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2014 Municipal Election: Toronto Transit Plans

Well I'm back after a week long suspension and it was one that I justly deserved.

I have never been banned from a blog/forum in my life I don't think I've ever used foul language before so what possessed me this time, I don't know. Anyway, my language and tone was not acceptable and I genuinely apologize for my language, lack of tact, and insulting manner. Whether you love me or hate me is irrelevant, you should not have to tolerate my foul mouth. It will not, EVER, happen again.

As far as Smartrax............ I agree something like it may not even be required with a GO RER system but only if the GO RER is completely interchangeable with the TTC fare. If it's not then it really doesn't do much good for the average Torontonian. Fare integration is still not good enough. The overwhelming majority of people who take transit are low/middle income and many are on fixed/restricted incomes such as disabled, seniors, single mothers, and students. Even if the fare is integrated so only a GO fare is required with free transfer onto the TTC, it will still be too much for many to bare.

I think the thing that is making the Smartrax a win for Tory is that most view it as both truly rapid transit and one that can actually get built. People can see how using the current rail corridors make sense and because of that it won't get bogged down in endless environmental reviews or neighbour complaints because these are already existing corridors that are currently being used.
 
GO doesn't need to be a flat $2.70 in Toronto, it can be higher, just not the $5.50 or whatever it is today. It also needs integrated bus connections. It can absolutely exist as a "premium" service over the TTC, it just needs to be cheaper than today. $3.50-4.00 average fare with a $0.75 bus connection may work.
 
ssiguy2 said:
Well I'm back after a week long suspension and it was one that I justly deserved.

I have never been banned from a blog/forum in my life I don't think I've ever used foul language before so what possessed me this time, I don't know. Anyway, my language and tone was not acceptable and I genuinely apologize for my language, lack of tact, and insulting manner. Whether you love me or hate me is irrelevant, you should not have to tolerate my foul mouth. It will not, EVER, happen again.

As far as Smartrax............ I agree something like it may not even be required with a GO RER system but only if the GO RER is completely interchangeable with the TTC fare. If it's not then it really doesn't do much good for the average Torontonian. Fare integration is still not good enough. The overwhelming majority of people who take transit are low/middle income and many are on fixed/restricted incomes such as disabled, seniors, single mothers, and students. Even if the fare is integrated so only a GO fare is required with free transfer onto the TTC, it will still be too much for many to bare.

I think the thing that is making the Smartrax a win for Tory is that most view it as both truly rapid transit and one that can actually get built. People can see how using the current rail corridors make sense and because of that it won't get bogged down in endless environmental reviews or neighbour complaints because these are already existing corridors that are currently being used.
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No problem, welcome back. You are harsh but sometimes this city, this province needs to hear it. Tory is taking credit for provincial plans, thoughts?
 
BurlOak said:
Yes. The Premier and the entire government has absolutely no credibility. Without Hudak, they would not have had a chance.
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So let me get this straight: Tory and his SmartTrack plan SOMEHOW has credibility when it would need the cooperation and funding from a provincial government that lacks credibility according to you.

I hope you do realize that Tory will have no power to build this thing. He's the one with no credibility.
 
TheTigerMaster said:
If you wanted a 100% solution, you'd support our current plan and build Relief Line and RER.
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I think both will still happen even if SmartTrack is adopted. The cost estimate is wayyy too high, which means that it's very possible that SmartTrack will fall within the existing GO RER budget, which means the DRL can still be funded using what's on the table now.

Remember, Tory would only be 1 vote on Council. As long as his pet project SmartTrack is getting moved forward (even if it's been rolled into the GO RER plan), I would imagine he wouldn't try to stonewall the DRL just for the hell of it.
 
I was just reading David Soknacki's transit policies, and if I were a Toronto voter and not factoring in strategic voting, I would vote for him. He brings up a lot of critiques of The Big 3 that I have, and he seems to be one of the few that looks to address issues that have plagued the TTC for far too long.

I think his problem right now is that he is going on about early morning fares, and while it is not a bad idea, it is not enough of a hook to get him elected. People are not jumping up and down at the idea of getting to work an hour early just to save a buck on their daily commute. He needs to put this idea into the background, since he has so many other good ones which the Toronto needs now.

Full DRL support

...the Commuter Relief Line will remain a short term priority. As mayor, I will support ongoing plans for its construction. Further, to remove any uncertainty, I will table a plan to finance Toronto's share of Phase 1 construction...
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Compare this to Chow who will only get behind the line as a campaign platform for her second term. Tory and Ford's positions are non-existent.

Stop bunching

For too long, the TTC has not made it a top priority to address this – representing another misstep by the Ford administration and its allies. The result: wasted transit dollars, and wasted transit capacity.
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Chow wants to throw more buses on the road, but it will mean nothing if they all show up together. Tory at least wants to see more express routes.

Fairer fares

As Presto comes online, we’ll be stuck with the same 20th Century pricing model of standard fares, monthly passes and weekly passes... what we DO need from our next Mayor is a general commitment to urgently reform our fare pricing models, to reward (rather than punish) regular ridership, and to develop pricing strategies to attract more drivers off of congested roads and bridges.
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While quiet on specifics, I REALLY hope this means he looks at implementing passes which pay for themselves after a reasonable 40 rides rather than 50, and the far overdue expansion of the 2 hour transfer "pilot project" to the rest of the system.
 
innsertnamehere said:
GO doesn't need to be a flat $2.70 in Toronto, it can be higher, just not the $5.50 or whatever it is today. It also needs integrated bus connections. It can absolutely exist as a "premium" service over the TTC, it just needs to be cheaper than today. $3.50-4.00 average fare with a $0.75 bus connection may work.
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I can see what you are saying I I certainly see it having some merit but only if the add-on fare is less than one dollar and a enhanced Metropass could be brought in such as the cost of a standard Metropass plus {for example} an extra $30/month which would allow you to ride any GO train and/or bus within the Metropass {City of Toronto} area.

It must be kept affordable so it is a viable alternative for the majority of transit users in the city which are generally low/middle income. It must also be easy to use and that means a one equal amount add-on fare for GO train/bus no matter where you are going in the City. Whether you are coming in from Oriole or Bloor West, the add-on fare should be the same.

The UPX should be abandoned in it's current form and simply be another GO rail corridor in the city with the same add-on fare except and additional amount [eg total add-on fare of $2} would be reasonable if one is going all the way to Pearson..........it won't ever happen but one can dream.

If such a thing was to occur with all day 15 minute service, electrification, and a few more stations {not too many as this should remain a regional mover} then yes, a Smartrax system may not be needed.
 
ssiguy2 said:
The UPX should be abandoned in it's current form and simply be another GO rail corridor in the city with the same add-on fare except and additional amount [eg total add-on fare of $2} would be reasonable if one is going all the way to Pearson..........it won't ever happen but one can dream.
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If they really want to keep the extra fare for going to the airport they can do what Vancouver does and add on an additional fare for travel to the airport (or is it from the airport? I know it's only one-way).
 
That's right, it's an additional fare.

Once you go over the Fraser you are in zone 2 of Richmond. If you are taking the train to YVR then, although technically being Richmond you pay a 3 zone fare. So if in Vancouver you pay an extra 2 zones, an extra one zone from Richmond/Burnaby/NuWest/NorthVan and just use your standard 3 zone pass if coming from Langley/Surrey/Delta/Tri-Cities/WhiteRock. Exactly the same system as the new Denver Airport Line.
 
innsertnamehere said:
GO doesn't need to be a flat $2.70 in Toronto, it can be higher, just not the $5.50 or whatever it is today. It also needs integrated bus connections. It can absolutely exist as a "premium" service over the TTC, it just needs to be cheaper than today. $3.50-4.00 average fare with a $0.75 bus connection may work.
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This. Exactly this. I know many people who would take GO inside the 416 (my own mother would be first in line). But the cost is over the top ridiculous. Or more accurately, the cost differential. Even more bizarre is the idea that this is done specifically to discourage 416ers. A transit agency discouraging riders. Morons. Start redesigning the system around riders and watch transit usage soar.

I will continue to maintain that this is why John Tory is gaining ground. People are fed up with 1.5-2 hr commutes to the core.
 
"I will continue to maintain that this is why John Tory is gaining ground. People are fed up with 1.5-2 hr commutes to the core."

So they want affordable property on the edge of the city but speed past those who paid more to live near their office who are paying the same or not much less on the TTC? What premium would you consider acceptable?
 
dowlingm said:
"I will continue to maintain that this is why John Tory is gaining ground. People are fed up with 1.5-2 hr commutes to the core."

So they want affordable property on the edge of the city but speed past those who paid more to live near their office who are paying the same or not much less on the TTC? What premium would you consider acceptable?
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And I found it somewhat ironic that the BD extension to STC argued by some as absolutely necessary is to facilitate that sort of long-ish commutes that would be utterly uncompetitive to said GO service expansion. So we are spending what, a total of 3B of taxpayers dollars on a project that would/should, at the end of the day, be supplanted by GO? What?

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
And I found it somewhat ironic that the BD extension to STC argued by some as absolutely necessary is to facilitate that sort of long-ish commutes that would be utterly uncompetitive to said GO service expansion. So we are spending what, a total of 3B of taxpayers dollars on a project that would/should, at the end of the day, be supplanted by GO? What?

AoD
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The funny thing is, John Tory's SmartTrack map makes that supplantation painfully obvious, because the two lines appear very close together. The subway looks really redundant on that map.
 
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