Do you take HSR? Schedule Changes & Bus Tracker

[Linda Evans]

one thing i hate about getting the mohawk bus is the inconsistency in times. last wk one bus was 8 minutes early (i missed it) or else they are late. i really thought it would be easier after the fare increase.....sheesh* what a joke.

one good thing that happened on sunday was i was on ottawa st & the bus was 15 min. late..i was geting PISSED off as it was hot& muggy. an HSR van pulled up & told me the bus had a breakdown & if i needed a lift. ;-) i was so greatful. such a nice lady!

[Ciel]

@Linda Evans -great outcome to the delay in the bus! Hard to endure a Sunday service breakdown given the less frequent service. I do know that Mohawk Rt 41 can be very busy and also on rainy days, having to detour when the underpass on Kenilworth Ave N gets flooded on very rainy days.

I've been fortunate on two recent weeknights in getting my Meadowlands bound Mohawk bus after getting errands done on Upper James.

[Ciel]

Dundas' Buskingfest begins tonight. Here's the HSR bus detour information:
https://www.hamilton.ca/hsr-bus-sche...das-buskerfest

[Ciel]

June Bus News is published. Summer schedules will take effect on some routes-June 26.
https://www.hamilton.ca/hsr-bus-sche...res/riding-hsr

Bus fares will go up in September.

[Ciel]

Just a note that the Burlington GO station still needs time to be completed. They are getting there.
http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/i...ts/burlington/

Open Streets is happening tomorrow downtown. Expect bus detours:
http://www.hamiltontransit.ca/2016-o...tes-june-19th/

[Chris Weaver]

I have an app for my Android call UTransit. It will show when next bus is coming no matter where you are. Does not require data either!

[Ciel]

@Chris Weaver -a Mac student did show me a similar app a few months ago while a bunch of us were
waiting for the 5-West Hamilton on campus. Handy app for transit! Should try it out on Mississauga Transit and other GTA routes. Does the app alert you to construction on routes? 44-Rymal will have a couple of bottlenecks for construction, 23-Upper Sherman will have delays due to work between Stonechurch and the Linc, etc.

Current detours posted on HSR site: https://www.hamilton.ca/hsr-bus-sche...ervice-updates
MacNab Terminal has the HSR summer bus schedules in stock-got most of the ones I wanted yesterday.

I noticed a passing Burlington Transit bus sign scroll about June 27 service adjustments too. See if the Hamilton GO Station might have the BT revised schedules-there are some detours going on the New-Maple route due to New Street construction work.
Here's the link to Burlington Transit's news: http://www.burlingtontransit.ca/en/M...6-cfe98eca5be4
http://www.burlingtontransit.ca/en/M...8-ae69822fd336

[FallenPixels]

As far as I know, none of them alert you to detours. I prefer TransitApp and use data for real time rather than just the scheduled times you get without data
If you use Twitter @hsrtransit (not run by HSR) is great for detour info and updates but the city recently said they would start their own

[Ciel]

Yes, I follow the Twitter user hsrtransit. Sometimes I see posts about detours on that Twitter feed well before the HSR posts on their site.

[Ciel]

Took the GO bus route 40 to Mississauga-48minutes to the Station Gate stop. Things have changed-good to have a GO building
in the area of the buses.
Three things I liked about the Mississauga Transit buses: digital time shown inside the front of the bus; when bus stops and door opens, the stop annunciation program (when the audio is on) announces the bus route name and number and direction; the dedicated Transitway for express buses.
I do wish there were change machines at the Transitway stations. Using the beverage machines (if they worked) was an expensive way to make change when buying pop in order to get a new transfer if current one expired just before a connecting bus arrived. Advice-take a roll of loonies and quarters with you if paying cash (if not using a Presto card) or buy that strip of 5 bus tickets at the bus terminal from the start. Next time!

[Chris Weaver]

The @hsrtransit on Twitter is done by Jason Nason. He does an excellent job. Talk to him all the time.

As far as I know, none of them alert you to detours. I prefer TransitApp and use data for real time rather than just the scheduled times you get without data
If you use Twitter @hsrtransit (not run by HSR) is great for detour info and updates but the city recently said they would start their own

[Ciel]

PRESTO Planning System Upgrade Friday July 15 - Sunday July 17
We are conducting an upgrade and transactions (e.g. card loads) performed online or through the contact centre during the weekend of July 15-17 will not be processed until Monday, July 18. Your online account information will not be updated until Monday, July 18 when the upgrade is complete.
You will still be able to pay your fares using PRESTO during the system upgrade, so online transactions should be completed 3-4 days in advance of the upgrade period (July 15-17) to ensure you have enough funds to travel. If you need to load your card during the system upgrade you can do so at a Customer Service Outlet or Self-Serve Reload Machines (available Sunday of system upgrade only).
For more details, please visit our information page.

https://www.prestocard.ca/en-US/Page...ages/Home.aspx

If your weekend travel plans include Presto card use, you might want to check for any balance updates or top-ups by Thursday or wait until Monday.

[Ciel]

In January 2017, we won't be able to use an HSR paper transfer to board a Burlington Transit bus or vice versa use a BT paper transfer to board an HSR bus. Have to use Presto card transfer or face paying the connecting transit system's bus fare.
https://twitter.com/HSRTransit/statu...17868734423040
https://www.hamilton.ca/hsr-bus-schedules-fares/fares

Don't forget that the HSR fares will go up in September. The bus tickets will have one month of use with additional change then you have to get the new bus tickets.

[Ciel]

New Bus News brochure on the buses is regarding the updated HSR bylaw about bus use/conduct/service animals. (See pdf link part way down the webpage.)
https://www.hamilton.ca/hsr-bus-sche...-hsr/using-hsr

Presto system upgrade will occur this weekend and next weekend: http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/fares/presto.aspx

[Ciel]

Fall issue of Bus News can be found on buses and at the Hamilton GO station. Several routes will have schedule changes on Sept. 4. Paper copies of schedules will be available in the last week of August, just in case you are like me wanting hard copies in advance to check changes.

Also noticed that many HSR buses on their front signs are mentioning the fare increases on Sept. 1. Great way to spread the information across Hamilton.