Two things I found very interesting over the past couple days.
Firstly, the TTC has a public relations nightmare on their hands.
They have a fare hike nobody wants, they have people pointing out
waste of resources in the system. Now we have a 6 hour outage. From a
public relations point of view its easy to blame the subcontractor but
what about easing the passengers needs. It was cold and damp out.
People were standing for hours waiting. Why not bring out some portable
heaters to keep them warm or maybe supply them with a warm cup of coffee.
Its not our fault but we care. A missed opportunity they could maybe do next
time. Given the disorganization of TTC we know there will be a next time.
On another note, I had not taken the train leaving burlington at 7:38 for a while.
It used to arrive at Union at 8:22 am and the conductor would announce that it was on time.
I noticed that now the train arrives at 8:30 am and the conductor would announce that it was on time. I guess the way to reduce delays is to adjust the schedule to compensate. Way to go
Go Transit.
Susan came across this article about schedule 'Inflation' written by Ed Drass in the Metro News. You may wish to check it out here is the link:
http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/blog/post/389624
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Go Transit and the Pan AM Games
It is understandable that bringing the Pan AM Games to the GTA will help out the cities
economy and we really need to show them our world class transit system but with limited resources at Go Transit and thus cancelling trains are we not proving the opposite to them.
http://www.thespec.com/article/627028
A better approach, would be to cut the train in half. You do have extra engines at Mimico I see them every morning during the rush just sitting there. Why not split up the train and at least run a shorter train through the normal line. Commuters are used to delays so a delay due to congestion would not produce the negative feedback you are getting now.
It is all about thinking smarter. I think Go Transit really needs someone to take control of the behemoth organization and clean it up. Someone needs to look at Go Transit from the switch and dispatch level all the way up and figure out solutions fast. From my experience with him in the past I really think Rob MacIsaac is your man to do it. Every day it becomes clearer that MetroLynx should talke control of the TTC and Go Transit and make them more efficient and work together with existing transit.
I look forward to hearing your comments on this and other postings.
economy and we really need to show them our world class transit system but with limited resources at Go Transit and thus cancelling trains are we not proving the opposite to them.
http://www.thespec.com/article/627028
A better approach, would be to cut the train in half. You do have extra engines at Mimico I see them every morning during the rush just sitting there. Why not split up the train and at least run a shorter train through the normal line. Commuters are used to delays so a delay due to congestion would not produce the negative feedback you are getting now.
It is all about thinking smarter. I think Go Transit really needs someone to take control of the behemoth organization and clean it up. Someone needs to look at Go Transit from the switch and dispatch level all the way up and figure out solutions fast. From my experience with him in the past I really think Rob MacIsaac is your man to do it. Every day it becomes clearer that MetroLynx should talke control of the TTC and Go Transit and make them more efficient and work together with existing transit.
I look forward to hearing your comments on this and other postings.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Go Transit Paranoia
Imagine what would happen if a real disaster happened on the Lakeshore West line.
All that happened here was a track outage and it is utter chaos at Union. From
what I heard from the Engineers on my train the 6:03 pm train from Union, there were
2 go trains ahead of us. So counting back that is the 5:43 and 5:34 train so that means it took Go Transit over a half an hour to determine that there was in fact a track outage.
Our train got stopped at Exhibition and the public relations person on the train told us the track was out at Oakville. From speaking directly with him he said that came straight from dispatch. Upon calling 1-888-get-on-go they told me long branch was out. To make matters worse, anyone traveling from Union to anywhere west except Hamilton and Aldershot were SOL as far as buses were concerned.
You would think this was Go Transit's first disaster by how they reacted but in fact only a few short years ago there was the were 3 such in one year, a fire at Clarkson, a track outage at Mimico due to a CN derailment. Even still the big Toronto blackout had buses available for people to get home. You think they would get better but I have to say that in past, they actually did a better job getting us home.
While we wait for the bus, three other buses come in and one express bus heads back to Union. Optimization would say to have that bus with only a hand full of people on it, go back to Aldershot with our load too, then to Union rather than sending another bus one stop and use extra fuel. I guess that is where are go transit pass increases come from, unnecessary fuel consumption.
As I sit on the bus in Hamilton at 8:37 they just announced that the trains are running. So leaving Union at 6:03, I have already been on the Go system for over 1 and 1/2 hours and the bus is still sitting here waiting to leave. One passenger was so irate at Hamilton bus terminal by the lack of information that Go Transit kicked him out of the station rather than simply answering which stop we needed to wait at.
Just as go transit thought their concerns were over with the trains running. Some incident at the Union Station bus terminal which included an ambulance needing to get through, stopped all go busses from entering the terminal. The dispatch told all buses to stay away from Union Bus terminal or they would be sent right through.
It is 9:00 pm and I am now at Aldershot. I am one of the luckier ones that got off at Aldershot to a ride waiting for me. Unfortunately most passengers heading back East will have to wait until 10:00 pm for the next train even though two empty west bound trains headed on to Hamilton which is not even a regular stop at this time of night. Another way to piss off us passengers and waste more fuel.
I look forward to hearing from Go Transit how they are going to improve the situation in the future at least on par with future major disasters and possibly a refund or rebate to those travelers who took the train and were stranded.
As a footnote for those people that want to bury the gardiner because its an eyesore, well if they had done that already then all the highway communter would be stranded too.
Feel free to comment on the blog and I will approve them. You may also email Susan Fischer at susan@clinchportal.com and we will post any comments you have anonymously.
All that happened here was a track outage and it is utter chaos at Union. From
what I heard from the Engineers on my train the 6:03 pm train from Union, there were
2 go trains ahead of us. So counting back that is the 5:43 and 5:34 train so that means it took Go Transit over a half an hour to determine that there was in fact a track outage.
Our train got stopped at Exhibition and the public relations person on the train told us the track was out at Oakville. From speaking directly with him he said that came straight from dispatch. Upon calling 1-888-get-on-go they told me long branch was out. To make matters worse, anyone traveling from Union to anywhere west except Hamilton and Aldershot were SOL as far as buses were concerned.
You would think this was Go Transit's first disaster by how they reacted but in fact only a few short years ago there was the were 3 such in one year, a fire at Clarkson, a track outage at Mimico due to a CN derailment. Even still the big Toronto blackout had buses available for people to get home. You think they would get better but I have to say that in past, they actually did a better job getting us home.
While we wait for the bus, three other buses come in and one express bus heads back to Union. Optimization would say to have that bus with only a hand full of people on it, go back to Aldershot with our load too, then to Union rather than sending another bus one stop and use extra fuel. I guess that is where are go transit pass increases come from, unnecessary fuel consumption.
As I sit on the bus in Hamilton at 8:37 they just announced that the trains are running. So leaving Union at 6:03, I have already been on the Go system for over 1 and 1/2 hours and the bus is still sitting here waiting to leave. One passenger was so irate at Hamilton bus terminal by the lack of information that Go Transit kicked him out of the station rather than simply answering which stop we needed to wait at.
Just as go transit thought their concerns were over with the trains running. Some incident at the Union Station bus terminal which included an ambulance needing to get through, stopped all go busses from entering the terminal. The dispatch told all buses to stay away from Union Bus terminal or they would be sent right through.
It is 9:00 pm and I am now at Aldershot. I am one of the luckier ones that got off at Aldershot to a ride waiting for me. Unfortunately most passengers heading back East will have to wait until 10:00 pm for the next train even though two empty west bound trains headed on to Hamilton which is not even a regular stop at this time of night. Another way to piss off us passengers and waste more fuel.
I look forward to hearing from Go Transit how they are going to improve the situation in the future at least on par with future major disasters and possibly a refund or rebate to those travelers who took the train and were stranded.
As a footnote for those people that want to bury the gardiner because its an eyesore, well if they had done that already then all the highway communter would be stranded too.
Feel free to comment on the blog and I will approve them. You may also email Susan Fischer at susan@clinchportal.com and we will post any comments you have anonymously.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
GO Transit and Burlington Transit Rip Off Students
The Burlington Transit has 2-4-1 bus passes for students. If they pay $64 for the july pass they get august free or they can get the July pass for $40. I went to the Go Transit Burlington station and the attendant was rude and told me she didn't know about the deal.
I went home and brought the ad in the Burlington Post newspaper advertising it and she still said no. I called 1-888-Getongo and they put me on hold and finally told me they don't sell discounted passes, however they have sold Student passes at full price to many students already. So anyone buying the BT Student bus passes Go Transit and Burlington Transit just ripped you off for $64. If you are concerned about it please contact Burlington Transit and Go Transit Customer Service and let them know how you feel about being ripped off.
For those who have not bought yours yet, which I figure are few since its already July 1st. Go to Mapleview mall or Burlington Mall to get them. I guess in future the lesson is beware of buying your tickets or passes at the Go Station as they may be ripping you off.
I went home and brought the ad in the Burlington Post newspaper advertising it and she still said no. I called 1-888-Getongo and they put me on hold and finally told me they don't sell discounted passes, however they have sold Student passes at full price to many students already. So anyone buying the BT Student bus passes Go Transit and Burlington Transit just ripped you off for $64. If you are concerned about it please contact Burlington Transit and Go Transit Customer Service and let them know how you feel about being ripped off.
For those who have not bought yours yet, which I figure are few since its already July 1st. Go to Mapleview mall or Burlington Mall to get them. I guess in future the lesson is beware of buying your tickets or passes at the Go Station as they may be ripping you off.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Arriving on Platform 6 Today. Good Job Today Keep it Up.
I just wanted to say that bringing the 7:15 train from burlington in on track 6 today
was a good move. It allowed the platform to clear easier and by doing so when the 7:25 train
comes in on the outer platform its not as congested.
I hope you will keep this up for the 7:15 train as it makes sense from a safety concern. You get the train in and out and then pull in the east bound so it leaves on time and there is limited crowding on the platform.
Cheers to Go Transit. You made a good decision.
was a good move. It allowed the platform to clear easier and by doing so when the 7:25 train
comes in on the outer platform its not as congested.
I hope you will keep this up for the 7:15 train as it makes sense from a safety concern. You get the train in and out and then pull in the east bound so it leaves on time and there is limited crowding on the platform.
Cheers to Go Transit. You made a good decision.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Go Transit Safety : The next sexy issue
Everybody is talking about the next sexy issue ever since that MP was quoted at claiming it was the isotopes issue. With the pending election to be announced probably in the Summer so most of the population is away, Susan Fischer predicts that Go Transit Safety will become the next sexy issue.
There has been a lot of talk lately about the safety of the new platforms at Union. For a while now we have been pointing out safety concerns on this blog. There are new lines being constructed and expanded. There is lots of talk about electrifying the tracks but nothing yet about safety concerns about people crossing them illegally like they do now and getting electricuted.
If you have any comments on this post them here or email them to Susan Fischer at susan@clinchportal.com and we will post them here.
There has been a lot of talk lately about the safety of the new platforms at Union. For a while now we have been pointing out safety concerns on this blog. There are new lines being constructed and expanded. There is lots of talk about electrifying the tracks but nothing yet about safety concerns about people crossing them illegally like they do now and getting electricuted.
If you have any comments on this post them here or email them to Susan Fischer at susan@clinchportal.com and we will post them here.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Platform 26: It worked once why do it again?
Go Transit suffers from two syndromes which are veryapparent in their response to Ed Drass' article on theuse of Platform 26 and 27.
Early in the article he mentions that the issue is thatthe stairway is wide enough for two people but the dooris narrow and only lets one person through at a time.
To which Go states that the platforms are as large as theycan be without removing tracks. Duh, we are not complainingabout the platforms. The doors on platform 4 could easily havebeen placed on platform 26 had the door frame been made wider.
Now let's look at "It worked once why do it again". The reasonI say this is that all the older platforms have doorways wide enough for two people to get through so why change that for platform 26. Now let's lookat Thomas' comment "The design is being reviewed to see if wider doors or double doorscan be developed at each stairwell"
These after thoughts seem to be huge with go transit. I recommend the following solution.
1) The engineers on any project related to the rider should have to ride the effected train both before design an on the first trip during rush hour both directions. That way any changes can be started the day of the first trip not after a load of customers complain and an article is written.
2) Committe members and dispatch operators should be obliged to take a rush hour train preferrably one of the major delayed trains and keep an eye out for possible improvement in switch optimization and other optimizations in train scheduling.
If go transit were to implement these two solutions you would probably see a lot of issues get resolved. I look forward to Go Transit's comments in this manner and for a timeframe on implementing at least solution 2.
Early in the article he mentions that the issue is thatthe stairway is wide enough for two people but the dooris narrow and only lets one person through at a time.
To which Go states that the platforms are as large as theycan be without removing tracks. Duh, we are not complainingabout the platforms. The doors on platform 4 could easily havebeen placed on platform 26 had the door frame been made wider.
Now let's look at "It worked once why do it again". The reasonI say this is that all the older platforms have doorways wide enough for two people to get through so why change that for platform 26. Now let's lookat Thomas' comment "The design is being reviewed to see if wider doors or double doorscan be developed at each stairwell"
These after thoughts seem to be huge with go transit. I recommend the following solution.
1) The engineers on any project related to the rider should have to ride the effected train both before design an on the first trip during rush hour both directions. That way any changes can be started the day of the first trip not after a load of customers complain and an article is written.
2) Committe members and dispatch operators should be obliged to take a rush hour train preferrably one of the major delayed trains and keep an eye out for possible improvement in switch optimization and other optimizations in train scheduling.
If go transit were to implement these two solutions you would probably see a lot of issues get resolved. I look forward to Go Transit's comments in this manner and for a timeframe on implementing at least solution 2.
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