2014 Municipal Election: Toronto Transit Plans

[ehlow]

Olivia Chow Reddit AMA happening now.

I hope she answers my question about her bus plan.

Good question. I think she did a pretty good job answering.

 

[salsa]

Yet another Matt Elliot article trashing Tory. Big surprise.

How about you explain to us why Matt is wrong, rather than just dismissing his facts just because he's not a Tory fan (for good reason). Or is that the best you can come up with?

 

[WislaHD]

Good question. I think she did a pretty good job answering.

Thanks, others liked my question too it rose to the top comment. I was even suggested to run for mayor.

Hi Olivia, I have a few questions in regards to your bus plan outlined here.[1]

I am a long-time resident of Eglinton and I have seen first hand for years how a bus route with high frequency looks like. Buses show up in rows of 5-6 all at once at bus stops and contribute to road congestion as they attempt to enter the traffic lane to bypass the bus picking up/offloading passengers.

What will your bus plan do to ensure that increasing bus frequency has a tangible benefit instead of simply adding to bus congestion, travelling uselessly together in rows at a time and failing to meet their schedule? Other candidates such as John Tory[2] have proposed solutions such as queue lane jumping, upgraded traffic signalling and express bus routes to deal with these issues that increased frequency cannot solve on its own. Do you support any such initiatives?

Rick Leary, the TTC’s chief service officer, reports here[3] that the City has no more buses in its inventory. How do you propose to increase bus frequency when the city doesn't have any spare buses? The same report also states that the city's present bus yards are at maximum capacity, with no room for additional buses. Where in your plan do you state your intent to purchase a new fleet of buses in addition to a new bus storage facility?

In your bus plan you listed restoring the $15million a year cuts to peak service by Karen Stintz in order to pay for your bus plan. Forgive me, but $15m a year doesn't seem like enough for the purchasing of new buses (which cost upwards of 500k each), their maintenance and additional drivers, and for a new bus storage facility to house them (priced at $180 million for the planned McNicoll bus shelter). Will we find out what other means you intend to fund your bus plan with during this campaign?

Lastly, how will you accomplish all this in the short-term as you promised when the purchasing and tendering process of the new bus fleet, and the construction of a new bus storage facility will take many years?

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions and good luck in the campaign trail.

Her response:

What motivates me is improving service as soon as possible. I have some ideas for improving the situation but I’m not allergic to good ideas, no matter where they come from.

Bus bunching is one of the biggest issues we face when it comes to managing the resources we already have. Things like all-door boarding, which Mr. Soknacki first suggested, are great ways to get buses moving more efficiently. Management also needs to be held accountable for results.

On the availability of buses: The experts are divided on how to free up what we need to improve service. There’s precedent for rebuilding buses that are near the end of the life span to keep them on the road longer. We’ve done that in the 1990s and 2000s. TTC staff also want to change the ratio of buses on the street to the ones in the garage. This would reduce the number of vehicles available on the street. TTC wants to have back-up buses in case a bus on the street breaks down. I just don’t think keeping buses off the streets as back-ups is what we can afford when we need new transit so badly.

My bus plan includes $15 million dollars in the operating budget. There are other budget requirements in the last TTC transit report, which I will implement as much as possible. And as to the need to buy new buses, repair old ones, and build a garage, it’s in my capital budget for the TTC.

In part, the land transfer tax increase for homes that sell for more than $2 million is going to be how we pay for that. It’s really disappointing that both Ford and Tory won’t make that urgent investment.

I'm pleased with her answer. The funding for her Bus Plan is going to amount to more than $15m a year, she has admitted as much.

 

[ehlow]

Oh wow. Apparently I live at UT now. Do I get cake?

Congrats. Party on the Sheppard subway!

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Thanks, others liked my question too it rose to the top comment. I was even suggested to run for mayor.



Her response:



I'm pleased with her answer. The funding for her Bus Plan is going to amount to more than $15m a year, she has admitted as much.

You back in Olivia's camp?

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Thanks, others liked my question too it rose to the top comment. I was even suggested to run for mayor.



Her response:



I'm pleased with her answer. The funding for her Bus Plan is going to amount to more than $15m a year, she has admitted as much.

I'm glad to see here admit that.

 

[WislaHD]

You back in Olivia's camp?

Not quite. I'm pleased she didn't skirt around my question typical politician style (she has built a reputation in my mind for doing so, after witnessing her first avoid then hide behind Adam Vaughan when my friend questioned her on affordable housing, then just the other day when she denied Ari Goldkind's request for debate at Ryerson) but I don't think continuously rebuilding bus vehicles that are already at the end of their life-span is a viable solution. When it comes down to it, if we want to pursue her bus plan, we are going to need to bring in new vehicles. Which is all good seeing as she admits it will be accounted for in the TTC capital budget. (Just not the 15m a year she misleadingly states in her plan)

Overall, I think my questions set OC's staffers to work. Not so bad from a 19-year old student.

 

[nfitz]

John Tory says they'll be 'hell to pay' if the federal government won't provide billions for his SmartTrack plan

I wondered how long it would be before Tory brought faith into it.

 

[TOareaFan]

Thanks, others liked my question too it rose to the top comment. I was even suggested to run for mayor.



Her response:



I'm pleased with her answer. The funding for her Bus Plan is going to amount to more than $15m a year, she has admitted as much.

Credit to all....good question, maturely phrased.....and her answer shows a willingness to acknowledge there are details to be worked out and a willingness to take on others' ideas.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Except for the fact that his one and only Scarborough subway proposal WAS Sheppard.

And yet a central part of his platform was the Bloor Danforth extension, which he took credit for, like it or not.

Not quite. I'm pleased she didn't skirt around my question typical politician style (she has built a reputation in my mind for doing so, after witnessing her first avoid then hide behind Adam Vaughan when my friend questioned her on affordable housing, then just the other day when she denied Ari Goldkind's request for debate at Ryerson) but I don't think continuously rebuilding bus vehicles that are already at the end of their life-span is a viable solution. When it comes down to it, if we want to pursue her bus plan, we are going to need to bring in new vehicles. Which is all good seeing as she admits it will be accounted for in the TTC capital budget. (Just not the 15m a year she misleadingly states in her plan)

Overall, I think my questions set OC's staffers to work. Not so bad from a 19-year old student.

Good man. I think she came up with a detailed answer with a good amount of substance. She is starting to trend up, let's see if it will last.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

I wondered how long it would be before Tory brought faith into it.

This isn't the first time. Recall that SmartTrack has a faith based funding model

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Not quite. I'm pleased she didn't skirt around my question typical politician style (she has built a reputation in my mind for doing so, after witnessing her first avoid then hide behind Adam Vaughan when my friend questioned her on affordable housing, then just the other day when she denied Ari Goldkind's request for debate at Ryerson) but I don't think continuously rebuilding bus vehicles that are already at the end of their life-span is a viable solution. When it comes down to it, if we want to pursue her bus plan, we are going to need to bring in new vehicles. Which is all good seeing as she admits it will be accounted for in the TTC capital budget. (Just not the 15m a year she misleadingly states in her plan)

I don't think that it's that clear cut. Recall that thanks to our three LRT lines the TTC will have a massive surplus of busses in the next six years. It may make sense to refurbish some of our busses and hopefully they can carry us until 2018-2020 when the three LRT lines will come online. Of course some of the oldest and most beat up busses will need to be replaced, but it hopefully won't need to be a total fleet replacement. The TTC should look at the costs of refurbishment over the next six years vs. total replacement.

Overall, I think my questions set OC's staffers to work. Not so bad from a 19-year old student.

Damn you're old...

 

[WislaHD]

Maybe. My impression is that those buses coming off the road from the planned LRT routes are slated for retirement.

Still though, given OC's support for the Scarborough LRT which will require a few years of shuttle buses between STC and Kennedy, those buses will still have to be prioritized there instead of into her bus plan.

One of the redditors responding to my question gave some interesting insight on purchasing new buses.

The TTC got stuck in a difficult position some years ago, as Orion Bus Industries, the go-to bus manufacturer for the TTC, went defunct in 2013. The last 40 footer the TTC received was in 2012, in a time where they were getting new 40' buses almost every year.

This has put the TTC in a difficult situation, where they now have to tender and utilize new bus manufacturers and models (NovaBus and New Flyer Industries being the only real manufacturers in Canada for large buses). Indeed, NovaBus is providing the new 60' buses (bendy buses) that you're seeing on the road now, but that doesn't solve the 40' issue since 60' buses can't operate every route.

Doesn't help as well that the higher capacity Orion V buses from 1996 are being retired while the ex-CNG Vs and the RTS' will be retired likely in the coming years. These buses have a higher capacity as they're high-floor buses, so more low floor buses would be required than high floor's retired to meet original capacity.

The TTC will definitely need to get the ball rolling on bus acquisition and fleet expansion. Growth continues and the infrastructure needs continuing support.

If true, sounds like fleet expansion is something that cannot be avoided.

 

[ehlow]

By the way WislaHD, I do think the buses-everywhere situation on Eglinton you mentioned, that both of us see every day, is actually works out pretty well for a transit user. I don't usually take it rush hour, but I do use it throughout the day regularly.

Yes there's bunching, sometimes up to 4 buses, however, I find that most of the buses in the bunch are actually pretty well used (not empty). Should it be replaced by a long train like when the LRT is built? Yes, but having said that, they're doing a good job moving massive amounts of people by bus, in my opinion. It would also be nice to switch to electric train due to the constant engine noise of the parade of buses.

Also due to the very high # of buses, I find that I rarely wait more than few minutes at the stop, which makes the experience of taking it pretty good.

Maybe it's because I don't ride at rush hour, but I do find the buses move OK in general, even with the LRT construction happening right now.

Just some observations.


On another note, I wouldn't mind seeing how far we can push buses towards moving more people more efficiently, towards being rapid-transit-like on some corridors. For example, should we use POP on the buses? Should bus lanes become permanent, constantly enforced somehow, either through physical separation or cameras, and painted very noticeably?

 

[ssiguy2]

John Tory says they'll be 'hell to pay' if the federal government won't provide billions for his SmartTrack plan:
http://ww2.nationalpost.com/m/wp/bl...ds-dont-provide-billions-for-his-transit-plan

I love Chow.

In that National Post article she says that "hell to pay" threat are "not my style" and that instead she would appeal to other governments "for the common good". That is just too touchy-feely for words, I'm getting goose bumps just thinking of it.

Now imagine for a minute Chow going to tight fisted, always politically maneuvering Harper and politely requesting $2 billion "for the common good"...........I'd kill to be a fly on that wall. That kind of precious conversation would be delightful with some carrot muffins, fresh squeezed orange juice, and other organic refreshments right before group "quiet time" for inward spiritual reflection........but for Harper, somehow I just can't imagine asking for $2 billion for "common good" is going to get you very far.

Tory is right.........threats, unfortunately, work well especially when it comes to an supposed ally wanting money. If Harper refused Chow , her bringing it up in the next election wouldn't mean squat but if Tory used it as a leverage knowing that if the funding was refused he could do a LOT of damage against Harper in the next federal election, Harper will definitely take notice.

Harper, above all else, is a politician and will do anything to stay in power and he knows in order to do that he has to at least hold on to the GTA ridings he has and would like to more. Tory , can be both a powerful ally or a real foe for Harper and Harper knows it. Harper doesn't give anything for nothing..........he has to know there are real benefits or consequences for handing out money and Tory is the one politician who has the leverage to do it.

Good for Tory for laying down the law. Toronto has been far too diplomatic over the years with the federal government and it has gotten them no where {ie backing Chretien 100% and getting nothing in return}.

These kind of threats are offensive, unsavory, distasteful but, unfortunately, they work. Politics is a dirty world but if you want money playing Mr. Nice Guy may keep your fine sensibilities in tact but it won't get you a cent.