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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

ok, since you brought up the topic of French announcements. I hate them, they are useless. Only a fraction of GO's passengers understand these announcements. There are far more Chinese, Hindi, Russian, Arabic - speaking passengers on the GO Transit network than French speaking. Don't give me the official language argument, please.
 
raptor said:
ok, since you brought up the topic of French announcements. I hate them, they are useless. Only a fraction of GO's passengers understand these announcements. There are far more Chinese, Hindi, Russian, Arabic - speaking passengers on the GO Transit network than French speaking. Don't give me the official language argument, please.
Click to expand...

It concerns me that something as innocuous as announcements in French would attract hatred on your part, that's a rather strong emotional reaction.

I have a mixed view, in that if the system were organized for my current, personal needs and preferences, I would do away w/most announcements, including stop announcements.

I don't generally fall asleep on transit, I'm generally aware of my surroundings, and would be quite content w/announcements being reserved for unexpected news.

However, I appreciate that there are visually impaired passengers, and lots of folks who simply pay no attention, who benefit from auditory reminders, so be it.

Having said that, if we are going to have announcements on a government owned transit provider, in both an officially bilingual country, and a province with a French language services act which requires
such services be delivered in French where numbers warrant (which on paper, they do, in Toronto), that seems entirely reasonable.

There is no law requiring services in a multitude of other languages; though in fact, announcements aside, many forms, web pages, brochures, 911 etc. are indeed provided in several languages.

I don't object to bank machines giving you the option of Mandarin, or Polish, nor, for that matter Metrolinx having website translations for such if they wish.

Announcements, however, are in two languages that are recognized at law, not every language of convenience, if only for practical reasons.

The two-language thing does come with a small added bonus, I can't tell you how many visitors I've had from around the world that favourably comment on that sort of thing (Not on GO trains, that's too recent, but on
Air Canada, or in Airports or on VIA).

Its seen as very international, very welcoming, and in the case of my American friends, amusingly exotic.
 
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Northern Light said:
It concerns me that something as innocuous as announcements in French would attract hatred on your part, that's rather strong emotional reaction.

I have a mixed view, in that it the system were organized for my current, personal needs and preferences, I would do away w/most announcements, including stop announcements.

I don't generally fall asleep on transit, I'm generally aware of my surroundings, and would be quite content w/announcements being reserved for unexpected news.

However, I appreciate that there are visually impaired passengers, and lots of folks who simply pay no attention, who benefit from auditory reminders, so be it.

Having said that, if we are going to have announcements on a government owned transit provider, in both an officially bilingual country, and a province with a French language services act which requires
such services be delivered in French where numbers warrant (which on paper, they do, in Toronto), that seems entirely reasonable.

There is no law requiring services in a multitude of other languages; though in fact, announcements aside, many forms, web pages, brochures, 911 etc. are indeed provided in several languages.

I don't object to bank machines giving you the option of Mandarin, or Polish, nor, for that matter Metrolinx having website translations for such if they wish.

Announcements, however, are in two languages that are recognized at law, not every language of convenience, if only for practical reasons.

The two-language thing does come with a small added bonus, I can't tell you how many visitors I've had from around the world that favourably comment on that sort of thing (Not on GO trains, that's too recent, but on
Air Canada, or in Airports or on VIA).

Its seen as very international, very welcoming, and in the case of my American friends, amusingly exotic.
Click to expand...

I welcome and appreciate your opinion, but I see it as a wasteful attempt by the liberals to appease everyone and every Act. Same thing with WiFi. I get that these were low hanging fruit, but the focus should have been 100% on additional service and RER. 15-min train frequencies is more "international" than a few words in French. Heck, they couldn't even translate the words 'Quiet Zone'.
 
raptor said:
I welcome and appreciate your opinion, but I see it as a wasteful attempt by the liberals to appease everyone and every Act. Same thing with WiFi. I get that these were low hanging fruit, but the focus should have been 100% on additional service and RER. 15-min train frequencies is more "international" than a few words in French. Heck, they couldn't even translate the words 'Quiet Zone'.
Click to expand...

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I didn't think the expanded French was a political directive, merely the slow rollout of compliance with the FLSA.

I certainly agree better service is and ought to be a higher priority. Though the cost of recording a few announcements in French is pretty immaterial and probably wouldn't have funded a single new non-peak trip on the GO system. (if it would have, then they spent too much on the announcements.)

The Liberals made their share of poor choices, and Del Duca was certainly guilty of over-hyping any number of things (Tim's kiosks anyone?) ......but as I said, I don't think in dollar terms this was material, and will stand to be corrected if wrong.
 
Well, I hit a wall on GO yesterday. Wanted to ride my personal bike from home to work, so rode to Union Stn, put bike on train, and was told off by staff for bringing the bike. I said that GO allows bikes if you're reverse commuting - but I didn't know that regardless of direction, bikes are not allowed in Union Station during weekday rush hours.

https://www.gotransit.com/en/trip-planning/getting-to-go/gettingtogo

Because Union Station is the busiest transit hub in Canada, bicycles aren't allowed inside the station during rush-hour times:

Monday to Friday
  • 6:30 to 9:30 a.m.
  • 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Click to expand...
  • Well, that's a shame, so I'll have to continue with Bikeshare and then walk or bus from Port Credit. Honestly, the station seemed empty when was in Union at both times. Maybe they could allow bikes at the end of the platform?
 
Admiral Beez said:
Well, I hit a wall on GO yesterday. Wanted to ride my personal bike from home to work, so rode to Union Stn, put bike on train, and was told off by staff for bringing the bike. I said that GO allows bikes if you're reverse commuting - but I didn't know that regardless of direction, bikes are not allowed in Union Station during weekday rush hours.

https://www.gotransit.com/en/trip-planning/getting-to-go/gettingtogo

  • Well, that's a shame, so I'll have to continue with Bikeshare and then walk or bus from Port Credit. Honestly, the station seemed empty when was in Union at both times. Maybe they could allow bikes at the end of the platform?
Click to expand...

If you are riding the Lakeshore West line, why not ride to Exhibition GO?
 
Admiral Beez said:
Well, I hit a wall on GO yesterday. Wanted to ride my personal bike from home to work, so rode to Union Stn, put bike on train, and was told off by staff for bringing the bike. I said that GO allows bikes if you're reverse commuting - but I didn't know that regardless of direction, bikes are not allowed in Union Station during weekday rush hours.

https://www.gotransit.com/en/trip-planning/getting-to-go/gettingtogo

  • Well, that's a shame, so I'll have to continue with Bikeshare and then walk or bus from Port Credit. Honestly, the station seemed empty when was in Union at both times. Maybe they could allow bikes at the end of the platform?
Click to expand...

I work at The Residences of Maple Leaf Square and am through the station on a regular basis at around 330 PM. The station IS busy around that time, especially the York Concourse. I can see why they would not want bikes in there.

If everyone took a bike to get to/from Union Station you would not be able to move. With all the trains coming and go in rush hour there are simply too many people to allow bikes.
 
Richard White said:
I work at The Residences of Maple Leaf Square and am through the station on a regular basis at around 330 PM. The station IS busy around that time, especially the York Concourse. I can see why they would not want bikes in there.

If everyone took a bike to get to/from Union Station you would not be able to move. With all the trains coming and go in rush hour there are simply too many people to allow bikes.
Click to expand...

Ahh, wish we could apply the same logic to commuting by car into the city.
 
raptor said:
I welcome and appreciate your opinion, but I see it as a wasteful attempt by the liberals to appease everyone and every Act. Same thing with WiFi. I get that these were low hanging fruit, but the focus should have been 100% on additional service and RER. 15-min train frequencies is more "international" than a few words in French. Heck, they couldn't even translate the words 'Quiet Zone'.
Click to expand...

You know, the things like French announcements, wifi etc are a completely different pot of money and group of people, right? Like, it will have 0 effect on the progress of RER.

Metrolinx isnt one dude in his basement running a company you know...
 
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