Transitfan.com Charters

From TransitfanWiki
Jump to navigationJump to search

Transitfan.com Charters is a non-profit Charter Group providing Transit enthusiast, and bus fans with various charters in different regions of Quebec, and Ontario

History

Transitfan.com Charters was founded in June 2011 with the planning stages starting in March 2011. The first charter began its planning stage in March 2011. The name Transitfan.com Charters came to life in May 2011. The name was chosen to represent the website, where the charter group was founded.

Transitfan.com Charters goal is to provide transit enthusiasts, mainly from in and around Quebec and Ontario, with low-cost bus charters with buses that everyone enjoys riding and photographing.

To date, they have concentrated on chartering one specific model, NovaBus Classic's, with the exception of a mini-charter with a privately owned 1982 GMC New-Look.

Organizers

Transitfan.com Charters has variety of different charter organizers from various regions.

Pierre Mayer (Mystic)

Pierre was one of the primary people that helped bring Transitfan.com Charters to life. Pierre is the owner, and administrator of Transitfan.com, which hosts the transit forums in which the organizers and attendees discuss and plan the charters. He is a valuable resource to the transit community with a vast knowledge of transit vehicles.

Joseph McArdle (Montreal66)

Joseph was the main planner of the STL Laval #6405 Charter featuring a 1994 NovaBus Classic from Laval, Québec. Joseph also planned the Cornwall Transit #8558 Charter featuring a 1985 GMDD Classic from Cornwall, Ontario, original to the STCUQ in Québec City, Québec. He also planned the FHTCQ 15-140 Private Charter that was held in Montréal, Québec.
He was also a consultant and help for 7 other events held by Transitfan.com Charters.

Justin DiGenova (MrTransitFan)

Justin was the main photo and route planner, as well as a helper for the STL Laval #6405 Charter.

Anthony D'Amico (ProchaineStation)

Anthony is in charge of photographing and recording what goes on the charters such as raffle winners, TransitFanNetwork videos, and group photos. He was a route and photo-stop planner, and helper on the STL Laval 1994 NovaBus Classic Charter.

Simon Bégin (Artic2009)

Simon is one of the busiest Transitfan.com Charter organizers. He is the brains behind charters held in the Québec regions of Mauricie and Capitale-Nationale. He organized the STTR (Trois-Rivières, Québec) #9403 Charter, and RTC (Québec City) L9419. His internal sources within the RTC made it possible to get the last remaining Classic bus model currently in service in the company's old livery.
Simon was the main organizer of the 1st Québec Double Charter featuring STL Lévis #8688, a 1986 GMDD Classic original to he STCUQ in Québec City, Québec and RTC #9401, a 1994 Nova Bus Classic.
Simon was also the main organizer of the 2nd Québec Double Charter featuring STL Lévis #9503, a 1994 Nova Bus Classic original to he STO in Gatineau, Québec and RTC #9501, a 1995 Nova Bus Classic.

He was also essential in organizing a follow-up event after the RTC L9419 charter featuring Ex-STO [Gatineau, Québec] 1982 GMC New-Look #8202, which is a privately owned bus kept in Trois-Rivières.

Kyle Harlow (Cogeno)

Kyle is currently helping in the planning of a charter featuring an STO vehicle.

2011 Events

Here is a list of events held by Transitfan.com Charters in the order they took place.

Société de Transport de Laval #6405.

Held in Laval, Québec on June 12th, 2011. This event was originally supposed to feature a 1992 MCI Classic from the STL Laval but because of dispatch issues they were given a 1994 Novabus Classic.

The Pick-up location was at Cartier Metro station where they met up with the participants. They had a secondary pick-up location to accommodate other participants at Henri-Bourassa Metro station at the AMT owned North terminal, which also doubled as a photo stop. They then moved the group to the other various photo stops which included;

  • AMT Gare Ste-Rose
  • STL Terminus Auteuil
  • Parc Lausanne
  • AMT Gare Ste-Dorothée
  • AMT Terminus Le Carrefour
  • STL rented parking lot for unused buses at Provigo's distribution center.
  • AMT Terminus Montmorency

Group photo was taken at Parc Lausanne.

Here is the group photo from the charter:
TFN-Charter 6405.jpg

Société de Transport de Trois-Rivières #9403

Held in Trois-Rivières, Québec on July 31st, 2011.

This event saw photo stops of which some were planned and some were not. Most of the photo stops were held in the various STTR terminals. The pick-up location and first photo stop was at Terminus Centre-Ville, also the location of the Voyageur Bus Terminal. The charter photo stops were as listed:

  • CÉGEP de Trois-Rivières
  • Carrefour Trois-Rivières-Ouest
  • Terminus Marel-Poulin
  • Aeroport de Trois-Rivières
  • Pont Laviolette
  • Termius Galeries Des Caps
  • Terminus Fusey
  • STTR Garage

Participants were also treated to a tour of the garage on the outside, and as a special surprise, were able to pass through the bus wash and have an interior guided tour by the charter driver.

Group Photo taken at the Airport:
TFN-Charter 9403.jpg

Réseau de Transport de la Capitale #L9419

Held in Quebec, Quebec on November 6th, 2011.

They had access to an exclusive bus; The only bus of the active fleet that still remained in the STCUQ (Former RTC, pre 2001) Livery. The charter did not have many photo stops, because it was decided that with little photo stops, it gave more time for the participants to photo-shoot the bus at the stops they did have.

The various Photo stops included;

  • Roland-Beaudin (Gare D'Autocar Ste-Foy)
  • Colline Parlementaire
  • Wilfrid-Caron/Racine
  • Terminus Les Saules
  • RTC Garage
  • Terminus Galeries de la Capitale

Here is the Group Photo taken at the garage:
TFN-Charter L9419.jpg

Privately owned Ex-Société de Transport de l'Outaouais 8202/Ex-CMTS 32105

After the RTC #L9419 Charter, the participants were invited to a mini-charter with a 1982 GMC New-Look. Félix Parent, Jean-Sébastien Marcotte, and Martin Caron own the bus.

The stops were Terminus Galeries Des Caps, where passengers were picked up and dropped off, and an one at the Université-du-Québec in Trois-Rivières, where the lighting was used in order to take the group photo.

Here is the Group Photo taken at the University:
TFN-Charter 8202.jpg

Transitfan.com Charters ended their 2011 charter season with this charter.

2012 Events

Société de Transport de Lévis #8688

The first event of the 2012 season was held in provincial capital as part of a double event on May 19th, 2012 featuring a 1986 GMDD Classic.

The participants were picked up at the Gare d'Autocar de Ste-Foy and then brought to Lévis and brought to various photo stops that included the following;

  • Traverse de Lévis/Québec
  • Société de Transport de Lévis Garage
  • Gare du Palais

Group Photo was taken at the STLévis Garage.

Here is the Group Photo:
TFN-Charter 8688.jpg

Réseau de Transport de la Capitale #9401

The second part of the Double Event was held with the RTC Québec featuring a 1994 Nova Bus Classic.

The participants were picked up at the Gare du Palais and were brought on various stop in Québec City that included the following;

  • Gare Du Palais
  • Terminus of Route 94 (St-Augustin)
  • Terminus Des Saules
  • RTC Québec Garage
  • Galeries de la Capitale

Group Photo was taken at the RTC Québec Garage.

Here is the group Photo:
TFN-Charter 9401.jpg

Cornwall Transit #8558

This event was held on August 25th, 2012.

The participants were picked up at Cornwall VIA Rail Station and brought onto a city tour of Cornwall, Ontario with the following photo stops;

  • VIA Rail Station
  • Pitt/13th Street
  • 4th Street West
  • Downtown Terminal
  • Cornwall Square Mall
  • International Bridge
  • Cornwall Transit Garage
  • Megabus Stop
  • Zellers Cornwall
  • NavCanada

The Group Photo was taken at the Cornwall Transit Garage.

Here is the Group Photo:
TFN-Charter 8558.jpg

This Charter closed off the 2012 Charter Season.

2013 Season

Due the constraints of organizers, only 1 event was held in 2013.

Fondation de l`Héritage du Transport en Commun du Québec (FHTCQ) #15-140

Particpants were invited to a 4 hour Private event featuring the famous 15-140, the last Classic to run with the Société de Transport de Montréal and was later purchased by the FHTCQ.

Participants were picked up from Rosemont Metro Station and brought to various photo stops around Montreal that included the following;

  • Rosemont Metro Station
  • Du Parc/Mont-Royal (Bus Loop)
  • Ridgewood (Terminus of routes 11 and 166)
  • St-Joseph's Oratory
  • De La Montagne/Avenue Des Canadiens de Montréal (Terminus of 178/410/430)
  • Centre de Transport de Frontenac
  • Iberville/Crémazie (Old Terminus Loop for Route 94)
  • Arena Howie-Morenz (Terminus of routes 80/193/435)

The Group Photo was taken at Iberville/Cremazie Loop.

Here is the Group Photo:

2014 Season

Planned events

  • Société de Transport de Sherbrooke 1992 MCI Classic Charter (Ex-Santa Monica)
  • Société de Transport de Trois-Rivières 1996 NovaBus Classic Charter
  • Société De Transport de L'Outaouais GM New Look or MCI/Nova Classic Charter
  • Réaseau de Transport de Longueuil MCI/Nova Classic Charter