TTC: Other Items (catch all)

[ksun]

Metrolinx and TTC developing a plan to accelerate rollout of PRESTO
TORONTO: January 21, 2015 – Metrolinx and Toronto Transit Commission are pleased to announce that they are developing a plan that will allow transit riders to use the PRESTO fare card throughout the system a year ahead of schedule. Transit riders would be able to use their PRESTO cards on all subways, buses and streetcars by the end of 2016 making the TTC more convenient and accessible.
Subject to approvals, TTC and Metrolinx have developed the following program:

·Mobilizing TTC and Metrolinx resources and vendors to complete enabling work as quickly as possible.
·PRESTO will be available at 26 subway stations by July 2015, up from the current 15 stations.
·By the end of 2015 all legacy streetcars would have PRESTO devices installed on their front doors. Accomplishing this involves Metrolinx receiving support from the TTC to divert the equipment scheduled for the new streetcars, which have been delayed, to the existing, legacy streetcars.
·A plan to enable PRESTO on the TTC bus fleet is being developed with the TTC so that PRESTO cards can be used on all buses by the end of 2016.
·The TTC is also working to bring brand new fare gates to all TTC stations.
·Focusing the initial deployment on base PRESTO services currently available on the other transit services, and adding other functions, such as payment by credit and debit cards, to subsequent releases.
·The objective is to allow customers will be able to use PRESTO cards at all 69 TTC subway stations and throughout the entire TTC by the end of 2016.
·Metrolinx and the TTC are committed to ensuring that PRESTO is delivered across the TTC system as quickly as possible while maintaining quality and ensuring a positive customer experience.

This project is part of Metrolinx’s regional transportation plan to provide residents and businesses in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area with fast, convenient and integrated transit. Working through its divisions – PRESTO, GO Transit, and Union Pearson Express – Metrolinx is transforming the way the region moves.

-30-
Media contact:
Anne Marie Aikins
Manager, Media Relations
Metrolinx
(416) 202-5796


Brad Ross
Executive Director,
Corporate Communications
Toronto Transit Commission
416-206-3727

What a leap from the schedule a year ago - which was end 2016 as well.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/tra...ants_metrolinx_to_speed_up_presto_launch.html

 

[Johnny Au]

Theo Moudakis made a point that is children can ride for free, why not give them free beer?

Discussion about the legal drinking age doesn't belong in this thread.

Theo believed that if children can ride for free, it meant that instead of going home from school, there would be no way to prevent children from hanging out in a mall or causing trouble, in other words, very much the same as getting children intoxicated for free, with both leading to dire consequences on society, especially given that in all but the most serious cases, children don't get imprisoned and that it would be much easier for children to go missing. Combine both, and there would be no way to prevent children from skipping school (thanks to free transit fares) to get intoxicated.

Yes, there are many children who don't understand the consequences of playing hooky to get intoxicated.

 

[ksun]

^ such arguments are as foolish as saying allowing beer to be sold in convenience stores will automatically lead to higher drunk driving and therefore more death from it, according to some self-righteous "parents", who apparently ignore the fact jurisdictions, including Canada provinces that allow alcohol to be sold everywhere don't have higher fatality from drunk driving at all. Sometimes people simply enjoy sticking to their false logic as if it were unshakable truth.

 

[nfitz]

How is it quicker delivery? Aren't they custom built to TTC spec?

Leased units wouldn't be custom-built to TTC specs. There's no point, you don't have to worry about lifespan. Maybe they'd get some TTC paint and fabrics quickly installed ...

what about time? Is it worth anything?
Try to take transit from Eglinton/Don Mills to downtown, can easily take an hour. By car it is probably 15 minutes. What's your hourly salary, pushing $40 an hour ? You can calculate how much money you have saved. What about for two people?

Of course it is. In the example given it was about 40 minutes on transit (which is closer to 35 minutes with a 10-minute walk), versus 15-20 minutes driving. That's not 45 minutes saved. At best it's 20 to 25 minutes saved. But you get 10 minutes of exercise too ... is that a savings? People pay good money to get exercise.

and what about comfort? Does waiting for a bus for 15 minutes under minus 15C cost anything? TTC is not exactly famous for being reliable and punctual.

The example given was 2 subway lines. No waiting outside. And why would anyone start their journey waiting for a bus? Who'd here would leave their house at -15 without checking to see if the bus is anywhere near on NextBus? And even if they did, who wouldn't pull out their phone at the stop, realize they are waiting for 15 minutes, and then walk back inside ...

 

[smallspy]

Why would the TTC lease rather than purchase?

And do you know what model the TTC is most likely to go with?

They wouldn't lease.

New Flyer is apparently very, very eager to get back into the TTC's good graces, considering that they haven't won a tender since the 1998/99 7300-series D40LF order. So much so that they had apparently offered to build these 50 buses on spec for the TTC, to operate for a year or two before being taken back by New Flyer. (Of course, New Flyer would hope that the TTC would actually buy the buses outright, and buy more, but was designing their plans to take them back.)

Now that the TTC is likely to actually get the money to purchase the buses rather than having NFI build some loaners, it changes things greatly. They may still get the buses from NFI, or instead order them outright if NFI is willing to meet the TTC's terms (or at least meet them halfway) - or instead, the TTC may try and get Nova Bus to build another 50 buses for delivery later this year.

The next two weeks will be quite interesting indeed.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[nfitz]

They wouldn't lease.

Digging into the pages of budget notes, the 50 bus purchase is paid out over 2015 to 2016, in the amount consistent with purchase. So they seem to have moved from a loan to purchase, and expanded the timeframe. So no quick fix.

Presumably then, as the April 2014 purchase of the 55 buses included options through 2018, they'll just add this to the current order from Nova.

 

[Electrify]

YRT has picked up some XD40 buses recently, and they are some of the nicest urban transit vehicles I've been in. Hard to describe, but they just feel solid and well built.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

They wouldn't lease.

New Flyer is apparently very, very eager to get back into the TTC's good graces, considering that they haven't won a tender since the 1998/99 7300-series D40LF order. So much so that they had apparently offered to build these 50 buses on spec for the TTC, to operate for a year or two before being taken back by New Flyer. (Of course, New Flyer would hope that the TTC would actually buy the buses outright, and buy more, but was designing their plans to take them back.)

Now that the TTC is likely to actually get the money to purchase the buses rather than having NFI build some loaners, it changes things greatly. They may still get the buses from NFI, or instead order them outright if NFI is willing to meet the TTC's terms (or at least meet them halfway) - or instead, the TTC may try and get Nova Bus to build another 50 buses for delivery later this year.

The next two weeks will be quite interesting indeed.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

Great. Please do keep us updated if you can

 

[salsa]

Reading the Fine Print: The TTC’s 2015 Budget

http://torontoist.com/2015/01/reading-the-fine-print-the-ttcs-2015-budget/

 

[Northern Light]

TTC's new Customer Service Charter for 2015 is out.

Mostly what you'd expect.....conversion of 509/510/511 to the new streetcars, various already announced service improvements and some minor maintenance projects.

Curious it was deemed a worth improvement that dozens of subway cars will have their lighting converted LED.

http://www.ttc.ca/Customer_Service/Customer_Charter/2015_Customer_Charter.jsp

 

[Northern Light]

From the TTC's projects page; an update on the preferred location for the new second exit for Chester Station. (right across the road from the entrance in the Green P lot)

On this page you can see the presentation about the different options and how they were ranked; we're it not for the damage it would do the Logan parkette, I think it would make more
sense to have the exit facing Arundel; that was the#2 choice for that reason.

http://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Projects/Second_Exit_Projects/Latest_News/index.jsp

 

[DSC]

TTC's new Customer Service Charter for 2015 is out.....

Curious it was deemed a worth improvement that dozens of subway cars will have their lighting converted LED.

http://www.ttc.ca/Customer_Service/Customer_Charter/2015_Customer_Charter.jsp

When making lists like this one is wise to include lots of smaller (or already almost finished) projects so at the end of the year you can say "We achieved all our goals."

 

[RapidTransit]

They wouldn't lease.

New Flyer is apparently very, very eager to get back into the TTC's good graces, considering that they haven't won a tender since the 1998/99 7300-series D40LF order. So much so that they had apparently offered to build these 50 buses on spec for the TTC, to operate for a year or two before being taken back by New Flyer. (Of course, New Flyer would hope that the TTC would actually buy the buses outright, and buy more, but was designing their plans to take them back.)

Now that the TTC is likely to actually get the money to purchase the buses rather than having NFI build some loaners, it changes things greatly. They may still get the buses from NFI, or instead order them outright if NFI is willing to meet the TTC's terms (or at least meet them halfway) - or instead, the TTC may try and get Nova Bus to build another 50 buses for delivery later this year.

The next two weeks will be quite interesting indeed.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

I'm not saying your lying or anything. But where are you getting this info from? I looked on TTC website and can't find anything that says TTC is in talks with NFI. I know they have the option for more buses with Nova. Even if its leased buses, there's no mention of it on TTCs website, or the Tender section. I'm not questioning your credibility or anything.


Another thing I notice is the talk of 60 new cars. It says Cars, and not trains, or sets. Does this mean TTC is going back to the 'A' 'B' set up before the TRs came? Similar to the T1s and Hawker trains. Personally I wouldn't mind, that way I can look out the front or back of the train.

 

[DSC]

I'm not saying your lying or anything. But where are you getting this info from? I looked on TTC website and can't find anything that says TTC is in talks with NFI. I know they have the option for more buses with Nova. Even if its leased buses, there's no mention of it on TTCs website, or the Tender section. I'm not questioning your credibility or anything.


Another thing I notice I the talk of 60 new cars. And not trains, or sets. Does this means TTC is going back to the 'A' 'B' set up before the TRs came? Similar to the T1s and Hawker trains?

Dan's information has always been very reliable in the past so I bet what he says is true. The TTC website is certainly not going to talk about projects that they are discussing until they become fact.

 

[smallspy]

I'm not saying your lying or anything. But where are you getting this info from? I looked on TTC website and can't find anything that says TTC is in talks with NFI. I know they have the option for more buses with Nova. Even if its leased buses, there's no mention of it on TTCs website, or the Tender section. I'm not questioning your credibility or anything.

I know a couple of people at TTC's head office. This is coming from one of them who happens to be indirectly involved in the discussions with NFI. You're not going to find anything online until such a time that an agreement is met. And if they can't come to some sort of understanding, I highly doubt that it any of this will ever be made publicly known by the TTC.

Another thing I notice is the talk of 60 new cars. It says Cars, and not trains, or sets. Does this mean TTC is going back to the 'A' 'B' set up before the TRs came? Similar to the T1s and Hawker trains. Personally I wouldn't mind, that way I can look out the front or back of the train.

The subway has always been measured by "cars", despite the fact that TRs are not designed to be broken up like the previous orders. The original TR order was for 234 cars - which happens to be 39 trainsets - to replace 226 older cars.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.