GRT Business Plan

Frequent transit network

• Service every 10 minutes on weekdays from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., and service every 15 minutes all other times, on 16 key routes in Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo
• Riders will benefit from improved transfers
  • On average, riders will be able to reach approximately 38,000 more people and 15,000 more jobs within a one-hour trip compared to today.
  • An estimated 400,000 people and 200,000 jobs will be within 800 metres of the frequent transit network.
• Proposed frequent transit network routes include:
  • ION LRT 301
  • ION Bus / Highway Express 302
  • New Highway Express 303
  • iXpress 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, and 206.
  • Local Routes 7, 8, 12, 16, 20, 51, 53, and 61.
• The frequent transit network will be a focus for future transit priority projects
• Map illustrates the proposed frequent transit network (red), with connections to ION light rail (blue), and the proposed highway express services (green)
• Final network, routing, and stops subject to change through annual reviews and approval process for service, infrastructure, operations, and budget
• Guiding principles achieved:
  • Frequency, Speed, Customer focus, New coverage, and Simple and intuitive
    

Consistent schedules

• Make schedules more consistent all day, with frequency improvements on many local routes
• Riders will enjoy more consistent travel times and improved transfers, all day, every day
• GRT will focus on:
  • Improved evening schedules
  • New and improved weekend service
  • More consistent schedules all-day during weekdays as the GRT bus fleet grows
• Strategic transit priorities achieved:
  • Frequency, Customer focus and Simple and intuitive
    

Highway express

• Introduce rapid services connecting Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo to improve speed and transit freedom
• Based on public feedback, the proposed highways express network has been revised and expanded:
  • Combine 302 ION Bus with a direct highway connection between Fairway and Conestoga Stations; and
  • Introduce a new highway route connecting Conestoga and Sunrise Centre Stations.
• Riders will get more time back in their day and save about 20 minutes on trips between Cambridge (Ainslie Terminal) and Waterloo (Conestoga Station)Transit trips across the tri-cities can better compete with car and rideshare
• The highway express and frequent transit network support ridership growth ahead of Stage 2 ION and Cambridge-Guelph passenger rail projects
• Map illustrates the proposed highway express network (green) with connections to ION light rail (blue), and the proposed frequent transit network (red)
  • Final network, routing, and stops are subject to change through annual reviews and approval process for service, infrastructure, operations, and budget
• Strategic transit priorities achieved:
  • Speed, Customer focus and Simple and intuitive
    

 New coverage

• New routes and route adjustments to improve GRT’s coverage of new and growing communities, and industrial areas as the GRT bus fleet grows
• Riders will gain access to new or improved services on key corridors near their neighbourhood and workplace

• GRT’s focus areas for new coverage include:

  • Southeast Cambridge and the city’s key industrial areas
  • Southwest Kitchener
  • North Waterloo
• Strategic transit priorities achieved:
  • Customer focus, New coverage
    

Overnight network

• Introduce 24/7 bus service on most of GRT’s busiest routes across Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo
• Overnight service every 30 minutes on core routes, with industrial trips to support 24/7 operations (areas shaded in blue on map)
• Customers studying or working late night/overnight shifts will have transit options all night long, all week
• Transit security enhancements and station and stop improvements will support safe and inclusive overnight trips for operators and riders
• Preliminary proposed overnight network routes include:
• Routes 301 (modified bus service integrated with routes 7 and 91), 302 (modified service integrated with route 51), 201, 202, 204, 8, and 12
• Additional industrial trips will support overnight work at key employment centres in Cambridge, north Waterloo and southeast Kitchener
• GRT will introduce more late-night services as a first step towards implementing the overnight transit network
• Map illustrates proposed overnight network concept
• Final network, routing, and stops subject to change through annual reviews and approval process for service, infrastructure, operations, and budget

Strategic transit priorities achieved:
• Customer focus and New coverage
  

• Customers are satisfied with MobilityPLUS services overall; the service allows customers to feel independent and confident
• Customers have good experiences with operators and dispatchers
• There is growing demand for MobilityPLUS service, and GRT is facing challenges in meeting the demand for trips
• Customers like the ability to book trips online
• Customers are unhappy with trip lengths and drop-off times
• Customers feel rushed when boarding vehicles

 Key strategic priorities have been identified for the MobilityPLUS and Kiwanis Transit Plan:

• Service investment: Introduce new staff resources, modernize technologies, and increase fleet to meet growing demand for MobilityPLUS services and work toward the target of no unmet trips
  
• Expand service hours: Extend MobilityPLUS service hours, in coordination with GRT overnight service expansion, by using existing accessible taxi partnerships
  
• Improve MobilityPLUS customer experience: Use new technology and improvements; collect data to improve MobilityPLUS services; evaluate conventional fare free policy; better understand customer needs; improve customer engagement and communications; and improve coordination between MobilityPLUS and Kiwanis Transit
  

There are two types of transit service proposed for the townships:

• Fixed-route transit is how most typical bus routes operate. Fixed-route service follows a consistent route and schedule every day the bus operates. Bus frequency  is determined by demand and available resources. Travel times are consistent but may require longer walks.
• On-demand transit is a shared-ride service that does not run on a fixed route or schedule. Instead, buses travel based on the trip requests made by passengers, which can make travel times variable. On-demand trips can be booked using an app or by calling.

Final network and routing subject to change through annual reviews, further consultation and approval process for service, infrastructure, operations, and budget.

• Introduce a fixed route connecting Wellesley Village and other Wellesley communities to Conestoga Station
  • End to end travel time: About 40 minutes
  • Frequency with one vehicle: 90 minutes
  • Connects over 50% of Wellesley’s population
• Introduce On-Demand zones 1 and 2 serve the remaining areas of Wellesley, with zone coverage overlapping parts of neighbouring townships

• Enhance Route 77
  • Convert the Forrest/Hincks flex stop to permanent fixed-route stop
  • Modernize vehicle technology to offer real-time location information, consistent with most of GRT’s fleet
  • Continue expanding service hours as warranted, including later weekday evenings and weekends, to align with the Conventional Bus and Train Plan
  • Continue monitoring the existing flex service and consider an alternate service model when appropriate to maintain and improve current service levels
• Introduce On-Demand zones 2 and 3 to serve the remaining areas of Wilmot, with zone coverage in parts of abutting townships, as well as a shared coverage area for zone 3 and 4 serving New Dundee

• Introduce a new all-day-all-week fixed route from Central Station to Sportsworld Station via Breslau and the Waterloo International Airport to integrate the Breslau core and airport lands into GRT’s core network:
  • Replace existing Route 34 in Kitchener
  • Replace existing Route 78 in Woolwich, Cambridge and Kitchener
  • Re-size the existing Route 79 Flex (On-Demand) service zone
• Transition Elmira Community Bus Pilot to a permanent GRT Elmira On-Demand service
• Continually monitor Route 21 for improvement opportunities as part of GRT’s core network
• Introduce On-Demand zones 6 and 7, alongside parts of Wellesley zone 1, to serve the remaining areas of Woolwich

• Introduce a fixed route connecting the Village of Ayr and the 401 Business Park to Conestoga Doon Station
  • End to end travel time: About 40 minutes
  • Frequency with one vehicle: 90 minutes
  • Connects over 50% of North Dumfries’ population and improves transit options for large employers
  • Avoid all at-grade rail crossings to ensure schedule adherence
• Introduce On-Demand zones 4 and 5 to serve the remaining areas of North Dumfries with a shared zone overlap in zone 4 with Wilmot township, and with connection points to the core GRT network