Grand River Transit buses to follow new policy

Buses will no longer stop at all railway crossings as a safety measure

WATERLOO REGION — Grand River Transit buses will no longer stop at all railway crossings, boosting safety and efficiency.

Buses currently stop when crossing rail tracks at all times, regardless of whether the crossing has controls or if they are activated.

“Today, we stop at all crossings,” said Peter Zinck, director of transit services. “No train, we would stop anyways.”

Waterloo Region’s rules are more stringent than the Highway Traffic Act, which only requires transit vehicles to stop at an uncontrolled crossing where there are no gates or signal lights. Under the provincial rules, buses don’t have to stop where gates or lights are present but not activated.

A regional review, prompted by the pending launch of light rail services, found that overall risk and collisions would be reduced by aligning with the Highway Traffic Act.

Of the 38 collisions at a rail crossing from 2013 to 2015, 31 happened at a controlled crossing where the crash between the bus and a vehicle may have been avoided if the bus didn’t stop. Most of the collisions were rear end and side clearance between vehicles, according to a report presented to regional council on Tuesday.

The study found that collisions with buses could be reduced by about 11 a year by not stopping at controlled rail crossings, and the policy change would also avoid an estimated 22 collisions a year at intersections with Ion tracks.

Buses will start following the new policy just prior to light rail service launching, which is expected this spring.

Along with the improvements in safety, there are other benefits. Bus passengers will save travel time, along with people in cars behind the bus. Fewer stops saves fuel, wear and tear on the buses, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Eliminating stopping at controlled crossings would reduce stop and starts by almost 900,000 each year.

Another change is coming with the launch of Ion. GRT will switch from paper passes and tickets to the EasyGO fare card. People have until the start of Ion to use up their paper tickets.

Monthly passes will transition to the fare card starting in March. Extra terminals will be added at the Charles Street station in Kitchener and Ainslie Street station in Cambridge for people to get the electronic fare card.

Unlike when they are riding buses, Ion passengers won’t have to show their fare to the driver or use a fare box. A fare card can be tapped at a validator on the platform prior to boarding or customers can pay ahead at a ticket vending machine or bus farebox.

jweidner@therecord.com Twitter: @WeidnerRecord