GO/VIA Transit

[markbarbera]

Originally Posted by LikeHamilton

So I live in Ancaster. Drive to the Aldershot Go Station. Take the GO to Union Station. UPX to Pearson. Then return. 2 adults + 3 children + $ 191.70 return.
Airway transit from my door and back again $320.

Or, take GO Transit's new bus route 40 from Hamilton GO Centre to Pearson Terminal for $12.15 per adult ($10.50 if you have a Prestocard) and $6.10 per child each way. The trip to terminal 1 is 60 minutes from the Hamilton GO Centre. $85.20 round trip for two adults and three children.

http://www.gotransit.com/timetables/en/PDF/Timetables/01160416/Table40.pdf

[thistleclub]

Originally Posted by movingtohamilton

So UPX, first and foremost intended for business travelers, is not a bad deal for families.

Business travellers, of course, are often able to expense the cost of transport to and from the airport as well as the flight itself (if not put it directly on a corporate account). At which point it comes down to environmental conscience versus convenience. And those considerations are complicated by the fact that these are diesel trains and people may not live in transit-friendly communities. At which point it's a simple matter of speed in getting from A to B.

Union to Pearson
Via TTC: 45 minute trip, $3.25 undiscounted adult fare per rider (once TTC fully adopts Presto, that fare will be discounted.)
Via UPX: 25 minute trip, $27.50 undiscounted adult fare per rider ($19 using Presto)

Depending upon where you live, the commuter math will obviously vary.

Affordability aside, UPX also explodes Metrolinx’s “fare-by-distance” thinking.

[movingtohamilton]

Originally Posted by markbarbera

... $85.20 round trip for two adults and three children...

^ Better deal than the group fare. The group rate is the winner when used for same-day return (which is unlikely for travel to Pearson).

[markbarbera]

Originally Posted by thistleclub

Affordability aside, UPX also explodes Metrolinx’s “fare-by-distance” thinking.

Kitchener/Georgetown GO line is $5.03 to travel between Weston GO and Union Station using a Presto card. Metrolinx could set a Presto fare of $10 for travel on UP Express between Weston and Union and would probably see a immediate spike in ridership. I am certain there are enough commuters who would be willing to pay a premium fare for the higher quality of travel on UPX trains vs. GO trains. The trains are running at 10% capacity in their two-carriage configuration, so there is plenty of room to accommodate an influx in commuters between Weston and Union, with middle carriages sitting idle in the yards which could be added immediately once ridership growth exceeds the capacity of the current two-car configuration.

The fare can easily be calculated with Presto's tap on/off process. At Union, set up priority boarding at Union at the front half of the train for those going to Pearson, then open the back half for commuters once the Pearson-bound passengers have boarded. If you tap off at Bloor or Weston, your ride cost will be $10 on your Prestocard. If you go all the way to the airport, it costs $19 when you tap off at Pearson. When travelling in the opposite direction, should you tap on at Pearson, then your ride is $19. If you tap on anywhere else, your ride is $10.

[thistleclub]

UPX to slash fare by more than half
(Toronto Star, Tess Kalinowski & Robert Benzie, Feb 23 2016)

Fares on the underused Union Pearson Express (UPX) train will as of March 9 be cut by more than half — down to $9 from $19 with a Presto card, or to $12 from $27.50 without one.

Also, in a bid to fill empty seats, commuters hopping aboard the airport train at Bloor and Weston stations will pay the same as GO riders — $4.71 for a single stop, $5.02 for two stops.

“We’re lowering fares to attract riders,” said a Toronto Star source.

High ticket prices have drawn the ire of government critics and transit-hungry commuters frustrated at watching empty trains (which cost $456 million in provincial funding to build) speed up and down the Kitchener GO tracks both ways every 15 minutes....

UPX officials insisted the prices were in line with similar services around the world and that once riders tried it they would be sufficiently impressed to keep using the train...

Earlier this month, in an interview, UPX head Kathy Haley had said that some downtown visitors, including hotel occupants, were unwilling to walk to the train.


Read it in full here.

+

Union-Pearson train’s over-priced image was growing: Forum Poll
(Toronto Star, Tess Kalinowski, Feb 23 2016)

A new Forum Research poll suggests that the province had little choice but to slash the prices of the Union Pearson Express (UPX) because the airport train has actually lost traction with Toronto residents, who increasingly found it too expensive.

The polling agency released the results of the Monday survey exclusively to the Toronto Star only hours before the province was set to announce Tuesday it was cutting UPX fares by more than 50 per cent.

The number of riders who thought the old prices were too high had actually increased significantly since the previous Forum survey in August — 79 per cent on Monday compared to 68 per cent.

Those who thought the train was priced “about the right amount” fell to 14 per cent from 25 per cent in the same period.

The same survey indicated Torontonians were slightly less likely to use the train than they had been in August with only 14 per cent saying they would likely use it compared to 16 per cent in the summer.

“The more Torontonians get to know the UPX, the more expensive they think it is and the less likely they are to ride. It is also curious that what was designed as a premium service is most used by the youngest and least wealthy,” said Forum president Lorne Bozinoff.


Read it in full here.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^Yay! About time...

[Markus83]

Hey! Any updates on the go transit storage facility in waterdown errr dundas? Suppose to be complete this year. I also have just read if perhaps no one knew that go will be building a train facility at the Lewis road layover. kind of old, but news to me. They certainly have their hands full of work, perhaps too much at once.

[LikeHamilton]

Originally Posted by Markus83

Hey! Any updates on the go transit storage facility in waterdown errr dundas? Suppose to be complete this year. I also have just read if perhaps no one knew that go will be building a train facility at the Lewis road layover. kind of old, but news to me. They certainly have their hands full of work, perhaps too much at once.

GO Bus storage facility to make it easier for people to choose transit

Hamilton, ON, Canada / AM900 CHML | Hamilton News
Ken Mann Posted: March 04, 2016 04:38 pm

There could be more GO Transit buses on our roads soon, thanks to the opening of a new bus service and storage facility near Clappison’s Corners.

That’s according to provincial transportation minister Steven Del Duca who says the location was strategically chosen with easy access to the highway network.

Del Duca adds that the facility can store up to 40 buses and also gives GO Transit space to maintain, inspect, repair and fuel its fleet, the result being more service to the GTHA.

Metrolinx CEO Bruce McQuaig says it is through such investments, that they are going to continue making it easier for people to choose public transit.

The federal and provincial governments picked up the bill for the 24 million dollar facility.

It’s one in a series of investments in the local transit network, along with Hamilton LRT, the West Harbour GO Station and the planned station at Centennial Parkway.

http://www.900chml.com/2016/03/04/64365/
New tracks for West Harbour GO station due this year

Hamilton Spectator By Matthew Van Dongen

New railroad tracks leading into the West Harbour GO station should go live later this year — but that doesn't guarantee more frequent train service at the same time.

Right now, only four trains run through the new $58-million GO station on James Street — and so far, an average of 50 people board a weekday train in the morning. That compares to 420 at the established Hamilton GO Centre on Hunter Street.

Metrolinx officials, in town Friday to tour a new $24-million, 70,000-square-foot GO bus servicing facility, said a second track at the new James Street station should be operational later this year. Work will also resume in the spring on a third track parallel to York Boulevard that will cross a new bridge across the Desjardins canal.

Metrolinx head Bruce McCuaig said he expects an update on GO train service within a few months, but he warned hiking frequency to the west harbour isn't as simple as opening a new railroad track.

He called the junction of railroads that come together between Aldershot and the Desjardin canal "the most complex corner of railway infrastructure in Canada."

McCuaig said negotiations are going well about track usage with both Canadian Pacific and Canadian National Railway, the latter which owns the corridor through the West Harbour GO station.

But while Metrolinx owns about 80 per cent of the railway tracks used by GO trains, CN does not appear interested in selling any part of the Hamilton corridor, McCuaig said.

Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca also declined to estimate when service frequency might improve, but reiterated Hamilton is part of the Metrolinx 10-year regional $13.5-billion express rail plan. "We want to make sure that when we provide (timing) updates, we're able to deliver on them."

Within a decade, Metrolinx has said, commuters will see 15-minute rush-hour service in the "peak direction" between Hamilton GO Centre and Toronto's Union Station; and 30-minute rush-hour service in the peak direction between the new James Street station and Union Station.

Once Hamilton's $1-billion light rail line is constructed, a spur line should also connect King Street to the James Street GO station and possibly beyond to the waterfront.

[email protected]

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/6377218-new-tracks-for-west-harbour-go-station-due-this-year/

[king10]

good to see the second track being put in at the Go Station as well as a third dedicated line running across the desjardins canal.

it made no mention about the two tracks at West Harbour being connected eastward to the main lines though. Currently the Station is a dead end spur track. In order for it to connect to the new Centennial Station the tracks will have to be connected to the main line.

[mishap]

With a GO Bus facility at Clappison's, I would think that Hamilton-Guelph service would be on the horizon.

[thistleclub]

There could be more GO Transit buses on our roads soon, thanks to the opening of a new bus service and storage facility near Clappison’s Corners.

That’s according to provincial transportation minister Steven Del Duca who says the location was strategically chosen with easy access to the highway network.

Del Duca adds that the facility can store up to 40 buses and also gives GO Transit space to maintain, inspect, repair and fuel its fleet, the result being more service to the GTHA.

Also supportive of Dundas Street BRT ("more service to the GTHA").

Metrolinx head Bruce McCuaig said he expects an update on GO train service within a few months, but he warned hiking frequency to the west harbour isn't as simple as opening a new railroad track....

Within a decade, Metrolinx has said, commuters will see 15-minute rush-hour service in the "peak direction" between Hamilton GO Centre and Toronto's Union Station; and 30-minute rush-hour service in the peak direction between the new James Street station and Union Station.

This is essentially the same news we had almost a year ago, minus the "Hourly rush-hour service in the non-peak direction between Hamilton GO Centre and Union" and "Hourly service both ways for the rest of the day (not including rush hours), during evenings and weekends between Hamilton GO Centre and Union." Not sure if that's just a selective brief of past promises or if it reflects a rescoping of RER service. I suppose we'll know by 2025 or thereabouts.

Once Hamilton's $1-billion light rail line is constructed, a spur line should also connect King Street to the James Street GO station and possibly beyond to the waterfront.

Again, it may be down to reporting, but I find the priority and implicit phasing here to be interesting: The north-south spur is a "should" rather than a "must" (with an additional "possibly") and follows the completion of the crosstown line.

+

Here's the official release on the bus facility:

New GO Bus Facility Opens In Hamilton
March 4, 2016 11:00 A.M. | Ministry of Transportation

Today, the governments of Canada and Ontario, along with Metrolinx, celebrated the opening of a new GO Transit bus service and storage facility in Hamilton to accommodate future transit service growth in the region.

The new facility is strategically positioned to provide easy access to the highway network on which GO Transit operates and will make it easier for GO to provide timely, reliable and efficient transit service in the region.

The facility includes:

• indoor bus storage for up to 40 buses
• indoor service bays for fuelling, bus wash, inspection, cleaning and repairs
• equipment and storage rooms
• staff facilities and parking

The $24-million facility was funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario through the GO Transit Improvement Program, a joint investment by the federal and provincial governments to support the expansion of GO Transit bus and rail services in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, Niagara Region and Waterloo Region. Canada and Ontario each contributed $9.75 million, with the remainder funded by the Ontario government through Metrolinx.

Ontario is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in the province's history -- about $160 billion over 12 years, which is supporting 110,000 jobs every year across the province, with projects such as roads, bridges, transit systems, schools and hospitals. In 2015, the province announced support for more than 325 projects that will keep people and goods moving, connect communities and improve quality of life.

Quick Facts

• The new facility is over 70,000 square feet, can store up to 40 buses indoors including double deckers, and supports 99 jobs.
• The bus service and storage facility achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification through the use of innovative and energy efficient systems, such as recycling water from the bus wash, providing energy efficient heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) and LED lighting systems, and featuring a white roof, which reflects the sun and saves energy.
• The facility features an on-site fuelling station that will result in less travelling for buses not in service, saving money and time, and reducing gas emissions.
Since 2003, Ontario has extended GO’s rail network by nearly 90 kilometres, opened 14 new GO stations, rebuilt four existing stations, and added more than 31,000 new parking spots across the system.
• Research shows that every $100 million of public infrastructure investment in Ontario boosts GDP by $114 million, particularly in construction and manufacturing sectors.

[thistleclub]

GO Transit to Take Over UP Express
(Steve Munro, Mar 2 2016)

According to Oliver Moore in The Globe, the separate Metrolinx division responsible for the Union Pearson Express will be placed under GO Transit’s control. The fate of UPX President Kathy Haley is unclear....

While it may be convenient to target Haley as the culprit here, the real question is how the structure and corporate attitude that led to UPX’s creation arose in the first place. From the beginning, this has been a project for which the word pretentious is almost inadequate. Despite the abandonment of this scheme by its original private sector proponent – for the simple reason that it was judged financially unsound – Ontario forged on with this as a signature project, part of the Bid Book for the Pan Am Games. We would show the world what Ontario could do.

Haley may take the fall for this fiasco, but she worked for a board who lapped up the praise, who bought into the flawed vision of what UPX would become. That board, and the government who set all of this in motion to begin with, owe us all an explanation.


When Is a GO Train not a GO Train? When It’s UPX!
(Steve Munro, Mar 2 2016)

Among the mysteries of the internal organization at Metrolinx is the presence of separate “divisions” for GO Transit (the commuter rail service), Presto (the fare card service) and UP Express (the premium fare airport shuttle service). Rather than using the GO brand for the airport service and integrating its operation and fares, Metrolinx treats UPX as a completely separate entity, no doubt so that it could isolate the operation as a profit centre on the books. We now know that “profit” is the furthest thing from a UPX future where just finding riders now takes precedence.

Soon, fares on UPX will be much lower and this might encourage some to incorporate the UPX into their journeys. However, there are two glaring holes in the new arrangement.

UPX, being a separate operation, does not have fares integrated with connecting GO services at Union. Riders transferring between these services will pay separate fares for each leg of their journey. Presuming that UPX fares stay low, this should be corrected, at the latest, in the next annual review of GO’s tariff.

But the really bone-headed decision (or lack of decision) lies with the TTC. Although GO fares discourage “local” travel within the 416, there is a legal transfer move a rider can use called TTC Times Two. A trip can start on the TTC, transfer to GO, and then back onto the TTC again using the original TTC transfer.

With UPX moving to lower fares and the likelihood that it will attract commuter trade within the city, the question becomes “is TTC Times Two valid for UPX”? I asked the TTC’s Brad Ross and Chris Upfold this question at the recent TTC Board meeting. Their answer? “No” because (a) UPX is not a GO train and (b) a TTC policy change would be required.

The irony, of course, is that GO operates in the same corridor as UPX, and it would be impossible to distinguish whether a traveller with a transfer from the Lawrence 52 bus arrived at Union Station via GO or via UPX, except of course that GO service only runs in the peak period.

During the March 1 subway shutdown thanks to a power vault fire, TTC riders travelled on GO and UPX for no extra charge. The reverse courtesy has been extended to GO riders on occasion. This did not require a formal meeting and policy decision, simply the recognition that there is one transit network regardless of the logo on the train.

How riders get from one connection point to another should not matter. Between now and March 9 when the new UPX fares take effect, can someone at the TTC show a small spark of initiative and decide that a traveller on either a GO or UPX train can use TTC Times Two? Or will we continue to have an artificial distinction between two services provided on the same track by the same agency?

[Markus83]

Thanks for the information..much appreciated and great to hear! Love the Hammer!

[drpgq]

"Right now, only four trains run through the new $58-million GO station on James Street — and so far, an average of 50 people board a weekday train in the morning. That compares to 420 at the established Hamilton GO Centre on Hunter Street."

I've been tempted to actually go down one morning and count this myself because I was curious, but now I don't have to. 25 people per train is pretty pathetic, but I'm not really surprised. The Hamilton Go Centre is much more centrally located.

For comparison, I caught the 6:20 am GO bus to Pearson a few Thursdays ago from downtown and counted around 30 people getting on at Hamilton. The vast majority got off at Square One.

[drpgq]

"• indoor bus storage for up to 40 buses
• indoor service bays for fuelling, bus wash, inspection, cleaning and repairs
• equipment and storage rooms
• staff facilities and parking

The $24-million facility was funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario through the GO Transit Improvement Program, a joint investment by the federal and provincial governments to support the expansion of GO Transit bus and rail services in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, Niagara Region and Waterloo Region. Canada and Ontario each contributed $9.75 million, with the remainder funded by the Ontario government through Metrolinx."

So for 40 buses, Metrolinx can build it for $24 million, while Hamilton wants $200 million, albeit for significantly more buses. Seems weird.

[Beedok]

Maybe the HSR will also need a bunch of new office space attached to the garage? Or need to buy land? Need to have more thorough maintenance abilities?

I'm sure there would be some legitimate reasons for a higher price. Not saying there's no over estimation or anything though, just that some of it might be legitimate.

[matt602]

Originally Posted by drpgq

"Right now, only four trains run through the new $58-million GO station on James Street — and so far, an average of 50 people board a weekday train in the morning. That compares to 420 at the established Hamilton GO Centre on Hunter Street."

I've been tempted to actually go down one morning and count this myself because I was curious, but now I don't have to. 25 people per train is pretty pathetic, but I'm not really surprised. The Hamilton Go Centre is much more centrally located.

For comparison, I caught the 6:20 am GO bus to Pearson a few Thursdays ago from downtown and counted around 30 people getting on at Hamilton. The vast majority got off at Square One.

It sounds even more pathetic when you factor in that each car can hold a few hundred people, times 12 cars per train. Not even enough people to fill ONE of those train cars, even seated. I like the station but I feel as if it was completely un-necessary until GO could have provided proper, hourly all day service to it. Literally the only reason to take West Harbour train is if you live in the area within walking distance, or along the Bayfront or A-Line route, otherwise the train to Hunter Street is a better choice.

[davidcappi]

It sounds even more pathetic when you factor in that each car can hold a few hundred people, times 12 cars per train. Not even enough people to fill ONE of those train cars, even seated. I like the station but I feel as if it was completely un-necessary until GO could have provided proper, hourly all day service to it. Literally the only reason to take West Harbour train is if you live in the area within walking distance, or along the Bayfront or A-Line route, otherwise the train to Hunter Street is a better choice.

I take the GO to Toronto every morning and live closer to West Harbour, but I leave from Hunter because the trains from WH leave much earlier (6:00 6:45 & arrives at 7:30 & 8:00) whereas Hunter has a train at 7:15 which gets me into the city at 8:30. That train stops at every stop from Hamilton to Oakville, then is express from Union. If they ran more trains you'd see more commuters, but not very many people need to be on route at 6:15 and into Toronto for that early in the morning.

[interr0bangr]

Originally Posted by davidcappi

I take the GO to Toronto every morning and live closer to West Harbour, but I leave from Hunter because the trains from WH leave much earlier (6:00 6:45 & arrives at 7:30 & 8:00) whereas Hunter has a train at 7:15 which gets me into the city at 8:30. That train stops at every stop from Hamilton to Oakville, then is express from Union. If they ran more trains you'd see more commuters, but not very many people need to be on route at 6:15 and into Toronto for that early in the morning.

Yep. I take the 715 Hunter train too since it's the only realistic option. It's the latest train and I still get to work before all my co-workers, haha.

[thistleclub]

Ontario looks to expand GO transit service in Hamilton
(Stoney Creek News, Kevin Werner, Mar 4 2016)

Metrolinx Chief Executive Officer Bruce McCuaig says news of a possible agreement with CN to extend GO Transit rail service to Hamilton could happen in a few months.

McCuaig, who took part in the official unveiling of GO Transit’s new $24 million, 70,000-square-foot bus facility in Flamborough March 4, said there are ongoing “conversations” with CN to use its tracks to extend the Lakeshore West rail service to Hamilton.

“We are operating on CN rail infrastructure,” said McCuaig.

He said talks with CN include improvements that will be needed to the tracks to support future GO train service.

“Information will be coming out in the coming months to the timing, the completion of the infrastructure and what level of service,” he said.

There are transportation issues that have to be solved to allow for increases rail service from Aldershot to Hamilton. There is a lack of dedicated GO tracks between Aldershot and Hamilton; north of Hamilton’s GO Station is a tunnel that can only accommodate a single track; and there is a rail junction at the end of Burlington Bay that needs to be switched to a CN freight line, temporarily blocking the service.

Meanwhile, McCuaig said construction on the West Harbour GO Station should be completed by this construction season. In January Metrolinx opened 46 new parking spaces in the facility’s parking structure, along with a new “kiss and ride” to provide commuters a quick drop off and pick up area.

The full parking structure will be open this summer providing more than 300 parking spaces. Drivers can access the spaces from James Street North....

In addition, McCuaig said GO is “advancing” the design, planning and engineering of the Confederation GO Station. He said the idea is to prepare for construction to start by 2017, completing the station in 2019.

Read it in full here.