Essential Transit Association

The Essential Transit Association aims to promote sustainable public transportation in the NE Avalon region (also essentialtransitnl on BlueSky)

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

It's a 🎄miracle! @MetrobusTransit announced a new bus route 33 - an express between the Village Mall, Avalon Mall and Memorial University. Not until the new year, not on weekends or in the evenings but better than a lump of coal! https://t.co/HEY0KT6SkU

[Transport Action Atl @TrsprtActionAtl]

Poor 🛤️maintenance by @CNRailway in NB is a key reason @VIA_Rail's Montreal to Halifax 🚊 takes 5 hours longer than it did in the 90s - limited to 30km/h in places! It's the only transit link between the Maritimes and the rest of 🇨🇦. Sign to demand change https://t.co/MN1E6IuNBc

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

Not quite ready to leave here yet but definitely packing our bags... Come join us at essentialtransitnl you know where👇

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

Our existing bus network design is already not working and doesn't cover much of NE Avalon. We don't have a date for the planned opening of this hospital yet but it takes more than a year just to get a new bus from the time you order it. To be ready then we need to start now!

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

Nice to hear @DannyBreenNL talk about the transit implications of the planned hospital between @CityofStJohns and @townofparadise. Will we see the necessary improvements built into the Metro Bus growth plan and electrification plans when they are released? https://t.co/LpFOLWfQ0I

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

https://t.co/n2Dn3v8TG8

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

Build new roads linking to the new St Clare's sure, @Fred_hutton, but there will never be a better opportunity to create and help fund a credible regional transit plan for the Northeast Avalon to make sure everyone can reach vital services.

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

At present the fastest way to the new hospital location from downtown by 🚍 takes over an hour, involves a transfer, and a 1.7km walk. Several surrounding communities can't reach it by transit at all. Are @NL_HealthServ, @MetrobusTransit on this? https://t.co/Id8AC22MA7

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

Build new roads linking to the new St Clare's sure, @Fred_hutton, but there will never be a better opportunity to create and help fund a credible regional transit plan for the Northeast Avalon to make sure everyone can reach vital services.

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

More evidence that @CityofStJohns, Pippy Park, @MetrobusTransit, the province (inc NL Health) CONA and @MemorialU need to sit down together, pool resources and devise a comprehensive transportation plan for that corridor!

[Robin Whitaker @rgwhitaker.bsky.social @rgwhitaker]

When will @MemorialU materially encourage #cycling to, from, & across campus? The new @CityofStJohns shared paths are mostly great (drivers: pls take care at crossings). But you cannot legally get from south to north campus. Please replace Livyer's loop parking with a bikelane!

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

@SwanBoatSteve @jasserole Absolutely! There's a real risk that the energy and capital spending of Transit agencies will be so absorbed by the legitimate need to Electrify their fleet that the pressing need to also expand it will be overlooked

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

@jasserole @SwanBoatSteve Here in St John's the city recently did a life cycle analysis for its own electrification plans and found they paid for themselves and fuel costs. Of course much depends on how the buses are used.

[rachel 🛸 @oderinisland]

please improve @CityofStJohns @MetrobusTransit

not only does going to MUN on the bus add almost 2 hours of commuting time to a university that ordinarily is about a 10minute drive from my place but sometimes you have to wait 10+ mins at the stop bc of delays like come on b’ys

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

(Once again) the province and non-profits have to commission shuttle buses to meet people's basic transportation needs because @MetrobusTransit can't adequately serve a place across the road from a residential area and near the airport? @Jlreid02 https://t.co/dvbyiA6spu

[Transport Action Atl @TrsprtActionAtl]

This would be a tiny portion of NS's $15.8bn budget but could save regular Halifax bus users $1,080 a year and get more on board. Meanwhile PEI is investing to keep bus passes just $20 a month https://t.co/Yss2gtb6kN. What about it @Gov_NB, @GovNL ? #CostOfLivingCrisis

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

Last time we checked here in the windiest, rainiest capital in Canada only about one in 20 of our bus stops are covered.

[eric kennedy rapaport @rapaport1010]

HRM released a GIS layer of bus shelters. There are 489, which means 20 % of the 2379 bus stops provide shelter. Today it will rain - who wants to stand in the rain?
@morethanbuses @safe_hrm @WalknRollHfx
Link to HRM Bushelter data.
https://t.co/bkOKNQAzl9

[David Brake 🫐 @drbrakeYYT.bsky.social @davidrbrake]

Average monthly rent for 3+ bedroom apts in SE Avalon in Oct 2023: $1,098 https://t.co/7ihecM46Yg
Owning & running a🚗 in 🇨🇦: $1,387 https://t.co/G4piITN48L
A family of four w both parents *working F/T on min wage* with benefits are left with $200/month. They need alternatives!

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

If even "car is king" LA is getting the idea, imagine just how embarrassed @CityofStJohns, @sportNL and @TCAR_GovNL is going to be by contrast when people arrive for @CanadaGames and try to get around the city using @MetrobusTransit ?

[Brent Toderian @BrentToderian]

This is interesting — LA Mayor says Los Angeles Olympic Games will be the “No Car Games.” Olympic venues will only be accessible by public transportation.

That would be quite a change for LA.

What if the city used the Games for REAL permanent change? https://t.co/0sGZkXdSKJ

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

Some interesting ideas here to help fund better transit here as well (VKT = a Vehicle Kilometres Travelled tax)

[Transport Action Atl @TrsprtActionAtl]

A report on 🇨🇦 transit from @leadingmobility has a section on @hfxtransit. It says @hfxgov knows funding for its expansion plans will v likely fall short and offers some worthwhile recommendations to fill the gap https://t.co/rsSogFeIAC

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

@AshleyFitzNL Rural and regional definitely. And funding to tie together existing unscheduled services into something more coordinated and visible to all (have you tried finding non-car options on https://t.co/uIf8uq48LH?)

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

@AshleyFitzNL https://t.co/dM9j4la76b

[John Woodside @Woodsideful]

The largest public transit investment in Cdn history is being panned by advocates for missing the mark.

“It feels like this program is being announced in a separate universe... where transit systems aren't facing massive operating deficits"- @ClimateNate
https://t.co/YQ0zRBpiYM

[Essential Transit Association @ETA_NEAvalon]

@AshleyFitzNL As other Transit advocates have been saying the main issue ( aside from question marks over whether a future conservative government would continue it) is that it does not include any operational funding. Nobody will buy buses they don't have the funds to staff.