Enclosure I – Draft 2019 Service Plan Changes

Draft 2019 Service Plan Changes

The following proposals come from input from the Five Year Framework, operators, the public and current operational concerns. The proposed changes are intended to right size system, simplify routes to operate more directly, increase ridership, improve schedule adherence, and/or address overcrowding concerns.

Routing Modifications

Route 1

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Modify route in three areas: operate on Colborne between Regent and Oxford, instead of along Richmond, remove service along Bond and Raywood to instead operate along Wellington and Base Line north of Victoria Hospital, and operate on Horton and Colborne when travelling southbound toward Grey St, see Figure I (enclosed PDF).
  2. Adjust frequencies in the weekday PM peak and early evening periods, Saturday early AM, and Sunday base and peak periods to right-size the service based on productivity.

Issue/Rationale:

Route 1 currently operates along arterial routes with many deviations into surrounding neighbourhoods, which results in lengthy routing and back-tracking for passengers. The significant deviations also reduce the productivity of the route overall

Routing changes are proposed to make the route more direct while still maintaining connections to major origins and destinations.

The minor frequency changes are in response to low productivity and better resource utilization.

Impacts:

Frequency (proposed changes are shown in bold)

Weekday Time Period Early AM AM Peak Base PM Peak Early Evening Late Evening
Proposed Headway 20 15 20 16 25 30
Existing Headway 20 15 20 15 30 30
Saturday Time Period Early AM Base Peak Early Evening Late Evening
Proposed Headway 40 30 20 30 30
Existing Headway 30 30 20 30 30
Sunday Time Period Early AM Base Peak Evening
Proposed Headway – 32 25 30
Existing Headway – 30 30 30

Service Hours

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Modify routing and adjust frequencies -3,690 -1,230 -1

Route 2 / 94

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Route 2 – Reduce weekday peak period frequency from 10 minutes to 15 minutes between 7am and 10am and between 1pm and 6pm.
  2. Route 94 – Introduce new express route operating between Natural Science and Argyle Mall during weekday peak periods at a 26 minute frequency between 7am and 10am and at a 23 minute frequency between 1pm and 6pm, see Figure II (enclosed PDF).

Issue/Rationale:

An opportunity exists to offer faster travel time for passengers along the Route 2 corridor by offering an express bus during peak periods. This will shift resources from the over serviced areas on Route 2A and Route 2B to the main corridor with high ridership on Dundas and Western/ Wharncliffe.

The proposed express stops would capture approximately 51% of the existing ridership, without accounting for passengers choosing to walk further to an express stop. These stops would see slightly increased frequency than currently provided, while local-only stops would experience an average 2.5 minute additional wait time during weekday peak periods.

Proposed express stop locations for Route 94 are as follows:

  • Argyle Mall
  • Dundas & Third
  • Dundas & First
  • Dundas & Highbury
  • Dundas & Quebec
  • Dundas & Adelaide
  • Dundas & Wellington
  • Queens/King & Richmond
  • Riverside & Wharncliffe
  • Wharncliffe & Oxford
  • Wharncliffe & Essex
  • Western & Sarnia
  • Natural Science

It should be noted, the express stop locations will be further assessed and refined before final recommendations are made in January 2019.

Impacts:

Service Hours

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Route 2 – Reduce weekday peak period frequency -7308 -2436 -4
Route 94 – Introduce route during weekday peak periods 7308 2436 4

Route 5

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Weekday – Eliminate daytime only routing on Griffith east of Boler and operate on Boler Road during all time periods, see Figure III (enclosed PDF).

Issue/Rationale:

Route 5 currently operates different routings through Byron before 6pm on weekdays than it does in the evenings and on weekends. The proposed change eliminates the routing changes based on time of day to instead operate along Boler Road during all time periods. There would be a service coverage impact for passengers who currently catch the bus on Griffith east of Boler although many would still be within 400 metres of a transit stop.

Impacts:

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Modify weekday daytime routing to stay on Boler at all times of day 0 0 0

Route 6

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Modify routing to reduce backtracking on campus – operate northbound on Richmond, west on Windermere, south on Perth, and east on University Drive, see Figure IV (enclosed PDF).
  2. Eliminate interline with Route 9C
  3. Reduce frequency on weekday early AM and late evening periods, Saturday mornings and late evenings, and Sunday morning and early evening
  4. Reduce frequency in spring/ summer on weekday evenings, all-day Saturday, and on Sunday late evenings

Issue/Rationale:

The current routing on Route 6 at the University is indirect and prone to delay due to increased traffic on campus. A streamlined routing is proposed through that maintains service to University Hospital and a portion of Western campus (Talbot College/ Delaware Hall) while saving travel time and service hours.

The modified routing would also provide northbound service on Richmond north of University Drive, offering better service to residents in the apartment buildings in this area. Additionally, Route 6 would help alleviate overcrowding on Route 13 leaving Western University southbound from Talbot College/ Delaware Hall.

After 7pm, Route 6 is interlined with Route 9C – both routes experience schedule adherence concerns due to run time constraints. Also, the evening-only interline can be confusing to passengers as there is a routing change. Additionally, passengers cannot travel between Western University and Woodward Avenue easily after 7pm. In order to simplify the system, it is proposed to eliminate the evening interline of Route 6/ 9C to maintain the regular daytime routing on each route during all time periods. In order to maintain existing frequencies, service hour investments are required.

Finally, Route 6 has low productivity at specific times, especially during the Spring/ Summer periods, and is proposed to have frequency reductions made during these times to better match service with demand.

Impacts:

Route 6 passengers would no longer have direct service to Natural Science or Alumni Hall; however, Route 106 provides this service while operating much more frequently (every 10 minutes vs every 30). There could be additional capacity constraints on Route 106 that can be alleviated with the proposed Route 106 frequency increase.

Frequency (Proposed changes are shown in bold, spring/ summer in brackets)

Weekday Time Period Early AM AM Peak Base PM Peak Early Evening Late Evening
Proposed Headway 35 25 30 30 25 (35) 35 (60)
Existing Headway 30 30 30 30 30 30
Saturday Time Period Early AM Base AM Peak PM Peak Early Evening Late Evening
Proposed Headway 55 (-) 35 (60) 25 20 (25) 25 (35) 35 (60)
Existing Headway 35 30 20 20 30 30
Sunday Time Period Early AM Base Peak Early Evening Late Evening
Proposed Headway – 35 25 35 30 (60)
Existing Headway – 30 30 30 30

Service Hours

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Modify routing through University; eliminate interline with Route 9C; all-year frequency reductions -1,980 -660 -1
Frequency reductions in spring/ summer -850 0 0

Route 9, 14, 25, 31, 32, 34, 40 – North End

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Route 9 – Modify routing in Whitehills to serve the intersection of Wonderland and Fanshawe Park Roads and provide two-way service along Limberlost. Introduce a new branch routing with one branch operating along the current Route 31 alignment through Orchard Park and the other remaining on Sarnia and Wonderland Road, see Figure VI (enclosed PDF).
  2. Route 9 – Increase round trip time to improve schedule adherence
  3. Route 14 – Modify routing to connect Kipps Lane and Adelaide with Huron and Highbury, see Figure VII (enclosed PDF)
  4. Route 25 – Modify route to stay on Fanshawe Park Road between Phillbrook and Trossacks, see Figure IX (enclosed PDF).
  5. Route 25 – Weekday – Improve weekday frequency from 30 to 20 minutes between 2 and 5 pm
  6. Route 25 – Sunday – Improve frequency from 60 to 27 minutes between 3 and 7 pm
  7. Route 31 – Modify routing in Whitehills to provide two-way service along Sarnia Road and Aldersbrook Road, see Figure VI (enclosed PDF).
  8. Route 31 – Eliminate interline with Route 19 (see Route 19 modifications).
  9. Route 32 – Modify routing to operate two-way service on Huron St connecting the intersection of Huron & Highbury directly to Western University, see Figure VII (enclosed PDF)
  10. Route 31 / 32 – Increase frequency on Weekday and Saturday evenings, and during Sunday peak periods; extend operating hours by 1.5 hours on Weekdays and Saturdays and by 2.75 hours on Sundays.
  11. Route 34 – Modify route to serve Richmond & Sunningdale via Plane Tree and Quarrier. Operate two-way service on Ambleside, see Figure IX (enclosed PDF).
  12. Route 34 / 40 – Interline routes at Alumni Hall during all time periods. Remove limited interline at Masonville.
  13. Route 40 – Modify route to serve Windermere, Doon, and Western University. Operate two-way service on Glenora, Grenfell, and Phillbrook, see Figure IX (enclosed PDF).

Issue/Rationale:

Whitehills

Development near the Whitehills area has changed dramatically in recent years with increased residential to the west and residential and commercial to the north. The current routing of Route 9 and 31 over-services some areas, such as Blackacres, while not providing service to key nodes such as the intersection of Wonderland & Fanshawe Park Road. Additionally, the current 9A/ 9B loop adds confusion and reduces the frequency through the large loop depending on where passengers are travelling.

The routing modifications proposed on Routes 9 and 31 provide more direct service for Route 31, more service to the Wonderland and Fanshawe Park intersection, and better align service to ridership demand.

There are significant schedule adherence issues currently on Route 9 that require investment to alleviate. The routing change helps to address the schedule adherence concerns ensuring Route 9 operates reliably during all time periods.

The current interline with Route 19 and 31 is proposed to be separated as Route 19 has a much more commuter-dominated ridership comparted to Route 31’s predominantly student ridership. Routes 31 and 32 would maintain the existing interline at Western University as they have similar ridership demands and will warrant similar service changes.

East-West Service on Sarnia Road and Huron Street

Routing changes are proposed to Routes 31 and 32 to create a direct east-west route that connects three major nodes: Huron and Highbury, Western University, and Hyde Park Power Centre.

Operating Route 31 on Sarnia Road from Western Road to Aldersbrook Road will increase capacity from Western University along Sarnia Road and help alleviate congestion on Routes 10 and 29. Additionally, operating more direct service on Route 31 and Route 32 will save travel time for passengers travelling between any of the destinations along the route and will save service hours that can be reinvested elsewhere in the network.

Additionally, there have been many requests to extend service later on Route 31 and 32, on weekdays and weekends with the ridership to justify the increase. Route 31 & 32 passengers will also see reduced wait times in the afternoon and evenings as part of the proposed changes.

Kipps Lane/ Huron Street/ Windermere/ Doon Area

With the proposed removal of Route 32 service from Kipps Lane, an opportunity exists to extend Route 14 to Kipps & Adelaide introducing westbound service on Kipps Lane and both Routes 14 and 32 providing eastbound service on Huron. This will improve passenger access for Kipps Lane and Huron residents utilizing Route 14 and offer more frequency between the nodes of Huron and Highbury and Kipps Lane and Adelaide.

The proposed routing modifications on Route 32 will remove service from Windermere and Doon. To maintain transit access an extension of Route 40 to Western University via Windermere and Doon is proposed to service the area while also providing a one-bus service to Western University for residents in Northridge and Grenfell.

Northridge/ Grenfell/ Ambleside/ Plane Tree Area

The proposed routing changes on Route 34, to service the Richmond and Sunningdale area, and Route 40 to service Doon Drive and the Grenfell neighbourhoods, provide service to a new growth area (Richmond & Sunningdale), maintain service coverage resulting from the proposed Route 32 changes, and better aligns transit service with ridership demand.

The neighbourhood north of Fanshawe Park and west of Richmond and the development node at Richmond and Sunningdale are currently outside of the 400 meter service coverage area. There has been significant development in recent years to warrant transit service. Extending Route 34 to this area will provide one-bus service to Masonville Place and Western University.

Finally, both Route 25 and 34 currently operate in mixed conditions – part of the routes serve high ridership arterial roads and other parts serve lower ridership neighbourhoods. The goal with the routing modifications is to separate the low and high ridership natures of the routes: Route 34 and 40 will remain in the low-ridership neighbourhoods while Route 25 will serve the rapidly growing ridership between Fanshawe College and Masonville along Fanshawe Park Road. Modifying the routing in this way better aligns service with demand.

Route 25 has had rapid ridership growth since the extension to Masonville in the Fall of 2017. There have been overcrowding concerns on weekday afternoons and the ridership on Sunday justifies more frequeny service than the current 60 minutes.

Impacts:

Whitehills

The routing changes in Whitehills may have some impacts on passengers who currently have a one-bus ride to their destination. Passengers on Aldersbrook that currently have Route 9 service, but would have proposed Route 31 service, would lose direct downtown transit service while gaining direct University service. Similarly, passengers on Limberlost and in the Wychwood neighbourhood would lose direct University service while gaining direct downtown service. The overall impact is not expected to be significant as there are many transfer opportunities along Sarnia Road.

The only impact to the separation of Route 19 and 31 are to passengers who travel through at the Hyde Park Power Centre. The lack of directness suggests few passengers make use of this routing, while the proposed interline of Route 19 and 39 (more details below) is expected to produce much more through riders and be a greater benefit to the transit network.

Finally, there is a loss of transit service on Aldersbrook Road east of Aldersbrook Gate; however, there are limited passengers who currently board or alight in this area and the majority will be within 400 metres of the proposed Route 9 stops.

Kipps Lane/ Huron Street/ Windermere/ Doon Area

Proposed routing changes on Route 32 would affect Kipps Lane passengers who are destined for Western University – they would no longer have one-bus service. Similarly, passengers on Routes 31 and 32 who are destined for University Hospital would require either a transfer or approximately a 700m walk. Also, Montcalm Secondary would no longer be served by Route 32.

Proposed changes to Route 14 would remove service from Barker and Melsandra; however, all residents in this area would be within 400 metres of the rerouted Route 14.

The other area that will experience a service reduction is Windermere Road and Doon Drive that now have 30-minute service which is proposed to be reduced to 45-minutes resulting in an average wait increase of 7.5 minutes. These passengers still maintain direct service to Western University. The proposed service will more closely align service delivery with ridership demand.

Northridge/ Grenfell/ Ambleside/ Plane Tree Area

Passengers on Route 25 that currently travel through the Phillbrook/ Grenfell neighbourhood will benefit from the route operating more directly on Fanshawe Park Road. Additionally, the more direct route eliminates the need to invest approximately 500 annual service hours to maintain schedule adherence during the PM peak period.

Passengers in the Grenfell/ Phillbrook area would see a reduction in service during daytime periods from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. This area currently has low ridership productivity while the remainder of the route is high.

The impact for passengers travelling to Masonville from this area would only be the additional wait time experienced due to the frequency reduction (average additional 7.5 minutes). Some of these passengers are ultimately destined for Western University and with the proposed routing change Route 40, will provide one-bus service to Western mitigating the impacts of the frequency reduction.

The impact to Grenfell/ Phillbrook passengers travelling east would now require a transfer or a long walk to the more direct Route 25.

There are three areas that will see greatly improved service. The Northridge neighbourhood currently served by Route 40, Ambleside currently served by Route 34, and the currently unserviced area of Plane Tree and Richmond and Sunningdale will all see two-way service connecting to Masonville Place and Western University.

The proposed routing changes provide direct service to the high ridership areas, Route 25, while maintaining service coverage in the lower ridership areas (Route 34 and 40).

Frequency

Route 9 (proposed changes shown in bold)

Weekday Time Period Early AM AM Peak Base PM Peak Early Evening Late Evening
Proposed Headway 17 16 15 15 22 32
Existing Headway 15 15 15 15 30 30
Saturday Time Period Early AM Base AM Peak PM Peak Early Evening Late Evening
Proposed Headway 60 32 23 25 32 30
Existing Headway 60 30 30 30 30 30
Sunday Time Period Early AM Base Peak Evening
Proposed Headway 60 33 23 30
Existing Headway 60 30 30 30

Route 14

There are no proposed frequency changes on Route 14.

Route 25

There are significant frequency changes proposed during weekday PM Peak between 2 pm and 5 pm (30 minutes to 20 minutes) and Sunday afternoons between 3 pm and 7 pm (60 minutes to 27 minutes) .

Route 31/ 32 (proposed changes shown in bold)

The proposed changes shown below for Routes 31 & 32 improve frequency during the weekday afternoon rush hour and during all evening periods. There are minor frequency reductions during early morning periods from Monday to Saturday. During the spring and summer, ridership declines significantly on these routes and frequency reductions are warranted.

Weekday Time Period Early AM AM Peak Base PM Peak Early Evening Late Evening
Proposed Headway 40 30 30 25 (30) 45 40
Existing Headway 30 30 30 30 60 60
Saturday Time Period Early AM Base Peak Early Evening Late Evening
Proposed Headway 40 40 30 40 40
Existing Headway 35 30 30 60 60
Sunday Time Period Early AM Base Peak Evening
Proposed Headway – 40 45 40
Existing Headway – 60 60 –

Route 34/ 40 (proposed changes shown in bold)

The proposed routing for Route 34 and 40 will operate two-way service along the route. Currently, much of the neighbourhood service on Route 34 and 40 is one-way service. Two-way service operating on a 45 minute headway will provide more service to these neighbourhoods than one-way service operating on a 30 minute headway.

Weekday Time Period Early AM AM Peak Base PM Peak Early Evening Late Evening
Proposed Headway 60 40 40 45 60 60
Existing 34 Headway – 30 30 30 60 60
Existing 40 Headway 30 30 30 30 60 60
Saturday Time Period Early AM Base Peak Early Evening Late Evening
Proposed Headway – 60 40 60 60
Existing 34 Headway – 30 30 60 60
Existing 40 Headway 30 30 30 60 60
Sunday Time Period Early AM Base Peak Evening
Proposed Headway – 60 60 60
Existing 34 Headway – 60 60 60
Existing 40 Headway – 60 60 60

Service Hours

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Route 9 – Modify routing in Whitehills; eliminate interline with Route 6; add buses to reduce lates 3,780 1,260 1
Route 14 – Extend routing to Kipps & Adelaide 1,050 350 1
Route 25 – Increase frequency on Weekday afternoons 760 250 1
Route 25 – Increase frequency on Sunday afternoons 250 90 0
Route 31 & 32 – Modify routing in Whitehills; eliminate interline with Route 19; modify routing in Huron/ Kipps area; frequency increase and operating hour extension -1,050 -350 0
Route 31 & 32 – Frequency reductions in spring/ summer -340 0 0
Modify Route 34 and 40 and operate at 45-minute peak frequency and 60-minute off-peak frequency 5,040 1,680 1
Total 9,490 3,280 4

Route 10

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Weekday – Extend routing to Masonville Place from 9am to 2pm
  2. Modify routing south of Southdale Road to operate on Wellington instead of Montgomery, see Figure VIII (enclosed PDF).

Issue/Rationale:

Route 10 currently operates to Masonville Place on Weekdays between 2pm and 10pm, on Saturdays between 7am and 10pm, and on Sundays between 7:30am and 5:30pm. The connection between Masonville Place and Western University is a high ridership, high productivity corridor that requires increased service to match the ridership demand. Extending Route 10 to Masonville Place on weekdays starting at 9am allows for better access to Masonville, increased capacity between Masonville Place and Western University, and simplifies Route 10 by providing service to Masonville Place during mall hours.

In the south end, Route 10 currently operates on Montgomery, which is a parallel road to Wellington, 150 metres to the west. An opportunity exists to operate Route 10 on Wellington between Southdale and White Oaks Mall to improve transfer connections, make the route more direct, and improve passenger access to the commercial stretch on Wellington Road. Additionally, by removing stops on Montgomery, amenities such as shelters can be redistributed.

Impacts:

Generally, the change from Montgomery to Wellington is a subtle change that provides overall benefit to the transit network.

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Extend routing to Masonville Place on Weekdays between 9am and 2pm 1,260 420 0
Modify routing to operate on Wellington instead of Montgomery 0 0 0

Route 16, 24, & 92

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Route 16 – Modify routing to remove service to Victoria Hospital, eliminate branch routing in south end, and operate turnaround on Deveron Cres in Pond Mills, see Figure X (enclosed PDF).
  2. Route 16 – Increase frequency at all time periods except weekend mornings and evenings
  3. Route 24 – Modify routing to shorten the Talbot Village loop, operate on Commissioners instead of Base Line Road between Wharncliffe and Wellington, and extend to Summerside in the east, see Figure XI (enclosed PDF).
  4. Route 24 – Improve frequency at all time periods except weekday peak periods, decrease frequency during weekday peak periods; introduce service on Sundays
  5. Route 92 – Eliminate base period service and reduce frequency during weekday peak periods

Issue/Rationale:

Route 16’s deviation to Victoria Hospital in both directions has added travel time for thru passengers and reduced the route’s productivity. There has been limited uptake in passengers accessing the hospital.

The productivity in the A and B branches, through Pond Mills and Summerside respectively, also has poor ridership and productivity, especially in off-peak periods.

Route 16 north of Commissioners, without the hospital deviation, operates well above the minimum boardings per revenue-vehicle-hour. There is an opportunity to improve service where it’s needed (north of Commissioners) while reducing service where it’s not justified (through the neighbourhoods).

Route 24 has low productivity on the entire route and most notably through the Talbot Village area. Shorter routing through the neighbourhood is justified to help right-size the system.

Additionally, there have been continued requests to have an east-west route on Commissioners that would offer a direct connection between Wellington and Wonderland.

Currently the productivity on Route 24 and Route 16B in Summerside is very similar, as such, it is proposed that Route 24 be extended east on Commissioners to Summerside to replace the service currently provided by Route 16B.

Finally, Route 92’s productivity is just above the minimum threshold for express routes and is not seeing ridership growth at the same rate as Route 90 or 91. A reduction in frequency and operating hours would improve productivity and allow for reinvestment of those hours into Routes 16 and 24.

Impacts:

Passengers on the Adelaide corridor north of Commissioners would see similar or improved frequency at all time periods except weekday early morning periods (before 7am) and weekdays between 9am and noon. Significant frequency improvements are proposed during weekday peak periods, Saturdays between 12pm and 6pm, and Sundays between 12pm and 6pm.

Along the current 16A branch through Pond Mils, some passengers would require a further walk to transit, and others would receive increased frequency.

In Summerside, where the 16B currently services, the most significant change for passengers would be span of service. Summerside would no longer have service after 7pm on weekdays, before 8am and after 6pm on Saturdays, and before 10am and after 5pm on Sundays. The frequency on Sundays would be an improvement for Summerside from 60 minutes to 40 minutes. While the proposed change will impact some passengers, the recommendations better match service with demand.

In Talbot Village, the impacts of removing service on Settlement Trail and Pack Road would be minimal as there is limited ridership along the portion of the route that will be eliminated. Talbot Village will gain service on Sundays.

Finally, passengers on Base Line Road between Wellington and Cathcart would no longer have service; however, the majority of passengers remain well within the 400 metre walking distance to a transit stop. The remaining Route 24 passengers would see new Sunday service, increased weekday midday service (from 60 to 40 minutes) and a slight decrease in weekday peak period service (35 to 40 minutes).

Frequency (proposed changes shown in bold)

Weekday Time Period Early AM AM Peak Base AM Base Noon PM Base PM Peak Early Evening Late Evening
16 – Proposed Headway 18 15 16 17 15 14 20 25
16 – Existing Headway 20 20 20 20 20 20 30 30
24 – Proposed Headway 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 –
24 – Existing Headway 60 30 60 60 35 35 35 –
92 – Proposed Headway – 22 – 32 25 25 32 –
92 – Existing Headway 20 20 30 30 20 20 20 –
Saturday Time Period Early AM Base AM Peak AM Peak Noon Peak PM Early Evening Late Evening
16 – Proposed Headway 25 25 21 15 15 20 25
16 – Existing Headway 30 25 20 20 20 20 30
24 – Proposed Headway – 40 40 40 40 – –
24 – Existing Headway – 60 60 60 60 – –
Sunday Time Period Early AM Base AM Peak Early Evening Late Evening
16 – Proposed Headway 60 33 23 30 30
16 – Existing Headway 60 30 30 30 30
24 – Proposed Headway – 35 40 – –
24 – Existing Headway – – – – –

Service Hours

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Route 16 – Modify route to eliminate branch routing and deviation to Victoria Hospital. Increase frequency at many time periods. 2,060 690 1
Route 24 – Modify route to operate on Commissioners to Summerside, truncate Talbot Village routing. Introduce Sunday service. 2,590 860 0
Route 92 – Eliminate base period service and reduce peak period frequency -4,540 -1510 -1
Total 110 40 0

Route 19, 38, 39

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Interline Route 19 with Route 38/39 see Figure XII (enclosed PDF)
  2. Route 19 – Increase weekday early evening frequency from 60 to 40 minutes
  3. Route 38/ 39 – Extend service one hour later on weekdays, five hours later on Saturdays, and two hours later on Sundays; reduce frequency on weekday early evenings from 30 to 40 minutes
  4. Weekday – Increase frequency from 30 to 27 minutes between 4 and 6pm

Issue/Rationale:

Route 19 and 39 provide a similar level of service as they operate directly on arterial roads, serve a rapidly developing area, and have similar ridership and service hours. Interlining these routes provides a better service match than the existing 19/ 31/ 32 interline. It also provides one bus connection to travel between Masonville Place and Hyde Park and Oxford.

Currently the span of service on Routes 19 and 38/ 39 do not match. It is proposed to extend service during all time periods to match the longest service day. The new interlined route would operate between 6:30am and 11:00pm on weekdays, between 8:30am and 10:45pm on Saturdays, and between 9:00am and 8:00pm on Sundays.

Finally, all three affected routes have been rapidly growing in ridership; in three years from 2015 to 2018, ridership increased 52%. Additionally, there are schedule pressures during the afternoon rush hour that can be addressed through increasing frequency and round trip time. An extra bus is proposed to be added during weekday peak periods to improve schedule reliability and increase frequency.

Impacts:

Frequency (proposed changes shown in bold)

Weekday Time Period Early AM AM Peak Base AM Base Noon PM Base PM Peak Early Evening Late Evening
19 – Proposed Headway 27 30 30 30 30 27 40 55
19 – Existing Headway 30 30 30 30 30 30 60 60
38/39 – Proposed Headway 27 30 30 30 30 27 40 55
38/39 – Existing Headway 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 –
Saturday Time Period Early AM Base AM Peak AM Peak Noon Peak PM Early Evening Late Evening
19 – Proposed Headway – 35 37 30 30 55 52
19 – Existing Headway – 30 30 30 30 60 60
38/39 – Proposed Headway – 35 37 30 30 55 52
38/39 – Existing Headway – 30 30 30 30 – –
Sunday Time Period Early AM Base AM Peak Early Evening Late Evening
19 – Proposed Headway – 55 60 60 –
19 – Existing Headway – 60 60 60 –
38/39 – Proposed Headway – 55 60 60 –
38/39 – Existing Headway – 60 60 – –

The increased span of service and frequency will help continue the ridership increase on these routes.

Service Hours

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Increase service frequencies and span of service. 840 280 1

Route 26 / 93

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Eliminate Route 26
  2. Introduce new local/ express Route 93, see Figure XIII (enclosed PDF).

Issue/Rationale:

Wharncliffe Road is notably missing a direct north-south route connecting major destinations in the north (Masonville, Western University) with the dense corridor of Wharncliffe Road in the south. A direct route would also reduce the need to transfer downtown for many in the south end travelling to the north. The plan for an express route on Wharncliffe Road is part of the original Post-2019 Rapid Transit Implementation Framework Plan.

The proposed Route 93 would be a combined local and express Route. The route would service as an express between Masonville Place and Commissioners along Western/ Wharncliffe with limited stops at high ridership locations. Proposed express stop locations are:

  • Masonville Place
  • Western at Richmond
  • Western at Elgin
  • Western at Sarnia
  • Wharncliffe at Essex
  • Wharncliffe at Oxford
  • Wharncliffe at Riverside
  • Wharncliffe at Byron
  • Wharncliffe at Base Line

It should be noted that further assessment and refinement of stops will be required before final recommendations are presented in January 2019

South of Commissioners the route would operate along the current Route 26 alignment to provide local service to the Cleardale and White Oaks neighbourhoods.

There are current schedule adherence concerns on Route 26 that will temporarily be addressed through the new signup which takes effect November 25. To address the current schedule adherence issues without impacting budget, frequency will be reduced from 30 to 35 minutes during weekday mornings. The ridership justifies more service frequency and therefore the route requires investment.

One of the additional benefits of introducing Route 93 is increasing the capacity between Masonville Place and Western University. With the proposed changes to Route 34 removing southbound service between Masonville and Western, Route 93 can offset the reduction.

Impacts:

Passengers who currently use Route 26 to travel downtown would have to transfer to reach their destination. There are many locations and routes to complete this transfer: Routes 11, 12, & 15 on Wharncliffe Road; Route 5 at Horton; Routes 2, 9, 19, 20, & 102 at Riverside.

Providing a fast and direct option for passengers to travel north and south on Wharncliffe and Western Road will shift ridership from other overcrowded routes. The proposed change is anticipated to be very positive for the overall network.

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Eliminate Route 26 -11,150 -3,720 -3
Introduce Route 93 18,570 6,190 4
Total 7,420 2,470 1

Route 28

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Modify route to operate between Lambeth and White Oaks Mall via Exeter and White Oak Road, see Figure XIV (enclosed PDF).
  2. Weekday – Reduce frequency from 30 to 40 minutes

Issue/ Rationale:

Route 28 has consistently been an underperforming route with respect to ridership productivity, which is well below the minimum standard.

An opportunity exists to provide transit service to a business park and industrial area that are currently outside the 400 meter service coverage area. Both the Meadowbrook Business Park and White Oak Road industrial area were part of the Industrial Service Strategy discussions and it is anticipated that this area has the greatest potential to meet minimum productivity standards with a conventional transit service. Route 28 operates on weekdays during peak periods which aligns well with the shift times of the employers.

Impacts:

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Modify route to White Oaks Mall; reduce frequency 0 0 0

Route 33

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Modify route to operate two-way service on Proudfoot all-day, see Figure XV (enclosed PDF).
  2. Weekday – Decrease afternoon frequency from 13 to 15 minutes between 1pm and 6pm. (fall/ winter only)
  3. Weekday – Increase morning frequency from 17 to 13 minutes between 7am and 1pm. (fall/ winter only)

Issue/Rationale:

Route 33 currently operates different routing in the AM and PM through the Proudfoot area. This adds unnecessary confusion to the route. By investing in the morning period, the route can operate two-way service all-day while maintaining convenient service frequency. Two-way service provides passengers in Proudfoot with the ability to travel directly to Western University or Oxford and Wonderland during all service periods.

Additionally, Route 33 is one of the most productive routes in the system and adding frequency would increase capacity.

Impacts:

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Modify routing; decrease afternoon frequency from 13 to 15 minutes (fall/ winter only) 0 0 0
Increase weekday morning frequency from 17 to 13 minutes (fall/ winter only) 1,010 500 0

Route 56

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Introduce new community bus service in Berkshire Village/ Base Line Road area, one day a week

Issue/Rationale:

In public consultation for the 2018 Service Plan, there was repeated feedback from passengers that lived in the Base Line Road (West of Wharncliffe) and Berkshire Village area who were affected by the removal of Route 23. Through a review of 2016 census data, there is a very high population of residents in this area that match the demographic that typically utilize a community bus service and would benefit from the introduction of same.

Four hours of service one day a week is proposed for this service. Final routing and retail destinations will be determined through consultation with area residence including the best day of the week to operate.

Impacts:

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Introduce Route 56, one day a week 210 70 0

Multiple Routes – Oxford Drive

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Eliminate evening-only routing on Oxford Drive to continue service along Western Road from Natural Science during all time periods

Issue/Rationale:

The rationale for using Oxford Drive in the evenings was to promote student safety by offering bus stops closer to campus buildings. The Western University campus has changed in recent years with Oxford Drive becoming predominantly a pedestrian-only street and the campus developing more along Western Road. For these reasons, and to simplify the routes, the proposed routing modification would maintain the routing on Western Road all-day long and avoid using Oxford Drive on campus at all.

Impacts:

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Remove evening service from Oxford Drive 0 0 0

Frequency and Span of Service Changes

Route 15/ 21

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Reduce frequency from 15 minutes to 16 minutes on weekdays between 7 and 9 am.

Issue/Rationale:

There are existing schedule adherence concerns on Route 15/ 21 during this time period that can be addressed by altering the frequency slightly without requiring service hour investment. Vehicle capacity and productivity are not anticipated to be impacted by the change.

Impacts:

There would be a very minimal additional wait time for passengers; however, the route would operate more reliably overall.

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Weekdays – reduce frequency in the AM peak period 0 0 0

Route 27

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Weekday – Increase frequency from 20 to 13 minutes between 7am and 6pm (Spring/ Summer Only)
  2. Sunday – Introduce Sunday service from 12am to 7pm at a 40-minute frequency
  3. Weekday – Increase frequency from 15 to 10 minutes between 2 and 4pm (Fall/ Winter Only)
  4. Weekday – Increase frequency from 15 to 13 minutes between 9am and 2pm (Fall/ Winter Only)

Issue/Rationale:

With increased spring/ summer courses at Fanshawe College, Route 27 is regularly experiencing overcrowding concerns during these periods. An increase in the current spring/ summer frequency will help alleviate this issue.

Additionally, the route doesn’t currently operate on Sundays, but was extended to Saturdays in September 2018. Initial ridership on Saturday on Route 27 reveals high productivity far exceeding minimum standards. It is anticipated the implementation of Sunday service would perform similarly well.

Finally, Route 27 has ridership growth potential and continuously high productivity. Increasing the weekday afternoon frequency would improve convenience for passengers and reduce overcrowding.

Impacts:

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Spring/ Summer frequency improvements 920 0 0
Introduce Sunday service 430 140 0
Fall/ Winter frequency improvements 340 170 1

Route 29

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Weekday – Increase frequency from 13 to 10 minutes from 3pm to 6:30pm (Fall/ Winter Only)

Issue/Rationale:

Route 29 is one of the highest productivity routes and continues to experience ridership growth. Increasing capacity on weekdays during the afternoon rush hour will alleviate overcrowding on both Route 10 and 29 in this area.

Impacts:

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Increase peak PM frequency (fall/ winter only) 590 295 1

Route 30

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Weekday – Provide two late evening trips to coincide with shift times

Issue/Rationale:

As part of the Industrial Service Strategy, late evening service was identified as a need in the Wilton Grove area to provide an opportunity for employees starting or finishing shifts after the current service ends to utilize transit.

Impacts:

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Introduce two weekday late evening trips 340 110 0

Route 106

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. (Fall/Winter Only) Weekday – Increase frequency from 10 minutes to 8 minutes between 8:30 am and 10:30 am.

Issue/Rationale:

Currently, Route 106 experiences overcrowding issues in the morning period travelling toward Western University. With the proposed rerouting of Route 6 to no longer service Natural Science, these pressures are anticipated to increase. Increasing the frequency on Route 106 will help to alleviate overcrowding issues.

Impacts:

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Weekday – Increase frequency from 10 to 8 minutes between 8:30am and 10:30am 340 170 0

Multiple Routes – Extended Span of Service

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Weekday & Saturday – Extend service at reduced frequencies until 1am on routes that currently operate until midnight (Routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, and 25)
  2. Sunday – Extend service at reduced frequencies from 7am until 9am on Routes 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, and 25

Issue/Rationale:

The Route Structure and Service Guidelines Review recommended later service for all routes currently operating until midnight to be extended until 1am on weekdays as part of the 2019 Service Plan. It also recommended earlier service on Sundays (7am) for all routes that started at 9am.

In September 2018, 11 major routes were extended earlier on Sunday mornings to 7am – routes were selected based on ridership and geographic coverage.

The 2019 draft plan proposes to extend service later on weekdays and Saturdays until 1am. As the draft plan is currently over-budget, further review with respect to which routes should be extended based on ridership and geographical coverage will be assessed.

Impacts:

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Later service until 1am, Mon-Sat (Routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, and 25) 8,820 2,940 0
Sunday – Earlier service at 7am – minor routes (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 25) 1,120 370 0

Multiple Routes – Service Reductions

Proposed All Year Service Changes:

  1. Route 4 – Weekday – Reduce frequency from 30 to 40 minutes before 7am
  2. Route 10/14 – Saturday – Reduce frequency from 30 to 35 minutes before 8am
  3. Route 12 – Weekday – Reduce frequency from 20 to 30 minutes between 7 and 9am
  4. Route 12 – Weekday – Reduce frequency from 20 to 25 minutes between 3 and 6pm
  5. Route 12 – Sunday – Eliminate service between 9:30 and 11:00pm
  6. Route 12 – Saturday – Reduce frequency from 30 to 50 minutes between 8 and 10am
  7. Route 12 – Saturday – Reduce frequency from 30 to 60 minutes between 10am and 12pm
  8. Route 12 – Saturday – Reduce frequency from 30 to 50 minutes between 6 and 9pm
  9. Route 13 – Saturday – Reduce frequency from 15 to 16 minutes between 8 and 10am
  10. Route 15/21 – Weekday – Reduce frequency from 15 to 20 minutes before 7am
  11. Route 15/21 – Saturday – Reduce frequency from 30 to 35 minutes between 6 and 8am
  12. Route 16 – Saturday – Reduce frequency from 30 to 35 minutes before 8am
  13. Route 25 – Weekday – Eliminate first southbound trip
  14. Route 25 – Saturday – Eliminate service before 8am
  15. Route 25 – Saturday – Reduce frequency from 30 to 55 minutes between 8 and 10am
  16. Route 35 – Weekday – Eliminate service before 7am
  17. Route 35 – Weekday – Eliminate service between 9:00 and 9:30pm
  18. Route 35 – Saturday – Eliminate service before 8:00am
  19. Route 35 – Saturday – Eliminate service between 8 and 9pm
  20. Route 35 – Sunday – Eliminate service between 9am and 12pm
  21. Route 104 – Weekday – Eliminate service between 6:30 and 7:15am
  22. Route 104 – Saturday – Eliminate service between 8 and 10am
  23. Route 106 – Weekday – Eliminate service between 6 and 7am

Proposed Spring/ Summer Service Changes:

  1. Route 4 – Saturday – Reduce frequency from 30 to 40 minutes before 8am
  2. Route 4 – Sunday – Reduce frequency from 30 to 35 minutes between 9:45 and 11:00pm
  3. Route 10/14 – Saturday – Reduce round trip time between 10am and 11am (same frequency)
  4. Route 33 – Weekday – Reduce frequency from 20 to 35 minutes between 7am and 6pm
  5. Route 35 – Saturday – Eliminate service between 8 and 10am
  6. Route 90 – Weekday – Reduce frequency from 15 to 20 minutes between 7:00 and 7:30am

Proposed Statutory Holiday Service Changes:

  1. Route 29 – Eliminate service
  2. Route 90 – Eliminate service
  3. Route 91 – Eliminate service
  4. Route 102/106 – Eliminate service

Issue/Rationale:

The Route Structure and Service Guidelines Review described minimum thresholds of productivity at which service should be reviewed for possible reductions or eliminations. Based on these guidelines, the proposed changes will better align service with ridership demand.

Impacts:

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Service reductions -5,540 -1,600 -1

Multiple Routes – No cost frequency improvements

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Route 25 – Saturday – Increase frequency from 60 to 55 minutes after 9pm
  2. Route 91 – Weekday – Increase frequency from 20 to 18 minutes between 12 and 2pm

Issue/Rationale:

Increasing frequency where travel time allows without requiring investment is a no-cost method to improve service.

Schedule Adherence Changes

Multiple Routes – Service to Improve Schedule Adherence

Proposed Service Changes:

  1. Route 2 – Weekday – Add a bus between 7 and 9 am
  2. Route 2 – Weekday – Add a bus between 4 and 9 pm
  3. Route 2 – Saturday – Add a bus between 10 am and 12 pm
  4. Route 2 – Saturday – Add a bus between 6 pm and 12 am
  5. Route 4 – Weekday – Add a peak bus earlier between 3 and 4 pm
  6. Route 4 – Saturday – Add a peak bus earlier between 12 and 1 pm
  7. Route 4 – Saturday – Add a bus between 6 and 9 pm
  8. Route 13 – Weekday – Add a bus between 9 pm and 12 am
  9. Route 13 – Saturday – Decrease frequency from 30 to 35 minutes between 6 and 8 am
  10. Route 13 – Saturday – Add a bus between 9 pm and 12 am
  11. Route 91 – Weekday – Decrease frequency from 15 to 17 minutes between 9 am and 12 pm
  12. Route 91 – Weekday – Decrease frequency from 15 to 16 minutes between 6:00 and 7:30 pm

Issue/Rationale:

Improving schedule reliability is a significant focus that requires service hour investment or frequency changes. The list of proposed changes accounts for routes and time periods with greatest need for change.

Impacts:

Proposed Service Change Annual Service Hour Impact Service Hour Impact (2019) PM Peak Buses
Additional service to reduce late buses 3,600 1,200 1