Do you take HSR? Schedule Changes & Bus Tracker

[Ciel]

I'm worried about possible missed Rymal bus runs on the weekend prior to Dec.19. My mother had a Sunday encounter with a short run Rymal bus that ended at Upper James (late October) rather than complete the run to Ancaster industrial park (she had verified with the bus operator before boarding at Eastgate about the destination and he said he was going to Ancaster). Since I plan to head out on Sunday, I'll allow for possibility I may not have a bus on the expected run back home and plan to walk as long as I get to Upper James when coming back from Upper Centennial Pkway. Rymal bus only runs hourly on Sat. and Sun to Ancaster whereas passengers near the Glancaster Rd area have one bus in between Ancaster bus runs so every 30min.

[Ciel]

Today's ATU local 107 tweet:
https://twitter.com/ATU107/status/1205132489087471618

The City of Hamilton note from Dec. 2 regarding the negotiations:
https://www.hamilton.ca/node/93411

HSR Winter Bus News to take effect on Dec. 29: https://www.hamilton.ca/hsr-bus-sche...g-hsr/bus-news

[Ciel]

ATU 107 and the City of Hamilton reached tentative​ agreement last night. Now we have to wait and see what happens after the union membership gets to vote.

[Ciel]

Metrolinx Town Hall at Burlington GO Station on Feb. 5 (evening) with senior team:
https://www.metrolinxengage.com/en/e...linx-town-hall

[Ciel]

https://www.thespec.com/news-story/9...r-2020-budget/
[QUOTE]Ancaster Coun. Lloyd Ferguson has also been adamant about cutting taxes as low as possible for his residents, who pay higher property bills because of their reassessments."I'm not on for any enhancements while we are sitting at 3.5 per cent," he said.
To get below three per cent, councillors will have to cut at least $4.2 million from the budget, said Collins.
"That is a lot of service reductions," he said. "It's premature to talk about service enhancements until we go as far as we can."[/QUOTE]

Councillor Ferguson is my community's elected official and he's been super-vocal about not supporting the existing HSR services in our area because many residents as well as he claim they are not in use to support the taxes they pay to cover the services. Very frustrating for me to read this for years because I know the councillor has not spent 4hours on a busy weekday pm rush hour to see where people board and disembark. About three years ago, some Hamilton residents challenged City councillors to take the buses and about 6 of them did (not my councillor though).

44-Rymal's expanded service (weekend hours plus the hourly service into the evenings have been a travel lifeline for Mountain bus access) is a big deal in Ancaster since implementation in the past three years and also to the shift workers and gymnasts in the industrial park in town. Plus the route services students attending Bishop Tonnos SS, Redeemer Univ. College, Hamilton District Christian High School, St. Thomas More, Bishop Ryan SS and Jean Brebeuf SS. Some of the adults boarding at the Eastgate Square stop travel into Ancaster for shopping, getting home or working in retail (Trinity Wilson Common) or in the industrial park.

https://www.thespec.com/news-story/9...-bus-service-/
https://www.thespec.com/news-story/9...-stoney-creek/

[Ciel]

Catching up on this week's papers, I saw the March 5 article in the Spectator about upcoming bus service reductions (expect to see something in the upcoming Spring Bus News):

https://www.hamiltonnews.com/news-st...xes-this-year/

He identified route 16 in Ancaster as a service that had few people on the bus. Under the change, the service will end four hours earlier.
One route that was eliminated serves the Mohawk 4 Ice Centre and was identified as “grossly underperforming” by transit staff. Eliminating the service, except for runs on Saturdays, will save about $339,224.

There are two other bus routes that provide some service for the area that originate from Lime Ridge Mall and travel along Upper Ottawa, said Jason VanderHeide, manager of transit planning. But he acknowledged they don’t stop at the arena.
But the other transit service reductions councillors approved involved time changes, such as reducing service by two hours on Thanksgiving, reducing the service on Boxing Day earlier, and cutting Christmas Day service by three hours. Other frequency changes include eliminating a stop on a Mountain route, starting service on route 11 later or ending a route an hour later. The total savings for this year is estimated to be about $790,00, while the annual savings will be about $1.7 million. The changes are projected to begin in July.

[Ciel]

Changes to HSR service (now includes limit of 10 passengers on regular buses and 15 passengers on articulated buses):
https://www.hamilton.ca/coronavirus/...nsit-customers

We are looking at our refund policy and will update as soon as possible.Until at least May 25, 2020, Customers are not required to pay a fare when they enter the rear door of the bus.
Customers will be required to wait until at least April 6 to purchase any HSR fare products, including tickets, passes, DARTS Books, Taxi Scrip, and renewals of Senior Annual Passes.
Senior Annual Pass holders do not need to renew their passes even though their current Pass may expire March 31, 2020. We want to assure you that you will not be denied service and will have ample time to renew your pass once service is back to normal.
Customers should also refrain from purchasing April Month Passes from the HSR, our vendors, or through PRESTO until further notice.

Until further notice, there is no fare or Trans-Cab premium to be paid, and transfers are not required. Trans-Cab will now carry only 1 or 2 customers per vehicle, depending on vehicle size (sedan or minivan). This may result in additional wait time depending on vehicle availability.
In the Red Hill Business Park, Trans-Cab service will operate on weekends only, replaced by shuttle bus service Monday through Friday.

[Ciel]

https://twitter.com/hsr/status/1245723117311401989

https://twitter.com/hsr/status/1245723271884083202

#HSRAlert: To ensure physical distancing, effective April 3, all customers are required to use rear doors only. This includes customers using walkers, wheelchairs, scooters & all other PMDs & will be required to travel with a companion to deploy the ramp under Operator direction.
10:42 AM · Apr 2, 2020·TweetDeck

[Ciel]

Today's article about ATU request for the following things for its drivers (and passengers):
https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...ear-masks.html

[Ciel]

June Service Changes (June 28-Sept.5)are coming for HSR, plus requirement of masks to be worn by passengers as of June 22.
https://www.hamilton.ca/hsr-bus-schedules-fares

https://www.hamilton.ca/hsr-bus-sche...r-2020-service

[FallenPixels]

June Service Changes (June 28-Sept.5)are coming for HSR, plus requirement of masks to be worn by passengers as of June 22.
https://www.hamilton.ca/hsr-bus-schedules-fares

https://www.hamilton.ca/hsr-bus-sche...r-2020-service

They will begin charging again on July 1st too

[Ciel]

HSR had ads in the weekly community papers about its GO Station site offering Saturday service hours for today (June 20) and next Saturday from 10am-2pm. Could help commuters needing Presto passes or HSR tickets without worrying about weekday hours of service.

It's exceedingly rare to see Saturday hours offered for HSR at the GO Station!

[Ciel]

Hamilton HSR Changes for Sept. 6-note frequency changes:
https://www.hamilton.ca/government-i...ce-changes-hsr

Burlington Transit Changes for Sept. 1:
https://www.burlingtontransit.ca/en/fares/Presto.aspx

[Ciel]

HSR Twitter has been stating for a few weeks that it is supplementing services on routes where needed.

On Jan. 22, there is a scheduled Accessibilty on Transit committee meeting. Actually, the HSR transit budget is part of the morning General Issues Committee meeting that day.

[Ciel]

March 18 is Transit Operator and Worker Appreciation Day. Let your regular transit operators know you value them!