IXpress
Encyclopedia
iXpress is a bus rapid transit
service in Waterloo Region
, Ontario
, Canada
, operated by Grand River Transit
. As of September 2011
, it consists of two routes, one serving the main thoroughfare between Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge
, and the other linking south Kitchener with Wilfrid Laurier University
in Waterloo.
The "i" in iXpress stands for "intelligent", due to the implementation of intelligent transportation system
.
being implemented) along a central transit corridor running from Conestoga Mall
in north Waterloo, mainly along King Street and Highways 8
, 401
, and 24 (Hespeler Road)
to the Ainslie Street bus terminal in downtown Cambridge. In order to provide faster service, the iXpress stops only at thirteen stations along its route, rather than having many closely spaced request stops as do most other GRT routes. The express bus is not considered sufficient to meet the Region’s long-term needs, but is seen as a way to build up ridership levels in order to demonstrate the viability of GRT’s plans for higher-grade transport services.
iXpress uses the same fare and ticketing structure as the rest of GRT’s bus routes. The buses do not bear GRT’s usual livery, but instead are white with a large iXpress logo on each side. These buses can be occasionally seen running regular routes, when the fleet is short on operable standard-livery vehicles.
All buses with iXpress livery are Nova LFS models purchased in 2004, 2009 and 2010, numbered from 2408-2409, 20901-20913, and 21001-21006. Occasionally, a bus not painted in iXpress livery is used on the route, but this is relatively infrequent. Even more infrequently, a bus other than a Nova LFS can be seen on the route, usually an Orion VII purchased in 2003.
The bus route, which is supported in part by funding from the federal government
, presently runs 7 days a week, approximately every 10 minutes between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays, every 15 minutes weekday evenings and Saturdays, and every half-hour on Sundays. GRT reports that the buses are given priority at seventeen intersections, although this is accomplished by extending red/green signal times en route rather than through the installation of "white bar" transit priority signals. All stations provide real-time passenger information, while lockers, and bicycle rack
s are only found at major stops. Passengers can view the next stop on an LED Screen mounted at the front of the bus and listen to announcements that announce the next stop.
The original iXpress service was implemented to replace and expand on the former Express Route 101, which had provided peak-time express services between Fairview Park Mall and University of Waterloo. Until September 2011 iXpress service was internally numbered as Route 200 on Bus Operator Itineraries and on the INIT electronic GPS system on board each iXpress bus, with run numbers starting in the 80's (80XX can be seen in the run box in the front window of the bus; where '80' represents the route while in the 'XX' position is the unique run number). Nearly all public signs and maps referred to the iXpress by its name only. Starting in September 2011, the "200 iXpress" designation has been expanded to public knowledge and media, as a means of distinguishing the original route from the new second service: the "201 iXpress" (also referred to as the "Green iXpress" in promotional material). Originally, signs at the iXpress bus bays at the Charles Street Transit Terminal (the main terminal for the K-W Service Area) described the iXpress by Route 200, but this was quickly removed, only to be reinstated with the launch of the second iXpress line as Route 201.
In early 2006, new state-of-the-art bus shelters were installed along the iXpress route, at McCormick, R&T Park, UW, Laurier, and Grand River Hospital stations. Uptown Waterloo, Ottawa, Smart!Centres and Cambridge Centre stations have also received matching shelters since then; Conestoga Mall, Charles Street Terminal, Fairview Park Mall, and Ainslie Street Terminal have not, since they have existing terminal facilities. Other features currently that have been rolled out include real-time tracking, which will show what time the next bus will arrive, through the GPS system installed on the iXpress buses. Electronic displays with this information, along with maps, are being added to the specialized shelters. On June 30, 2007, the iXpress added daytime Saturday service; September 2007 saw the addition of evening weekday service and Sunday service and September 2008 saw an increase to 15 minute service until approx 6PM weekdays.
In autumn 2009, new Nova LFS models were purchased to replace the existing iXpress fleet. As these become equipped to service the route, the older 2004-era buses are reverting to regular GRT livery. Currently, only 2 of the 2004-era buses still retain the iXpress livery.
In September 2011, a second iXpress line, Route 201, was launched, linking Wilfrid Laurier University
in Waterloo with Forest Glen Terminal in Kitchener, with the route running mainly along Fischer-Hallman Road in both cities. Buses servicing the 201 are generally of the standard GRT livery, as they often interline with standard routes upon reaching the Forest Glen terminus.
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
service in Waterloo Region
Regional Municipality of Waterloo
The Regional Municipality of Waterloo is a regional municipality located in Southern Ontario, Canada. It consists of the cities of Kitchener, Cambridge, and Waterloo, and the townships of Wellesley, Woolwich, Wilmot, and North Dumfries. It is often referred to as the Region of Waterloo or just...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, operated by Grand River Transit
Grand River Transit
Grand River Transit, or GRT, is the public transport operator for the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It operates daily bus services in the region, primarily in the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge....
. As of September 2011
September 2011
September 2011 was the ninth month of the current year. It began on a Thursday and ended after 30 days on a Friday.- Portal:Current events :...
, it consists of two routes, one serving the main thoroughfare between Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge
Cambridge, Ontario
Cambridge is a city located in Southern Ontario at the confluence of the Grand and Speed rivers in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It is an amalgamation of the City of Galt, the towns of Preston and Hespeler, and the hamlet of Blair.Galt covers the largest portion of...
, and the other linking south Kitchener with Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada....
in Waterloo.
The "i" in iXpress stands for "intelligent", due to the implementation of intelligent transportation system
Intelligent transportation system
The term intelligent transportation systems refers to information and communication technology that improve transport outcomes such as transport safety, transport productivity, travel reliability, informed travel choices, social equity, environmental performance and network operation...
.
History
As part of its autumn service expansion, on September 6, 2005, GRT launched an express bus service called iXpress ("i" for intelligent because of ITSIntelligent transportation system
The term intelligent transportation systems refers to information and communication technology that improve transport outcomes such as transport safety, transport productivity, travel reliability, informed travel choices, social equity, environmental performance and network operation...
being implemented) along a central transit corridor running from Conestoga Mall
Conestoga Mall
Conestoga Mall is a major shopping mall situated at 550 King Street North in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Located at King Street's interchange with Highway 85 , it is the largest shopping centre in Waterloo, and third-largest in Waterloo Region...
in north Waterloo, mainly along King Street and Highways 8
Highway 8 (Ontario)
Provincial Highway 8 is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. Its total length is 138.5 km, though it was once much longer, running farther east from Hamilton to Niagara Falls, before the Queen Elizabeth Way replaced its role.- History :Highway 8 is one of the...
, 401
Highway 401 (Ontario)
King's Highway 401, also known by its official name as the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway and colloquially as the four-oh-one, is a 400-Series Highway in the Canadian province of Ontario stretching from Windsor to the Quebec border...
, and 24 (Hespeler Road)
Highway 24 (Ontario)
Highway 24 is a highway in the Canadian province of Ontario which presently begins at Highway 3 in Simcoe, and ends at Highway 401, in Cambridge. Highway 24 runs in a north/south direction and has been in service since 1927...
to the Ainslie Street bus terminal in downtown Cambridge. In order to provide faster service, the iXpress stops only at thirteen stations along its route, rather than having many closely spaced request stops as do most other GRT routes. The express bus is not considered sufficient to meet the Region’s long-term needs, but is seen as a way to build up ridership levels in order to demonstrate the viability of GRT’s plans for higher-grade transport services.
iXpress uses the same fare and ticketing structure as the rest of GRT’s bus routes. The buses do not bear GRT’s usual livery, but instead are white with a large iXpress logo on each side. These buses can be occasionally seen running regular routes, when the fleet is short on operable standard-livery vehicles.
All buses with iXpress livery are Nova LFS models purchased in 2004, 2009 and 2010, numbered from 2408-2409, 20901-20913, and 21001-21006. Occasionally, a bus not painted in iXpress livery is used on the route, but this is relatively infrequent. Even more infrequently, a bus other than a Nova LFS can be seen on the route, usually an Orion VII purchased in 2003.
The bus route, which is supported in part by funding from the federal government
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
, presently runs 7 days a week, approximately every 10 minutes between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays, every 15 minutes weekday evenings and Saturdays, and every half-hour on Sundays. GRT reports that the buses are given priority at seventeen intersections, although this is accomplished by extending red/green signal times en route rather than through the installation of "white bar" transit priority signals. All stations provide real-time passenger information, while lockers, and bicycle rack
Bicycle stand
A bicycle stand,also called a bike rack, is a device to which bicycles may be securely attached. It may be free standing or securely attached to the ground or some stationary object such as a building. Indoor bike racks are commonly used for private bicycle parking, while outdoor bike racks are...
s are only found at major stops. Passengers can view the next stop on an LED Screen mounted at the front of the bus and listen to announcements that announce the next stop.
The original iXpress service was implemented to replace and expand on the former Express Route 101, which had provided peak-time express services between Fairview Park Mall and University of Waterloo. Until September 2011 iXpress service was internally numbered as Route 200 on Bus Operator Itineraries and on the INIT electronic GPS system on board each iXpress bus, with run numbers starting in the 80's (80XX can be seen in the run box in the front window of the bus; where '80' represents the route while in the 'XX' position is the unique run number). Nearly all public signs and maps referred to the iXpress by its name only. Starting in September 2011, the "200 iXpress" designation has been expanded to public knowledge and media, as a means of distinguishing the original route from the new second service: the "201 iXpress" (also referred to as the "Green iXpress" in promotional material). Originally, signs at the iXpress bus bays at the Charles Street Transit Terminal (the main terminal for the K-W Service Area) described the iXpress by Route 200, but this was quickly removed, only to be reinstated with the launch of the second iXpress line as Route 201.
In early 2006, new state-of-the-art bus shelters were installed along the iXpress route, at McCormick, R&T Park, UW, Laurier, and Grand River Hospital stations. Uptown Waterloo, Ottawa, Smart!Centres and Cambridge Centre stations have also received matching shelters since then; Conestoga Mall, Charles Street Terminal, Fairview Park Mall, and Ainslie Street Terminal have not, since they have existing terminal facilities. Other features currently that have been rolled out include real-time tracking, which will show what time the next bus will arrive, through the GPS system installed on the iXpress buses. Electronic displays with this information, along with maps, are being added to the specialized shelters. On June 30, 2007, the iXpress added daytime Saturday service; September 2007 saw the addition of evening weekday service and Sunday service and September 2008 saw an increase to 15 minute service until approx 6PM weekdays.
In autumn 2009, new Nova LFS models were purchased to replace the existing iXpress fleet. As these become equipped to service the route, the older 2004-era buses are reverting to regular GRT livery. Currently, only 2 of the 2004-era buses still retain the iXpress livery.
In September 2011, a second iXpress line, Route 201, was launched, linking Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada....
in Waterloo with Forest Glen Terminal in Kitchener, with the route running mainly along Fischer-Hallman Road in both cities. Buses servicing the 201 are generally of the standard GRT livery, as they often interline with standard routes upon reaching the Forest Glen terminus.