591 replies to this topic

[Halifax_Route10]

I'll try and answer some of your questions as best I can.

1. As far as I know, yes, the CNIB cards are now accepted, but it's a little murky. Until recently, they were not accepted, and you had to get a special pass directly from Metro Transit. A few years ago, MT tried to stop the program and make visually impaired people pay the regular fare, so as not to supposedly "discriminate" against other disabled transit users. There were protests, and this never came to pass. Then, a human rights complaint was filed, the result being that MT had to start accepting regular CNIB passes by November 2011. Just to be safe, though, your best bet would be to confirm this by calling the HRM Call Centre at 902-490-4000, or emailing them. They're very quick at responding, in my experience.

2. If you're on the Halifax Peninsula, Route 1 is the main "artery" route, with consistent service every 10 minutes during weekdays, every 15 minutes on weekends. Other routes generally run every 15 minutes during rush hour, every 30 minutes during non rush-hour and Saturdays, and every 30-60 minutes on Sundays.

3. I don't really know the answer to this question, sorry. However, I do believe that Hope Cottage is the most well-known soup kitchen, and it's located just outside of downtown.

4. I think it's probably the same as other places: there are really nice drivers, and really nasty ones. However, the majority I've encountered have been friendly and professional.

5. The majority of our fleet is now low floor: out of 300 buses, 56 are high floor. Over half of the routes are dedicated low-floor routes as well.

6. Halifax does not have stop announcements. They're supposed to be coming in the next 5 (?) years or so, but there's been no human rights mandate to provide them, unlike Ontario. However, I have seen visually impaired riders ask the driver to tell them when their stop is coming up, and the driver (or other riders) have done so without fail.

I hope you enjoy Halifax!

[buschic]

 Halifax_Route10, on 26 February 2012 - 05:31 PM, said:

I'll try and answer some of your questions as best I can.

1. As far as I know, yes, the CNIB cards are now accepted, but it's a little murky. Until recently, they were not accepted, and you had to get a special pass directly from Metro Transit. A few years ago, MT tried to stop the program and make visually impaired people pay the regular fare, so as not to supposedly "discriminate" against other disabled transit users. There were protests, and this never came to pass. Then, a human rights complaint was filed, the result being that MT had to start accepting regular CNIB passes by November 2011. Just to be safe, though, your best bet would be to confirm this by calling the HRM Call Centre at 902-490-4000, or emailing them. They're very quick at responding, in my experience.

2. If you're on the Halifax Peninsula, Route 1 is the main "artery" route, with consistent service every 10 minutes during weekdays, every 15 minutes on weekends. Other routes generally run every 15 minutes during rush hour, every 30 minutes during non rush-hour and Saturdays, and every 30-60 minutes on Sundays.

3. I don't really know the answer to this question, sorry. However, I do believe that Hope Cottage is the most well-known soup kitchen, and it's located just outside of downtown.

4. I think it's probably the same as other places: there are really nice drivers, and really nasty ones. However, the majority I've encountered have been friendly and professional.

5. The majority of our fleet is now low floor: out of 300 buses, 56 are high floor. Over half of the routes are dedicated low-floor routes as well.

6. Halifax does not have stop announcements. They're supposed to be coming in the next 5 (?) years or so, but there's been no human rights mandate to provide them, unlike Ontario. However, I have seen visually impaired riders ask the driver to tell them when their stop is coming up, and the driver (or other riders) have done so without fail.

I hope you enjoy Halifax!

WOW, THANK YOU!!

ok, everyone, you guys rock!

I knew about the OLD cnib system as my BF used to live in halifax about 10 years ago, he's moving back next year.. currently in St, Stephen NB, unable to get anywhere due to Acadian being on strike,, so he's really wanting to move back soon after I move to Halifax..

I'm also trying to get into a program run by the YWCA, so likely going to be in the central Halifax area..

so excited to get to Hali!

[Halifax_Route10]

After 40+ days, the strike is officially over, and buses are back on the road today. No fares will be charged for the rest of the month. Hurray!

[kevlo86]

Nova Bus LFS artic #740 at Bridge Terminal. More photos at my website

[Halifax_Route10]

Great photos, Kevin!

In other news, Metro Transit's put out their 2012-13 Annual Service Plan. It's a veritible goldmine of statistics, charts, and service expansions and cuts (or "efficiencies" as they're called here). There's also more information on routing changes as a result of the new Bridge Terminal, and the Ragged Lake TC Expansion.

http://www.halifax.c...finaldraft2.pdf (Large file!)

[buschic]

ok, so reading that report got me thinking....


This is going to be a big learning curve to not have BLUENIGHT bus service as we have in toronto! lol, no worries, I rarely use it!

[buschic]

Well, its official, I'm in Halifax as of June 26th 17:10, VIA train 14 will be my 'chariot' into Halifax, I'm so excited, I am already researching the transit system, & getting myself weaned slowly off the ontario threads..

Now to figure out where to find a place to live! lol!

See you all in Halifax!

 Halifax_Route10, on 30 March 2012 - 04:58 PM, said:

Great photos, Kevin!

In other news, Metro Transit's put out their 2012-13 Annual Service Plan. It's a veritible goldmine of statistics, charts, and service expansions and cuts (or "efficiencies" as they're called here). There's also more information on routing changes as a result of the new Bridge Terminal, and the Ragged Lake TC Expansion.

http://www.halifax.c...finaldraft2.pdf (Large file!)

I found this report very interesting,

one issues I have is the lack of becoming accessible to the blind community, hmmm, going to have to work on that when I get moved into Halifax..

hmmm, back to my old life as an accessibility advocate eh? should be fun1

[Halifax_Route10]

Construction of the new Bridge Terminal is well underway:





These pictures were taken about two weeks ago, and construction has progressed quite a bit since then. Sorry about the quality: my iPod was the only camera I had with me at the time.

Two things of interest: the central "tower" of the terminal building will have an elevator, and the trench you see in the second photo, which will be some of the boarding platforms and roadway, will essentially be underground - there's going to be a 200-foot-wide (or so) pedestrian overpass above it leading to the aforementioned elevator.

There will be 16 platforms, 8 of which will be suitable for artics.

20,000 people a day use the old terminal, and this replacement can't come soon enough!

[buschic]

 Halifax_Route10, on 21 April 2012 - 02:00 AM, said:

Construction of the new Bridge Terminal is well underway:





These pictures were taken about two weeks ago, and construction has progressed quite a bit since then. Sorry about the quality: my iPod was the only camera I had with me at the time.

Two things of interest: the central "tower" of the terminal building will have an elevator, and the trench you see in the second photo, which will be some of the boarding platforms and roadway, will essentially be underground - there's going to be a 200-foot-wide (or so) pedestrian overpass above it leading to the aforementioned elevator.

There will be 16 platforms, 8 of which will be suitable for artics.

20,000 people a day use the old terminal, and this replacement can't come soon enough!

I've heard from friends that the old terminal is really NASTY!

I'm going to be probably doing a lot of geeking off when I get into Halifax..

I'm super excited about the new Terminal.

[eclair14]

Out of region sightings but pertinent for you : 526 (MetroX) on highway 40 east approching Quebec City at 5:30 this afternoon

[calamin]

 eclair14, on 03 May 2012 - 06:10 PM, said:

Out of region sightings but pertinent for you : 526 (MetroX) on highway 40 east approching Quebec City at 5:30 this afternoon

I was on my way to the airport today to see what the route was in case I had to drive it at any point. On my way out much to my surprise 526 passed me on the opposite side of the highway heading to Ragged Lake garage.

[armorand]

 buschic, on 30 April 2012 - 04:26 AM, said:

I've heard from friends that the old terminal is really NASTY!

I'm going to be probably doing a lot of geeking off when I get into Halifax..

I'm super excited about the new Terminal.

Underground transit terminal? Where could I find information on this? Looking it up in Halifax SSP as I speak...

edit: found this on Halifax SSP http://halifax.ca/me...ts/terminal.PDF (PDF document of supposed development)

[Halifax_Route10]

 armorand, on 07 May 2012 - 12:10 AM, said:

Underground transit terminal? Where could I find information on this? Looking it up in Halifax SSP as I speak...

edit: found this on Halifax SSP http://halifax.ca/me...ts/terminal.PDF (PDF document of supposed development)

That PDF is actually of an old design that went up the hill, rather than across it. To make a long story short, there were NIMBY issues, so they had to rotate the layout 90 degrees and change it significantly.

Page 9 of this PDF document has the current plan for the new terminal:

http://www.halifax.c...00126ca1014.pdf

From the bottom to the top of the plan, there is a pretty significant incline that the terminal is being built on, so the upper platforms on that plan will be bounded by a sheer 12ft (+/-) concrete wall.

Here's a rendering of what the terminal will look like, looking up the hill:

http://www.halifax.c...ing-Overall.pdf

It's not truely "underground", as nice as that would be. However, several of the platforms on one side will essentially be covered up by a very wide pedestrian bridge, which will go from the top of the concrete wall to an elevator in the central "tower". The bridge can be glimpsed on the left side of this rendering:

http://www.halifax.c...rmFromUpper.pdf

I imagine it will hide the sunlight on that side at least a bit!

For your reading enjoyment, this page has several documents relating to the new terminal:

http://www.halifax.c...lExpansion.html

[armorand]

Thanks!

Looks good, especially with the skyline view of Halifax across the bay in the rendering! With the possible Skye towers going up, Halifax is going to look pretty good!

Kinda makes me want to visit Halifax actually. And I wonder what the floor plans are for this! The inside of the building particularly

[TheAverageJoe]

Sorry guys, just a quick question, how easy is it to get a map at any of the transit terminals?

[Halifax_Route10]

 TheAverageJoe, on 11 May 2012 - 11:59 AM, said:

Sorry guys, just a quick question, how easy is it to get a map at any of the transit terminals?

At the Ferry Terminals, definitely. At Mumford, Portland Hills, and Sackville, and the new Bridge terminal (when it opens), it's probable. All of the other terminals don't have an indoor waiting area, so it's impossible to get maps there. However, quite a few lotto booth-type places have maps, as well as the visitor info centres.

[TheAverageJoe]

 Halifax_Route10, on 11 May 2012 - 05:47 PM, said:

At the Ferry Terminals, definitely. At Mumford, Portland Hills, and Sackville, and the new Bridge terminal (when it opens), it's probable. All of the other terminals don't have an indoor waiting area, so it's impossible to get maps there. However, quite a few lotto booth-type places have maps, as well as the visitor info centres.

Thanks alot, worse case for me is I will use my Playbook.

[Halifax_Route10]

More Bridge Terminal photos, taken today:

The pedestrian overpass is being installed:


A closer view:

What it looks like from below:


View from the side:


Another one. I wonder what those doorways in the concrete wall are for?


Sorry for the quality, I am without a "proper" camera at the moment.

The terminal should be completed ahead of schedule and will be opening in mid-July.

[armorand]

 Halifax_Route10, on 16 May 2012 - 05:35 PM, said:

Sorry for the quality, I am without a "proper" camera at the moment.

The terminal should be completed ahead of schedule and will be opening in mid-July.

It isn't that bad! I use my iPhone camera all the time for CPTDB/SSP

[A. Wong]

http://www.metro-mag...ifax-Metro.aspx