Urbanist and public transport enthusiasts of BlueSky, what small cities (less than a million metro area population) do you think do a good job of public transport?
Chris Usher
@chrusher.bsky.social
Recovering Astronomer. Desert Bus for Hope Video Strike Team volunteer. Haver of opinions about transit. He/they
From the Draft Victoria Regional Transit Plan "Implementing bus priority supports ridership and mode share goals through faster travel time for customers. At the same time, increasing bus speed will allow BC Transit to deliver transit services sooner and at lower cost." #yyj #bctransit
I am trying to find an infographic I think I remember seeing on here about how there are a bunch of grades of separating transit vehicles from other forms of traffic - it is not just the two extremes of running in mixed traffic and a fully grade separated guideway.
It was a lot of fun to see @thelongestjohns.bsky.social in concert tonight
Something a friend made that I think @humantransit.bsky.social might enjoy playing around with: a universal transit frequency map based on GTFS data with the ability to see frequency at specific times of day and across different years. transiteverywhere.com
I think I am coming around on bi-articulated trolley buses for Greater Victoria.
Ride with us on the #5 Willows from Fisherman’s Wharf to Willows Beach. We’ll talk transit and then enjoy the live music at 2pm. Bring a chair or blanket for the park. actionnetwork.org/events/ride-... #yyj
Ride the 5 on July 5th
Ride with us on the #5 Willows from Fisherman’s Wharf to Willows Beach. We’ll talk transit and then enjoy the live music at 2pm. Bring a chair or blanket for the park. You can see the exact route and...
actionnetwork.org
Doing a Desert Bus on the summer solstice is a bit weird. When I think of a Desert Bus I think of it being dark, damp and cold.
Thank you all for helping us raise $42,079.69 for qmunity.ca during this year's Desert Bus Express! These donations will directly help assist queer folks in Vancouver and British Columbia find their community through social programs and more. 🏳️🌈 (1/2)
QMUNITY | Programs, support, and resources for 2SLGBTQIA+ folk and allies
Explore QMUNITY’s low-barrier mental health and social services, where queer, trans, and Two-Spirit people can find connection, autonomy, and support.
qmunity.ca
🚌💨 Broadcasting from our homes to your homes, Desert Bus Express 2026 is LIVE for the next 24 hours! Hop on board, and help us raise money for qmunity.ca. twitch.tv/desertbus
desertbus - Twitch
The Internet's longest running charity marathon, fundraising in support of Child's Play Charity. Since 2007 we've raised over $12 million for the children. Watch us play the worst game ever made, for ...
twitch.tv
There has been significant growth in the Greater Victoria region over the past decade and with population growth and transit trips continuing to increase, BC Transit is planning ahead for the additional infrastructure needed to maintain and expand our fleet and transit service. #yyj
Planning for a future Saanich Transit Centre
YouTube video by BC Transit
youtu.be
I helped out with this, including some of the filming
Better Transit YYJ@bettertransityyj.ca · 2mo agoOn Friday, we proved that even buses running ahead of schedule are still too slow. BC Transit, the City of Victoria, and the District of Colwood are the institutions that need to step up. Together, we will keep push for a better, safer, more reliable city. #yyj #racethebus
The runners to City Hall beat the bus by a few minutes. The bikers to Langford Station won by 10 minutes!
CHEK News@cheknews.ca · 2mo agoIt's a race against the clock. Leaving at the same time, cyclists and runners say they can beat the 95 Rapid Bus through Victoria, and on to the West Shore during rush hour. https://cheknews.ca/victoria-cyclists-race-to-prove-buses-are-too-slow-1330357/
The fuel surcharge should not apply to foot passengers
Times Colonist@timescolonist.bsky.social · 2mo agoHop into express lane!🚌💨 Desert Bus Express is back with a 24 hour marathon starting June 20th at 4pm PDT. This time we're raising money for Qmunity.ca, Vancouver based charity working to improve queer, trans, and Two-Spirit lives through services, connection, and leadership. More info soon!
There are a lot of parallels between Brexit and Alberta separation but one place where the analogy breaks down is that pretty much no one on the left is in favour of it.
Philippe J. Fournier@338canada.bsky.social · 2mo ago📊Alberta separation poll from the Angus Reid Institute: 🔴67% Stay 🔵30% Leave The debate over AB separation is not taking place between conservatives and progressives, it's occurring within Alberta's conservative movement itself. → www.338canada.ca/p/alberta-re...
I don't think I have seen anyone refer to Pep as Josep before.
The Globe and Mail@theglobeandmail.com · 2mo ago
I will be racing the bus in a couple weeks
Better Transit YYJ@bettertransityyj.ca · 2mo agoCan you outrun the 95 “Rapid” bus? On June 12 at 4:45pm, we are racing the bus from the Legislature to City Hall to highlight how Douglas St congestion slows transit to a crawl. Sign up to run, or be a cheerleader: actionnetwork.org/forms/volunt... #yyj #racethebus
Now if they could just add like 50% more busses so every popular bus wasn’t full and every non popular bus ran more than once every 90 minutes.
Caleb Crookes, vice-president of transit advocacy group Better Transit YYJ, said his organization welcomes the change. “It would have been excellent had that been slightly higher on the to-do list, but overall, I think I speak for everyone when I say that we’re all excited for this.” #yyj #transit
Times Colonist@timescolonist.bsky.social · 3mo agoTap-to-pay with payment cards and mobile wallets is now available on BC Transit in Victoria and most other transit systems in BC www.bctransit.com/bc-transit-l...
BC Transit launches tap-to-pay province-wide
BC Transit is introducing contactless fare payment on fixed-route buses in participating Umo transit systems, making transit more convenient and easier to use.
bctransit.com
Difficulty in getting airport service shows region needs a new funding model bettertransityyj.ca/2026/05/12/d...
DIFFICULTY IN GETTING AIRPORT SERVICE SHOWS REGION NEEDS NEW MODEL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Victoria, BC, May 12 At the upcoming Victoria Regional Transit Commission (VRTC) meeting this Tuesday, May 12th, commissioners voted to approve direct airport service to Vict…
bettertransityyj.ca
Publicly owned grocery stores would be a terrible idea. Grocery stores already have low margins and by Canadian standards there is a lot of competition. The suppliers to grocery stores is where the real issues lie in terms of market concentration.
Avi Lewis@avilewis.ca · 3mo ago1/ It’s time to build affordable homes, a national network of public grocery stores, electric buses and an east-west clean energy grid. Not massive corporate AI data centres unleashed without any democratic debate. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
I looked at the exact prices, ridership stats and ship capacity for B.C. Ferries for all 66 years of its existence. Here's my deep dive into why everyone's favourite marine passenger transportation service has suffered in the last decade. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
'Highway on the Sea': How decisions made about B.C. Ferries decades ago led to problems today | CBC News
B.C. Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez did a wide-ranging interview with CBC about the province’s marine transportation system, as the corporation gears up for its first long weekend since the one at Easter...
cbc.ca
The story of B.C. Ferries isn't quite as simple as "they built lots of big boats quickly, then stopped building big boats for 40 years, jacked up prices, and as a result ridership plateaued while the number of mechanical issues slowly built up." but it's close
I decided to figure how many cars this would actually be compared to high speed rail.
Scott Robertson@sarobertson.bsky.social · 3mo agoPierre Poilievre says the Billy Bishop runway expansion would have "an enormous environmental benefit" because "it will take cars off the road."