Earth Week - Some ways Go Transit has made changes for the environmental worse

Go Transit public relations love to tell you how they are making things better for the environment but you don't really see how they are not.

The extension of Trains on the Lakeshore Line to Aldershot seems a good move on reducing the footprint on the environment but it also hurts it. If you listen closely to the campaign Go Transit has about parking, they mention alternative means of getting to the station. A lot of people relied on the Go Bus as an alternative to get to the station if they live between stops. Removing the once an hour bus during the day ensures those people drive to the station.

Recently, Go Transit removed bus routes from York region. This forced people to drive rather than take the slower local transit. http://www.yorkregion.com/news/article/627577--go-poised-to-cancel-local-bus-routes

These are only a few examples I found with a simple google. If you have more examples, please comment on this blog so Go Transit can see the ways they can change during this earth week.

Just what is the process for Go Transit to resolve customer issues?

Here is an example of a rightly frustrated customer:

We are very disappointed with the evidenced bad attitude of your bus driver for Go bus departing from Hamilton GO station, Ontario at 11 p.m. on 22 January 2010. The bus destination was Union Station in Toronto, Ontario.

The bus-driver was an apparently "middle-aged", tall, Caucasian-white male, clean-shaven, with a bald head [and a fringe of white hair on the back of his head].

In spite of our polite request for it, he did NOT assist us to load our bag at Hamilton, NOR did he even have the door opened for the luggage compartment until we asked him for it a FOURTH time, needlessly making us wait out in the cold weather.

When we reached Union station, he began YELLING at us IN FRONT of all other passengers SWEARING AND RUDELY demanding: "Why THE FUCK did you put your bag in the back?". We politely tried explaining to him that since there were other passengers BEHIND us with luggage AND OTHERS who may get onto the bus [since the bus may make multiple stops in Hamilton] AFTER it leaves the Hamilton GO station, we did not wish to inconvenience others NOR have them damage our fragile bag and it's fragile contents.

He shouted: "I am IN-CHARGE and you are not supposed to place it further in the back".

We politely pointed out to him that there WAS NO CLEARLY visible POSTED sign ANYWHERE [on the bus NOR on the luggage compartment] that confirmed his flimsy verbal assertion: "you are not supposed to place it further in the back".

In response, he angrily kicked our bag and broke an expensive glass-vase that was inside it.

He refused to provide us his name/driver-operator-number NOR would he let us write down the bus-number and/ or the bus license-plate information.

Here is customer services response:

I am following up on your email of March 18, 2010. I am sorry that you
had this unfortunate experience on our system and we certainly
understand your frustration.

An investigation was conducted by Bus Operations supervisory personnel,
however, we were unable to establish the issue of a broken vase. As you
are requesting reimbursement for the cost of the vase, your request must
be addressed directly in writing (electronic not accepted) to our Legal
Services and Claims Department for consideration.

Please send a detailed letter, including a copy of the original receipt
to:

GO Transit Claims Department
20 Bay St. Suite 600
Toronto, ON
M5J 2W3

We appreciate you bringing your concerns to our attention.

The question here is how did they follow up. Did they ask for witnesses that also took the bus trip

were there video cameras in the station? or did they simply talk to the driver? Are there cameras at the Hamilton bus station that could have seen this happen? If not, this brings up a safety concern especially for female passengers taking late night buses to Hamilton from Toronto.

As for foul language and harsh treatment, I too have experience this attitude from both train and bus personnel. It has not been to the extent of the above but I can relate.

I would like to hear someone from Go Transit comment on the safety concerns at the Hamilton Go Station and how it plans to resolve these issues.

Shopping carts please stay well behind the yellow line

It seems that the message for people to stay well back from the yellow line is working but those shopping carts are not listening. They are making their way onto the tracks and causing serious concerns. I guess they are following those mattresses across.

Seriously, whomever is putting shopping carts, mattresses and other large items on the tracks, stop it. You are going to kill somebody. This is a serious safety concern. Maybe we need cameras on the tracks in areas this is happening more often to catch these people.

If you have any safety concerns or other issues you would like to share with the group please post them here or email them to Susan Fischer at susan@clinchportal.com