GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[Northern Light]

Funny thing you mention the lack of London Transit connection at the station at 5:30 - because that’s one of the questions/factors that came up in the survey. So it was through, at least.

As you know, I’m very much aware of the lack of bus service to St. Thomas/Elgin County, even though every other town near London has a bus connection - London/St. Marys, Exeter, Strathroy, Dorchester, even Tillsonburg a few days a week.

Whatever came of initiative by St. Thomas to start such a connection? It was being pushed for at the end of 2019.

Intercity transport plan in works for St. Thomas, London

Area municipalities are working on a plan to launch an intercity transit service that would link St. Thomas, Port Stanley, Aylmer and London.

www.stthomastimesjournal.com

 

[reaperexpress]

Perhaps the $2 million a year spent to subsidize the sole GO train to Toronto would be better spent on providing a service connecting the two cities and carrying 20 or 30 times as many passengers but this is what happens when you put Toronto planners in charge of another city's transportation plan.

So you think Doug Ford is a Toronto planner?

 

[christiesplits]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1588632508903870464

 

[Allandale25]

^ Amazing how many media tweets/headlines aren't specifying that this is for the bus network.

 

[Fritter]

^ Amazing how many media tweets/headlines aren't specifying that this is for the bus network.

Although, the rail crews are a separate bargaining unit, they will likely not cross any picket lines that may be set up at Willowbrook or Whitby Rail Maintenance Facility.

 

[nfitz]

Although, the rail crews are a separate bargaining unit, they will likely not cross any picket lines that may be set up at Willowbrook or Whitby Rail Maintenance Facility.

Has this happened in the past?

 

[Allandale25]

Although, the rail crews are a separate bargaining unit, they will likely not cross any picket lines that may be set up at Willowbrook or Whitby Rail Maintenance Facility.

What about the trains that don't leave from there?

 

[ShonTron]

What about the trains that don't leave from there?

Kitchener is a joint bus/rail base. That’s the most likely conflict point. So that’s going to be a problem.

Otherwise, I don’t remember the rail and bus divisions blocking each other at pickets in the past. They have different employers and except at Kitchener, they operate from separate facilities.

 

[ssiguy2]

I thought transit workers were deemed an essential service and hence unable to strike?

I don't transit workers, regardless of their roll, should be able to strike. It is an essential service that millions rely upon and hence should be viewed the same way as nurses or police. This doesn't mean however that an employer should be able to ignore their requests. They should be able to "work-to-rule" using such things as not checking tickets, no overtime, or no coverage for people calling in sick or on vacation. This gives the workers leverage but doesn't allow a whole city being held ransom.

 

[Jonny5]

I thought transit workers were deemed an essential service and hence unable to strike?

I believe only TTC workers were awarded that.

 

[rbt]

I believe only TTC workers were awarded that.

Yep. Just TTC as it was requested by the Mayor of Toronto.

No sane leader desires binding arbitration for contract negotiations unless a strike or lockout is catastrophic.

 

[T3G]

It is an essential service that millions rely upon and hence should be viewed the same way as nurses or police.

If these people strike, there could be a material loss of life.

Such is not the case when it comes to transit, it is an inconvenience, not a matter of life and death.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

So we’re under threat simultaneous school and transit strikes? Are we supposed to even have a functioning economy on Monday? Get the deal done.

 

[EnviroTO]

In a non-monopoly situation, the union wants the company to succeed because there is no job security in a non-viable company. In monopolies and government it is tough on both sides, because on one hand the organization ends up being heavily scrutinized for how much they charge (prices or taxes) and heavily scrutinized on service levels, and on the other hand because there is no competitors for all the staff to flock to the organization can make unfair demands. The organization could in theory charge any rate because the public has little options and the union knows that the organization cannot fail since it is a monopoly or government. On the organization's side they are accountable to the backlash from the public for raising rates but there is little the public can do about it other than to elect a new government, and union doesn't really have much accountability other than to its members. It is a lot easier to negotiate when you are in a non-monopoly company and you can share the general ledger and the union can see that they need to be part of making a more viable company... the solution is math, whereas the accounting for a monopoly or government iwhere in theory even crappy service could be in demand and the price can be whatever you make it... the solution is more about personal values.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

These are no excuse for simultaneous strikes. The government must do a better job at managing these negotiations. The government‘s failure to keep schools and transit open is pure incompetence.