WEGO (Niagara Falls)
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| Parent | Niagara Falls Transit |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 |
| Service area | Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake |
| Service type | bus service |
| Routes | 5 |
| Fleet | 27 buses |
| Fuel type | diesel |
| Operator | Niagara Falls Transit and Niagara Parks Commission |
| Website | wegoniagarafalls.com |
WEGO Visitor Transportation System (WEGO) is a bus system in Niagara Falls, Ontario jointly operated by Niagara Falls Transit and the Niagara Parks Commission. It replaced Niagara Falls Transit's Falls Shuttle, as well as the Niagara Parks Commission People Mover. Originally scheduled to launch on June 29, 2012, the service's inauguration was postponed due to delays in its buses' intelligent transportation system. WEGO launched its preview service on August 13, 2012, then finally began official operations, a week later, on August 20[1]
WEGO is a pairing of the words "we" and "go", conveying the meaning of friendship and social activity, as well as adventure and exploration.[2]
Fares and Connections
Fares
| Age group | Victoria Day to Thanksgiving Day |
Off-peak Season | Niagara-on-the-Lake Shuttle | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24-hour pass | 48-hour pass | 24-hour pass | 48-hour pass | One-way | Roundtrip | |
| 5 and under | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| 6 to 12 | $ 4.00 | $ 8.00 | $ 4.00 | $ 4.00 | $ 3.00 | $ 6.00 |
| 13 and over | $ 7.00 | $ 11.50 | $ 7.00 | $ 7.00 | $ 5.00 | $ 10.00 |
Adventure and Magic Passes
The Adventure Pass (for peak season) and the Magic Pass (for off-peak season) contain a free 48-hour pass for WEGO. Since the "actual" passes can only be redeemed at the welcome centres, authorized sellers of the Adventure and Magic Passes outside the welcome centres instead give vouchers to each paid customer, allowing them to ride the WEGO bus for free to finally redeem their Adventure or Magic Pass at the nearest welcome centre. Online buyers of these passes also undergo the same procedure: they must show their printed vouchers to ride the WEGO bus for free to get their respective passes at the nearest welcome centre.
Connections and Transfers
There is partial fare integration between WEGO and the regular local Niagara Falls Transit service. Monthly passholders of regular local Niagara Falls Transit service are allowed to connect to WEGO for free. However, 10-ride passholders, day passholders, and single-ride passengers must pay a separate WEGO fare.[3] Passengers connecting from Niagara Region Transit must also pay a separate WEGO fare.[4] On the other hand, both WEGO passes (24-hour and 48-hour) are accepted at local Niagara Falls Transit buses, but not at Niagara Region buses.
WEGO also connects with inter-regional transit customers using GO Transit, VIA Rail, Greyhound Canada and Coach Canada via the Purple Line. GO Transit stations along the Niagara excursion train sell WEGO passes when the train is in operation. Green Line passengers can also connect to the train and bus terminals, which are a short distance away from the White Water Walk stop.
At Fort George National Historic Site, passengers can connect to Niagara-on-the-Lake Transit's Heritage-Old Town route. Passengers can also connect to GO Transit's Route 11 at King and Pitcon Streets, which is a short distance from Fort George.
Routes
Route Details
| Line | Terminus | Areas served | Operator | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Line | Table Rock | MarineLand | Clifton Hill Fallsview |
Niagara Falls Transit |
| Scotiabank Convention Centre | ||||
| Red Line | Table Rock | Garner Road Loop | Lundy's Lane | |
| Purple Line | Table Rock | Niagara Falls VIA Station | Downtown | |
| Green Line | Rapidsview Parking Lot | Queenston Heights Park | Niagara Falls segment of Niagara Parkway |
Niagara Parks Commission |
| Floral Showhouse | Floral Clock | |||
| Niagara-on-the-Lake Shuttle | Fort George National Historic Site | Floral Clock | NOTL segment of Niagara Parkway | |
Service Details
| Line | Season and Frequency (min.) | Notes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak (End of June - Labour Day) |
Shoulder (Victoria Day - End of June, Labour Day - Thanksgiving) |
Off-peak (Thanksgiving - Victoria Day) | |||||
| Day | Evening | Day | Evening | Day | Evening | ||
| Blue | 15M | 20S | 20S (weekday) 30M (weekend) |
40S | 20S | 40S |
|
| Red | 30 | 30 | 30 | 60 | 30 | 60 | |
| Purple | 30 | 30 | 30 | - | 30Ltd. | - |
|
| Green | 12Q | - | 20F | - | 20F | - |
|
| NOTL | 90 | - | - | - | - | - | |
Blue Line
Despite its convoluted routing, the Blue Line serves the most popular attractions in the city. At the northern half of the route, the Blue Line runs as a counter-clockwise semi-loop serving Clifton Hill as well as Victoria Avenue. Once it reaches Murray Street, the route becomes a north-south route serving the Fallsview tourist area, running along Fallsview Boulevard, Stanley Avenue, and Portage Road. The Blue Line also serves the city's major hotels and landmarks, as well as its two major casinos. During the peak season, it also extends service to MarineLand. The route is operated by Niagara Falls Transit.
Between the end of June and Labour Day, Blue Line runs every 15 minutes until approximately 9:30 pm, shortly after Marineland closes, then performs a short-turn at the Socitabank Convention Centre, running every 20 minutes until the end of service. During the shoulder peak season, it runs every 30 minutes during weekends until 7 pm coinciding with Marineland's operating hours, every 20 minutes during weekdays, and every 40 minutes during evenings when Marineland is not in operation. During the off-peak season, it only services the convention centre, running every 20 minutes during the day and 40 minutes during the evening.
Stops
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Counterclockwise semi-loop section stops:
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North-south section stops:
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Red Line
The Red Line serves the Lundy's Lane corridor, which hosts many hotels, campsites and retail stores, the most notable being Canada One Factory Outlets. Like the Blue Line, this route is also operated by Niagara Falls Transit.
Between the end of June and Labour Day, Red Line runs every 30 minutes until past midnight. During the rest of the year, it runs every 30 minutes during the day and every 60 minutes during the evening.
Stops
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Purple Line
The Purple Line serves the Downtown area of Niagara Falls. It is the only route that directly connects to the Niagara Falls Transit Terminal as well as Niagara Falls VIA Station (passengers may also walk from the transit terminal to the White Water Walk stop at the Green Line to access the system indirectly). It runs north-south along the central section of Niagara Parkway, then runs a loop within the downtown area. It is operated by Niagara Falls Transit.
Between the end of June and Labour Day, Purple Line runs every 30 minutes until past midnight all-week. During the shoulder season (between Victoria Day and end of June; as well as Labour Day and Thanksgiving Day), service ends earlier at approximately 6:30 pm. However, during the off-peak season, it does not run at all between Sunday and Thursday, but it receives 30-minute service during Friday and Saturday afternoons for approximately 3 1/2 hours.
Stops
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Green Line
The Green Line encompasses the former route of Niagara Parks Commission People Mover, running along the Niagara Parkway corridor. It is operated by Niagara Parks Commission. Green Line is the only route that crosses the municipal boundary, allowing service to Queenston at the neighbouring Niagara-on-the-Lake. During the peak season, it runs between the Rapidsview Parking Lot and the Queenston Heights Park. Meanwhile, during the fall, winter, and early spring, southbound service ends at Table Rock and northbound service ends at the Floral Clock, just like its predecessor route.
Green Line runs every 12 minutes between the end of June and Labour Day and every 20 minutes during the rest of the year. No evening service is provided throughout the year.
Stops
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Niagara-on-the-Lake Shuttle
The Niagara-on-the-Lake Shuttle is an additional route implemented during the 2013 peak season, running along the northern segment of the Niagara Parkway corridor between Fort George and the Floral Clock, which becomes the most direct route between Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Falls. Like the Green Line, it is also operated by Niagara Parks Commission.
The NOTL shuttle runs every 90 minutes during the peak season only, and is subject to a fare surcharge (see Fares section).
Stops
- Floral Clock
- Queenston Heights Park
- Mackenzie Printery
- Laura Secord Homestead
- MacFarland House
- Fort George
Terminals
- Campark Resorts Loop
- Queenston Heights Terminal and Loop
- #3 - Table Rock Terminal and loop
- Rapidsview Terminal and Loop
Fleet
| Fleet Number | Company | Model | Length | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5201 - 5211 | Nova Bus | LFX | 60 | Niagara Falls Transit |
| 5301 - 5305 | 40 | |||
| 9001 - 9009 | 60 | Niagara Parks Commission | ||
| 9010 - 9011 | 40 |
WEGO has a fleet of 20 articulated (60 ft) and 7 standard (40 ft) buses, with 16 of them being run by Niagara Falls Transit, and the remaining 11 being run by Niagara Parks Commission.[5]
WEGO incorporates intelligent transportation systems (ITS) to its bus operations, which allows the following:[6]
- real-time bus arrivals by scanning a QR code at the bus stop,
- signal priority to minimize intersection delays,
- automated stop announcements (in compliance of AODA),
- automated fare collection, and
- television screens that feature the city's weather conditions, local events, tourist attractions and local hotels.
References
- ^ Langley, Alison. "New tourism buses stall". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
- ^ "Branding of new Niagara Falls Visitor Transportation System — WEGO — revealed". Government of Canada. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
- ^ Day, Matt. "WEGO officially a go". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
- ^ Conradi, Peter. "Parks Commission to examine single-day pass for new WEGO bus system". Bullet News Niagara. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
- ^ Dakin, Dan. "Away WEGO. New bus system now running". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
- ^ "Bus Features". WEGO. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
External links
Media related to WEGO Niagara Falls Visitor Transportation at Wikimedia Commons