The modest boardroom at the downtown headquarters of GO Transit should
be a busy place this morning -- perhaps as full as a Lakeshore train in
rush hour. Today’s meeting of the board that oversees the transit agency
has a lot to talk about, especially with all the attention on the train
delays that have been plaguing the system since December. The municipal
politicians and provincial appointees who oversee GO will likely discuss
their formal response to Transportation Minister Harinder Takhar, who
has asked for an explanation into the delays.
Board chairman
Gordon Chong hand-delivered a report to Takhar on Wednesday, outlining
what it would take to resolve frozen switch problems and improve
communication with riders. With only 79 per cent of trains arriving on
time in January (done from 92 per cent a year earlier), GO wants some
money to get back on track, including for a mobile switch de-icer -- a
half-million dollar expenditure. To help address customer complaints,
which nearly doubled compared to the previous January, GO wants to
install a relatively simple global positioning system on trains, and
message signs in stations. Finally, the transit service wants to hire
on-train “ambassadors” to inform customers about delays so train crews
can focus on getting back on schedule.
GO is already in
the process of a multi-million dollar upgrade of its worst track
bottlenecks, and with the provincial government crying poor over its
budget deficit, Minister Takhar will have to carefully weigh these
requests for more cash.
In Transit is still
hearing from riders about ongoing tardiness, including Ingrid Humphreys
of Brampton who rides the Georgetown train to Union. This week, her
train got progressively later from Monday to Wednesday, when it reached
downtown at “just after 9:00 a.m.” instead of the usual 8:20 a.m.
arrival time. Riders on the Georgetown line through Bramalea and
Brampton have not fared that well this year, as their trains pass
through a particularly trick set of rail switches. New tracks will
hopefully soon bypass this pinch point.
The worst
performing line has been the one to Richmond Hill, which went from 81
per cent on-time in January 2003 to 70 per cent last month. The Milton
line through Mississauga has changed the most, from 94 per cent in
January, 2003 to 76 per cent on-time this year. GO reports 89 train
cancellations last month.
Next week’s commute
may be problematic for both train commuters and car divers. Temperatures
are set to drop as Monday approaches, with lows possibly past -15
degrees -- the point where problems are more likely to hit track
switches, train doors and even automobile batteries.
Today’s meeting at
GO headquarters will be about more than delays -- there are a few
improvements on the way. Anyone who has ever used Union Station to catch
a commuter train knows how crowded the platforms and waiting area can
be. The good news is that the access to trains is gradually being
extended in all directions, especially to nearby streets.
GO has been
relentlessly driving holes down into the station and to York and Bay
Streets to make way for new stairways and elevators -- making
notoriously hard-to-access platforms resemble “Swiss cheese”, according
to one official.
The platform
between tracks 6 and 7 is right in the middle of Union’s “train shed”,
and with new stairs linking it to York St. set to open Monday, riders
have plenty of ways to get at it. This allows more passengers to
disembark trains and avoid passing through the crowded station on their
way to work. There are a lot more changes planned for the huge block
that contains Union Station and the Air Canada Centre, which should mean
more access options for train riders.
Late-breaking TTC
news: Starting Monday, the TTC will improve service on the 32 Eglinton
West, 44 Kipling South and 94 Wellesley routes. Call 416-393-INFO
(4636)or visit www.ttc.ca for details.
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transit@eddrass.com Include
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