Rob Ford's Transit plan

[Tulse]

As a matter of fact yes. Why? Because he will not use this stupid union or nothing rates for tendering. Often that means working not just 9 to 5 before demanding double time as stated in the union contract. If that means 7AM to 9PM 7 days a week then so be it. That would be impossible under a union contract due to huge amounts needed for overtime.

So you think that you can get private sector people to work 98 hour weeks without overtime? Seriously? Both you and Ford should familiarize yourselves with the Ontario Employment Standards, which states that "For every hour you work over 44 hours a week, your employer must pay you at least 1½ times your regular rate of pay ("time and a half")." For the record, that is less than half of the 98 hours you propose.

What did you do in a former life, run a 19th century London workhouse?

 

[ssiguy2]

I'm not saying I'm having wet dreams over this plan but I think it is superior to Smitherman's, which admitedly is not saying much.
At least he isn't promising free transit for the senior vote. It is both unaffordable and irresponsible in the extreme. The single parent working at minimum wage who can hardly afford the rent will continue to pay full fare as oppsed to grandma who will be able to get to her little appointment free of charge from Rosedale station. No mention of how he is going to afford this operational cost.
I agree with Ford's math problems but his site does state that if funding is not enough then some non-essential stations can be put off for a latter time and looking at the map I can already see 3.
His basic premise is also one that reflects the views of Torontonians and not Miller or Metrolinx......................people want subways and the citizens have rebuked TransitCity. People want to know that after all the construction and billions spent it's actual going to be worth it.
Part of the problem with people's distain for both the TTC and City Hall is exemplified by TransitCity. It was a plan dreamed up by Miller and City Hall with no concern for the transit riders. It's completlly top heavy where TTC patron's views are not considered irrelavent. Community meeting where they are being TOLD what is taking place as opposed to listening to the people of what kind of system they want and then getting back to City Hall. The patricians had spoken and the plebs where to ask no questions just pay for it under the guise of "we can't afford anything else".
Subways are the one thing that everyone agrees upon................it's the Cadillac of systems and for the money they are paying they want the best money can buy. Sometimes it may not be the best choice but it is their choice to make.
People get infuriated, and rightfully so, when you get Miller types who constantly tell you that "you don't understand how it will work" treating them like a bunch of children. The point is that people know exactly what TransitCity is and they have spoken.....................they don't want it.

 

[nfitz]

I'm not saying I'm having wet dreams over this plan but I think it is superior to Smitherman's, which admitedly is not saying much.

How is eliminating all the streetcars in Toronto and replacing them with buses, superior to Smitherman's plan (which I also admit isn't much).

How is ripping up all the bike lanes in Toronto superior to Smitherman's plan?

How is eliminating any new rapid transit anywhere except Scarborough superior to Smitherman's plan?

There is no way that any rational person could say that this plan is better than Transit City.

 

[Tulse]

I agree with Ford's math problems but his site does state that if funding is not enough then some non-essential stations can be put off for a latter time

Which really means that he is willing do nothing.

the citizens have rebuked TransitCity.

What is your data for this claim? Can you cite a reliable poll? Or is this "fact" just pulled out of your nether region?

 

[DSC]

. The point is that people know exactly what TransitCity is and they have spoken.....................they don't want it.

Though I doubt there is really much point in "debating" with you, IF you actually want to debate and contribute you really need to stop making up 'facts".

 

[gweed123]

I'm surprised more of the SOS gang isn't backing this, as it sounds exactly like the SOS plan to me, minus the expensive bits.

I would never back this. And this is NOTHING like the SOS plan. The only thing in common is the Sheppard extensions, and we had Don Mills to STC in Phase 2 of our plan, and Yonge to Downsview in Phase 3. Sheppard is not priority #1 in this city.

The alignment that Ford used to STC is a dumb alignment for a subway. The only reason it's being used by the SRT is because it was the path of least resistance between Kennedy and STC. I've outlined the reasons why the Danforth-McCowan alignment is a superior alignment for a subway so many times on here, I don't want to repeat myself.

If there's only enough money for 2 projects, do the DRL and B-D extension to STC. Any money left over should go to Eglinton.

 

[gweed123]

You seem to be as ignorant about how TTC contracting really works as you are about backing Smitherman's plan.

I've trashed Smitherman's plan relentlessly. But as bad as it is, is is 1-trillion times better than the joke that Ford put out there.

What Ford put out there today would have not received a passing grade in a high school project. It is grossly incompetent, and anyone involved with it should be terminated with prejudice. It's riddled with errors.

Too bad FS wasn't still here, it would have been an interesting debate with him trying to support this plan (he had even been touting it for months before it came out).

 

[gweed123]

There is no way that any rational person could say that this plan is better than Transit City.

I will agree with that. Transit City placed the bar really low to begin with, but Rob Ford managed to find a way to limbo under it. It was very hard to make Transit City look like a good plan, but if anyone can make something else look good just by opening his mouth (or scribbling some lines on a page), Rob Ford can do it.

 

[W. K. Lis]

He wants to replace the streetcars with buses? We have 248 streetcars, but will need 496 buses to replace them, which we don't have (if not more). Congestion will be worse. And instead of replacing every 30 years, the buses have to be replaced every 10 years, maybe 12, 15 if very lucky..

 

[Dan416]

I haven't read the whole plan, just read the article in the Star. Some points

-the article said his plan is silent on the Eglinton LRT so we don't know if he's keeping it as is or not
-the Sheppard plan takes total sense
-the extension of Danforth to STC makes sense, but not along an SRT alignment if that is indeed what he is proposing
-ripping out streetcars for buses is a non-starter for anyone but the most rabid pro-car folk
-cancelling certain TC lines is fine with me (SELRT I'm looking at you, Scarborough LRT I'm looking at you too)
-I doubt his accounting is believable, as others have said, right wingers have no sense of financial realities
-connecting disjointed streets is a good idea
-I see no mention of the DRL which should be the #1 priority of any mayor

I'd rate his plan C+
(I'd probably rate Thomson's subway plan an A-, and Smitherman's a B+, and whoever the Transit City candidate is I'd rate an F).

 

[allabootmatt]

His plan states that Transit City funding will be allocated to Sheppard and STC and only those projects. He describes Eglinton as a place where subways can't be afforded, and says it will get 'express' buses, whatever that means. Also, per Steve Munro and the Smitherman campaign, the money he claims the province will agree to reallocate for his plan includes 800 million dollars that is in fact going to York Region for Viva.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Transit City was announced in 2007, but after years of study by the TTC. The EA for the Sheppard East LRT came out in December 2008. The EA for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT came out in March 2010. The EA for the Etobicoke Finch West LRT came out in March 2010. Construction slowly just started this year.

Rob Ford does not believe in studies, or studying since he dropped out of Carleton University. So he has no need of studies to design his subways in Scarborough. Does not need to do an Environmental Assessment for his subways, because his pro-car stance shows he does not understand the environment. He would rather cancel rapid transit in his own ward (Finch West LRT) to fund the subway in Scarborough and just keep it away from where he resides (unlike Mel Lastman).

 

[doady]

Transit City was announced in 2007, but after years of study by the TTC.

What studies? Transit City was announced out of the blue. The studies came AFTER the announcement, and they weren't very detailed. They never did evaluate the pros/cons of subway vs LRT alogn Sheppard for example. The Transit City plan was just lines on a map when it was announced, and it was created without any public input whatsoever.

 

[Dan416]

what studies? Transit city was announced out of the blue. The studies came after the announcement, and they weren't very detailed. They never did evaluate the pros/cons of subway vs lrt alogn sheppard for example. The transit city plan was just lines on a map when it was announced, and it was created without any public input whatsoever.

QFT aka quoted for truth

 

[borgo100]

why would he even consider replacing the downtown streetcar network? Sure subways instead of LRT (Woot?) but don't even touch the current streetcar network!