Late-night bus service set to take a trim

It's an open secret that some bus service is expected to take a hit when the TTC releases its operating budget . But it's not clear whether the details will be publicly available before transit officials depute before the city's budget committee on Friday, Jan. 14.

Any service reductions would likely be on poor-performing routes between 10p.m. and 1a.m., said transit workers union head Bob Kinnear, who was informed about three weeks ago that a few bus routes would likely have their hours trimmed.

"Every year we re-allocate the routes so it's likely some routes will change but what that looks like I can't say right now without the benefit of having the budget come before the commission," TTC chair Karen Stintz told The Toronto Star on Wednesday.

And "change" doesn't necessarily mean "cut," she warned.

Asked if a fare increase was on the table, Stintz would only say, "Again, it's being reviewed right now."

There will be a TTC board meeting to discuss budgets but Stintz said it wasn't clear whether that would take place before Jan. 14 or after. She attributed some of the uncertainty to this year's expedited City Hall budget process.

"We're working under these compressed timelines and it's making everything a little more fluid," she said.

TTC spokesman Brad Ross has warned that any talk of service cuts is premature. But there are only three ways the TTC can find operating money: cut service, increase fares or obtain increased government subsidies.

 

 



Audit shows busy subway stations still need attention

The Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area released its December TTC scorecard this week. It identifies mostly routine maintenance issues at the south end of the Yonge-University subway line.

Although the scorecard notes there has been continuous improvement since last year, the actual score suggests that there's a way to go.

There is nothing to suggest that the introduction of station managers at the Queen and King stations has enhanced the stations' appearance.

TTC spokesman Brad Ross suggested that many of the issues identified in the audit are longer-term problems. Here's his email response:

"The TTC has an ongoing program to keep on top of litter and other issues, such as water leaks, brake dust and the removal of gum. Many of the observations in the report cited do require longer-term fixes and staff resources, particularly leak remediation. Light fixtures and lenses that were noted as missing is something we’re working to address with another supplier, as some of the parts are no longer available. Missing ceiling slats are a result of other work that is being carried out that requires us to remove the slats until that other work is completed," he wrote.

"Maintaining the appearance of subway stations to a level of acceptance or better is an important part of the TTC’s commitment to customer service. The TTC recognizes that even superficial blemishes can leave a bad impression with visitors to the city. Our daily riders also want clean subway stations, as do we. The TTC looks forward to continuing work with the BIA to further improve station appearances downtown, but also across the entire system."

Beauty in the eye of the rider

 
The idea of elevated light rail has frequently been dismissed as a non-starter in Toronto. The fear is that it could create Gardiner Expressway-like scenarios around the city and interfere with above-ground utility lines.

But this photo of the Brentwood Station on Vancouver's Millennium line, sent by Metrolinx CEO Bruce McCuaig, proves it needn't be ugly and could in fact add a little wow to the landscape. Of course this picture is shot from above, not the view most people would enjoy. Other photos online, however, show that the station is still arresting from the rider's perspective.

Metrolinx and the TTC are analyzing the potential impacts of above-grade trains as a way to meet Mayor Rob Ford's goal of reserving road space for cars but expanding transit. Building above ground is less expensive than burying rail lines. With automated light rail such as that used in Vancouver it's also cheaper to operate because you don't have to pay drivers and computerized signalling means you can run more trains.

The technology being used in Vancouver is the next generation of Toronto's SRT, which theoretically can also operate unstaffed.

Metrolinx interest in Sumitomo trains now official

Metrolinx has issued a statement confirming its interest in piggybacking on a pending order in California for Sumitomo Corp. of America trains that could run on the Toronto air-rail link. The Sumitomo bid was reportedly about $22 million lower than the lowest among five competing bids.

GO Transit president Gary McNeil, who has been leading the ARL project until a full-time executive can be hired, probably in January, said that companies such as Bombardier and Siemens also manufacture this type of equipment. But nobody makes it in Canada.

At the Metrolinx board meeting Tuesday, McNeil restated his earlier comments to The Toronto Star that locomotives are exempt from Ontario's recent 25 per cent Canadian content requirements.

But the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) agency that is poised to buy 18 of the cars for about $57 million, apparently won't make a final decision until December after several SMART board members missed the agency's November meeting, according to a report last week by the Marin Independent Journal.

 

TTC takes a bath and comes up looking like $1 million

You won't need sunglasses to protect your eyes from the dazzling tiles and ceiling slats, but if the subway looks a little brighter lately, it's not your imagination or another break in the tunnel.

The TTC is on a cleaning binge attempting to muck out all 69 stations by the end of the year with the help of some temporary workers.

"We're getting into the nooks and crannies as best we can," said TTC spokesperson Brad Ross.

Cleanliness plays into customer service, said outgoing TTC vice-chair Joe Mihevc.

The TTC has hired 32 temporary workers, who operate in teams of four or five, cleaning mostly the exterior of the stations in the afternoon and moving inside after the evening rush.

The $1 million bath is money that's in the budget, said Ross.

"Customers are actually coming up to our crews and saying, 'This looks great,'" he said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crusading lawyer remembers fallen cyclists

Bike advocate and personal injury lawyer Patrick Brown sent this seasonal bulletin.

"Each Halloween is a haunting reminder of the unnecessary and tragic loss of Ryan Carriere [father, husband, cyclist, artist and so much more].  Hopefully Martin and the others will see fewer and fewer memorial rides," Brown wrote in an email.

Toronto cycling advocate passes the torch

 
Yvonne Bambrick, the enthusiastic and civically engaged head of the Toronto Cylists Union is cruising to greener pastures, although she's not saying which way she's pointed.

Bambrick was the first executive director of the union since that was established in 2008. When she decided earlier this year it was time to move on, she stepped into the role of communications director while Andrea Garcia, director of advocacy and operations, got her feet firmly planted on the union pedals.

Under Bambrick's direction, the union has become an influential voice not just for cycling in Toronto, but for walking and transit. She has lent her energy and support to the upcoming Bixi bike sharing program, cycling lane expansion and projects like the Union Station bike station and on-street bike parking.

Although she is a fierce advocate for cycling as a means to a healthier city, Bambrick is also a patient listener even when others' views aren't necessarily aligned with her own.

Here are her closing remarks.

Where the candidates stand on Transit City

The latest survey of candidates' views on transit are now posted on the Public Transit Coalition's website.

The coalition is the same group that just spent $500,000 from the TTC workers' union to set up a website and ad campaign warning against the evils of privatized transit and the one that supported Mayor David Miller's fight against the province's deferral of $4 billion in Transit City light rail funding in last spring's budget.

Not surprisingly the survey questions are geared at gauging candidate support for Transit City and for maintaining city council oversight of the TTC.

Incumbents seem to score well on this survey, hardly a shock since they were in the government that backed the Transit City plan.

CAA surveys mayoral candidates in and around Toronto

Issues continue to be lost in this municipal election as Rob Ford's lead continues to dominate Toronto's mayoral race. To keep that lead Ford continues to say more of the same vague stuff with which he opened and his opponents look increasingly desperate.

But once you get past the surprise Ford juggernaut, transportation remains the top concern for many voters in the city and around the region.

So the CAA has put the question of transportation priorities to Toronto mayoral candidates and those in other municipalities, including Burlington, Mississauga and Vaughan. Clearly many candidates didn't respond but some might see that as interesting of itself.

You won't be surprised by the responses, many of which are formulaic out-takes from formulaic platforms but if you're just starting to pay attention to the specifics of the race have a look.

Fare system duel continues with website updates

Of the 68 parties who requested the details on the TTC's open payment requirements, only 11 have submitted the official application for the multi-phased bidding process.

According to the TTC's procurement website, Accenture, the company that designed the provincial Presto payment system being rolled out by GO Transit is not among them. Neither is MasterCard unless it is hidden under another name in a consortium.

Visa, however, is moving ahead on in the procurement process which will see interested parties talk turkey over the next few weeks on the details of the TTC's specs.

Meantime, to counter allegations from some TTC officials that the financial details of its open payment deal would eventually be more transparent than those surround Presto, the province has added some details of the Presto Accenture contract to the Presto website. The only dollar details, however, are those that have been previously quoted by the government and Presto officials.