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Mississauga Transit - An unloved transit system

wyliepoon

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An unloved transit system

Peter Kuitenbrouwer
National Post

Thursday, June 07, 2007

The Mississauga Transit terminal at Islington subway station -- a row of semi-circular cement tubes into which buses rumble -- is in serious need of some TLC. On a recent morning at around 9 a.m, empty coffee cups, used Kleenex, cigarette butts, even a surgical glove littered the floor. One rider I talked to, Sharon -- a nurse heading home to Mississauga from her night shift at Toronto General -- commented, "Yeah, it is dirty. But then again, it's not Mississauga."

In my walk across Mississauga, I have relied on Mississauga Transit, Ontario's third-largest transit system (after Toronto and Ottawa) to ferry me to my starting point each day. I start composing my story on the return bus. The system is better than I expected; many Mississaugans think their transit system is worse than it is. There is a sense here that transit is only for those too poor to afford a car.

Walking through Malton on my first day, I met Steve Lee-Young, who works at the Malton Community Centre, and who grew up in Mississauga.

"Do you have someone to meet you after you finish your walk today?" he asked.

I told him I planned to take a bus; the thought hadn't occurred to him. "How much is it?" I asked.

"I don't know," he replied. "I haven't been on a bus since I was a kid. As soon as I was 16, I got my driver's licence."

From there I hoofed over to the transit hub by Westwood Mall. The area, a few traffic islands around which Brampton, Mississauga and Toronto buses congregate, has chipped concrete and tattered shelters. No one has paid it much heed in a number of years.

I paid my $2.50 and left the sweltering heat for the cool comfort of the No. 11 bus, bound for Islington. The bus, an older, boxy one, laboured under the job of both hauling passengers along Highway 427 and running the AC; about 500 metres from the subway, it died. The driver tried to start it a few times: no luck. "Try one more time!" a passenger shouted, but the driver shook his head, and we all filed out to walk a few blocks to the subway.

Oddly, the No. 11 leaves Islington at 9:28, 9:30, 9:58 and 10. Why don't they space the buses 15 minutes apart? Who knows.

A few days later I boarded the 26 Burnhamthorpe; the back doors had yellow police tape across them, preventing exit. "They were sticking," explained the driver, as a woman struggled to get her child's stroller out the front doors, while others attempted to board.

I've also been on new buses, and overall the service is reliable. I never have waited much for a bus. I always get a seat. There's a handy phone number, 905-615-INFO, where, after pressing a bunch of prompts, you can actually talk to a friendly person. The $96 I plunked down for a monthly transit pass seems pricey, but does allow me to transfer to a Brampton or Oakville bus. A bus ticket in Mississauga is valid for two hours, which means you can go shopping and come home without paying another fare.

I skipped my daily walk yesterday to sort out some technical problems; I will resume it at Mississauga City Hall this morning.

But I wanted to pause to say this: Do try Mississauga Transit, if only for the environment and to get some reading done. There are other perks too. On the 26 back to Islington the other day I saw a well-dressed 30-something man chat up a friendly woman around the same age; both were single, and before getting off, she typed his phone number into her cellphone. "I hope she calls," I said.

"She'll call," he said with confidence.

Hey -- you can't meet anyone on the highway.
 
He paints a pretty good picture. Islington station, like many subway stations, is dirty and depressing, not helped by the many pigeons living around there (and people who feed them :mad: ). He's also right about the so-called terminal at Westwood Mall, a disgrace which should have been upgraded years ago.
 
Islington station is shortly to be overhauled, and Mississauga buses will be moving to a new MT terminal at Kipling.

That should improve life a bit for MT riders, but extending the subway out to the East Mall & 427 south of Dundas, or even all the way to the Dundas/Dixie area via Sherway Gardens, would do a lot more for it. Mississauga should be pushing for such an extension the way Vaughan did. I suppose the politics have been in Vaughan's favour though too...

42
 
A regional terminal at East Mall would not connect with GO though, whcih amkes it kind of pointless. Any extension should be all the way Dixie/Dundas and directly at that intersection, not at Dixie GO.

On top of all the problems Islington already has, the TTC closed down the washrooms there to save money. Using the subway and bus can take a long time, and people get desperate, so sometimes the station smells like piss.

The Westwood Mall terminal is going to be renovated soon. Not that it matters since Malton as a whole is a dump anyways, and thankfully out of the way and isolated so most people never have to go anywhere near it.
 
GO's Kipling Station could (and should) be moved to the East Mall/427, and so many Mississauga buses use the 427 (and more could be diverted - Burnhamthorpe lines for example) that a TTC subway/ GO Rail station connected to new bus-only off ramps from said highway would make for the greatest time savings for the buck.

And isn't that what's transit's all about? Getting somewhere quickly for not too much money?

42
 
I was also thinking that moving the Kipling GO station to East Mall would be good idea since Kipling is a wasteland anyways. But another station must be added at Islington so that there will be at least one station in Etobicoke City Centre.

I disagree about diverting the Burnhamthorpe buses. MT should take over all service on both Burnhamthorpe and Bloor from the TTC, since the TTC's own service on these streets is so poor. The current situation is extremely inconvenient for both MT and TTC riders.
 
I was also thinking that moving the Kipling GO station to East Mall would be good idea since Kipling is a wasteland anyways. But another station must be added at Islington so that there will be at least one station in Etobicoke City Centre.

I disagree about diverting the Burnhamthorpe buses. MT should take over all service on both Burnhamthorpe and Bloor from the TTC, since the TTC's own service on these streets is so poor. The current situation is extremely inconvenient for both MT and TTC riders.

Maybe you're right doady. If TTC service on Burnhamthorpe is that crappy, MT should take over the service. But fare integration would need to take place first.

As for the subway, I don't see any point extending it to the 427 or some other random point further west than Kipling. Either go to MCC or don't bother.
 
I remember when I first moved to Mississauga in 1976 that they had mini buses, sort of like RVs or airport shuttles that serviced some routes. You could take a mini-bus from Meadowvale for example to Meadowvale Town Centre, where you'd catch the larger buses for other routes.
 
CITY CENTRE SHUTTLE BUS --please someone help me out

Aloha from Maui, TO Dudes!

Just read this --the part I don't get it emphasized.

Mississauga eyes return of shuttle

Jul 12, 2007 04:30 AM
Tess Kalinowski
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER

Mississauga is looking at reviving a shuttle bus service to encourage transit use in its rapidly developing City Centre neighbourhood.

A free shuttle discontinued earlier this decade was originally paid for by local businesses. But when the city took it over it became too expensive, said Councillor Frank Dale (Ward 4).


The new shuttle probably won't be free but should offer a discount on the regular $2.50 bus fare, he said, adding that retailers and other businesses could still be tapped for support.

"I think now is an opportune time to reintroduce it, and council is supportive of it," Dale said.

The city could consider subsidizing the shuttle with its $23 million allocation from the gasoline tax, Dale said.

It has also been suggested that the city approach developers with the idea of offering free transit passes along with the sale of condominium units.

The shuttle would probably run along the Burnhamthorpe Rd. and Hurontario St. corridors that surround the City Centre that includes Mississauga's city hall, the Square One shopping centre, YMCA and the Living Arts Centre.

That neighbourhood is expected to absorb an extra 50,000 residents over the next 25 years as Mississauga moves to curb the car-centric sprawl on which it was designed.

Reinstating the shuttle to encourage transit fits with new parking policies, too, Dale said.

One space per residential unit is the standard now, rather than two, and Mississauga is moving toward more paid parking in the City Centre, where it used to be free."


Regarding:


A free shuttle discontinued earlier this decade was originally paid for by local businesses. But when the city took it over it became too expensive, said Councillor Frank Dale (Ward 4).


I don't get the dynamics here. Is it because local businesses were more efficient or when the city took it over, it became more successful (hence greater use) and then became "too expensive" because of its success?

Signed,
The Mississauga Muse
 
As I recall it, the shuttle buses were heavily used by students at Father Goetz school who took free rides to Square One during their spare periods at school. I think it was a step backward when they were cancelled.

I think they should be reinstated, although if a regular transit fare is charged for a short shuttle ride, they won't be very successful.
 
Aloha from Maui, TO Dudes!

Just read this --the part I don't get it emphasized.

Mississauga eyes return of shuttle

Jul 12, 2007 04:30 AM
Tess Kalinowski
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER

Mississauga is looking at reviving a shuttle bus service to encourage transit use in its rapidly developing City Centre neighbourhood.

A free shuttle discontinued earlier this decade was originally paid for by local businesses. But when the city took it over it became too expensive, said Councillor Frank Dale (Ward 4).


The new shuttle probably won't be free but should offer a discount on the regular $2.50 bus fare, he said, adding that retailers and other businesses could still be tapped for support.

"I think now is an opportune time to reintroduce it, and council is supportive of it," Dale said.

The city could consider subsidizing the shuttle with its $23 million allocation from the gasoline tax, Dale said.

It has also been suggested that the city approach developers with the idea of offering free transit passes along with the sale of condominium units.

The shuttle would probably run along the Burnhamthorpe Rd. and Hurontario St. corridors that surround the City Centre that includes Mississauga's city hall, the Square One shopping centre, YMCA and the Living Arts Centre.

That neighbourhood is expected to absorb an extra 50,000 residents over the next 25 years as Mississauga moves to curb the car-centric sprawl on which it was designed.

Reinstating the shuttle to encourage transit fits with new parking policies, too, Dale said.

One space per residential unit is the standard now, rather than two, and Mississauga is moving toward more paid parking in the City Centre, where it used to be free."


Regarding:


A free shuttle discontinued earlier this decade was originally paid for by local businesses. But when the city took it over it became too expensive, said Councillor Frank Dale (Ward 4).


I don't get the dynamics here. Is it because local businesses were more efficient or when the city took it over, it became more successful (hence greater use) and then became "too expensive" because of its success?

Signed,
The Mississauga Muse

If the residents on Webb Dr weren't welling to shell out $.50 to $1 to help cover part of the operation cost before the service was cancel, why would they do it today considering they have a 61 running along it now?

Someone has to pay for and that is the rest of MT riders.

Why should they be given these free shuttle riders who live a short walking distance of Sq One knowing that other MT riders will have to cover the lost?

If Sq One wants these customers, then let them pickup the full operation cost.

Local business paid for it until cost became to great, then the city took over it. Since there is not enough business located around the mall, then how will only a few be able to pickup the cost of Free bus pay for it 100%?

Free comes with a price tag and as a MT rider, I would prefer to see this money be use for more service or new routes before money is invested here.

Regardless if transit was free, most of the residents in the condo's will get in their car and drive over to Sq One in the first place.
 
Does TTC have free shuttle buses downtown? Why should MT have it?

I think simple changes to certain routes could improve things a lot in MCC, like for example rerouting 28 along Redmond and Webb to overlap with the 61, taking 206 out of CCTT, reroute route 3 to overlap with route 8, etc.
 
Thanks everyone for responding to my shuttle question and especially for giving me some insight into its history.

And agree that there's no such thing as "free" or even "subsidized" ---someone, somewhere is picking up the bill. Seems to me a shuttle would benefit the condos and businesses of the downtown core.

I mean if this shuttle has a tiny route then only people who can walk to that bus are served, right? Like if they drive to that bus, why would they abandon their car to then take a shuttle?

It's really tough for me to make sense of so many of the thing I hear talked about at The Big Yellow. I've discovered that it's what Not Talked About that holds all the answers.

Signed,
The Mississauga Muse
 
When I moved to Mississauga (Derry Rd. and Winston Churchill) in 1976, these were the buses I saw. These short buses and the converted RVs were my transport into the mid-1980s iirc.

328B4986-EA4F-4D91-B66B-4F1514AA98BE.jpeg


87DB6DB5-52B1-4F4C-B057-5F148AC03F3B.jpeg
 

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