julia Grady Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:03:45 +0000 http://mayorofguelph.wordpress.com/?p=172#comment-212 I'm happy to support the new 20 minute bus service enhancement to our transit system through my property taxes. Public transit, including bus and rail is certainly something that a forward thinking city as Guelph should be investing in. Keeping transit affordable and accessible, with routes that are well planned and timed is vital as our city grows. Transit should never be considered an exclusively user-pay system. It's a core part of the infrastructure that ties out city's residential and commercial areas together. Developing this infrastructure is one of the important moves our city needs to make to remain livable (and affordable) in years to come. I also look forward to better inter-city transit, as this will be necessary as we look at ways to make reaching surrounding cities such as Kitchener, Cambridge and Toronto more practical. Clearly, as gas prices rise, cities without good transit systems will be left behind. There can be no argument made that the dramatic increase of fuel costs over the course of the past year has not had an impact on citizens who travel to and from work, even locally. Also, this impact is far higher than the nominal amount felt through the increase to taxes for extended bus service. The whole transit discussion presents a big opportunity for foresight into what the road ahead looks like 5, 10 and 30 years down the line. In 30 years, I'm confident that our kids won't even be debating the merits of public transit, and greener modes of transportation in general, it'll just be how it always was. I’m happy to support the new 20 minute bus service enhancement to our transit system through my property taxes. Public transit, including bus and rail is certainly something that a forward thinking city as Guelph should be investing in. Keeping transit affordable and accessible, with routes that are well planned and timed is vital as our city grows. Transit should never be considered an exclusively user-pay system. It’s a core part of the infrastructure that ties out city’s residential and commercial areas together.

Developing this infrastructure is one of the important moves our city needs to make to remain livable (and affordable) in years to come. I also look forward to better inter-city transit, as this will be necessary as we look at ways to make reaching surrounding cities such as Kitchener, Cambridge and Toronto more practical.

Clearly, as gas prices rise, cities without good transit systems will be left behind. There can be no argument made that the dramatic increase of fuel costs over the course of the past year has not had an impact on citizens who travel to and from work, even locally. Also, this impact is far higher than the nominal amount felt through the increase to taxes for extended bus service.

The whole transit discussion presents a big opportunity for foresight into what the road ahead looks like 5, 10 and 30 years down the line. In 30 years, I’m confident that our kids won’t even be debating the merits of public transit, and greener modes of transportation in general, it’ll just be how it always was.

]]> By: David Graham http://mayorsblog.guelph.ca/2008/07/04/20-minute-transit-service-starts-july-7th/#comment-202 David Graham Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:40:10 +0000 http://mayorofguelph.wordpress.com/?p=172#comment-202 Thank you for this improvement in our transit service! I very much look forward to it. Thank you for this improvement in our transit service! I very much look forward to it.

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