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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

ARG1 said:
It's been pointed out several times on these boards, but a lot of it does genuinely seem to be out of MX's control. Not only is staffing a problem due to COVID being an ongoing issue (this can be seen with how often trains are just cancelled out of the blue due to staff shortages),
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Covid is no longer new. Decisions on how thin to run the personnel count, and to terminate/put on leave the anti-vax set (right or wrong) require planning.

ARG1 said:
but also it is alleged by some on this board that crew are leaving GO in favour of working at other companies like CN and VIA
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This has been happening for many, many years. There are two choices, train more people than will be poached by other carriers and live w/the fact you're subsidizing them; or raise the pay. While that decision is made by Alstom directly, Mx clearly has the option to pay more for its staff, and amend its contract with Alstom accordingly.

****

Mx made choices around laying people off, service reductions etc, many retired/moved-on, rather than sit at home collecting CERB, this was predictable.

Mx has made a series of very poor choices over many years, some, in fairness, are the result of conditions imposed from above; but many they have to wear.
 
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Northern Light said:
Covid is no longer new. Decisions on how thin to run the personnel count, and to terminate/put on leave the anti-vax set (right or wrong) require planning.
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Sure, but either way vaccination isn't some magic apple, and even vaccinated workers will get sick constantly (which is why I didn't bring up vaccination at all). When you add up the worker shortage: Outcome, not so good.
Northern Light said:
This has been happening for many, many years. There are two choices, train more people than will be poached by other carriers and live w/the fact you're subsidizing them; or raise the pay. While that decision is made by Alstom directly, Mx clearly has the option to pay more for its staff, and amending its contract with Alstom accordingly.

****

Mx made choices around laying people off, service reductions etc, many retired/moved-on, rather than sit at home collecting CERB, this was predictable.

Mx has made a series of very poor choices over many years, some, in fairness, are the result of conditions imposed from above; but many they have to wear.
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I don't disagree, and whilst I don't work at Metrolinx, it's pretty obvious that there have absolutely been some level incompetence present in the management. That being said, incompetence != malice. @Bureaucromancer was putting forth the accusation that "Metrolinx doesn't want to run more trains and are actively looking for excuses", which is completely different from "We can't run more trains because we f'd up".
 
ARG1 said:
Sure, but either way vaccination isn't some magic apple, and even vaccinated workers will get sick constantly (which is why I didn't bring up vaccination at all). When you add up the worker shortage: Outcome, not so good.

I don't disagree, and whilst I don't work at Metrolinx, it's pretty obvious that there have absolutely been some level incompetence present in the management. That being said, incompetence != malice. @Bureaucromancer was putting forth the accusation that "Metrolinx doesn't want to run more trains and are actively looking for excuses", which is completely different from "We can't run more trains because we f'd up".
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I can see where you'd get that; I read it more as 'Mx seems to be going through the motions, has lost any sense of drive or ambition'

Which I can understand. Incompetence is not malice; but at the very least, its negligence. Has anyone else noticed how invisible Phil Verster has become?
 
PS, for everyone, the new schedules are up; though the 'Service Changes' page is not yet updated.

No new schedule for Lakeshore East or Richmond Hill

New schedules for LSW, Stouffville, Kitchener, Milton and Barrie
 
Northern Light said:
PS, for everyone, the new schedules are up; though the 'Service Changes' page is not yet updated.

No new schedule for Lakeshore East or Richmond Hill

New schedules for LSW, Stouffville, Kitchener, Milton and Barrie
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Where are you getting them? I tried https://www.gotransit.com/en/trip-planning/seeschedules/full-schedules but many seem to be broken - like https://www.gotransit.com/static_fi...Planning/FullSchedules/FS03092022/TABLE01.pdf and https://www.gotransit.com/static_fi...Planning/FullSchedules/FS03092022/TABLE71.pdf
 
I don't accept that MX is faced with a unique problem. We now see the TTC as an example returning to 95% of prepandemic service, despite seeing the same challenges.
MX is just facing the same reality as any other employer with a staff shortage: in the current market they have to pay more to retain what staff they have, as it takes too long to train new hires.

And as someone who takes the LW line regularly, I find it odd that to be told that it's already approaching RER standards.
There was a very brief period when 20-ish minute off-peak frequency between Union and Oakville existed, but it has been more often than not, due to excuses x, y and z, hourly service whenever I've happened to ride on the LW. I don't know any riders who consider the service to be anything other than a commuter and ballgame train, and we've been promised incremental improvements for years. Instead, we keep backsliding, so it's difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

That said, Hamilton getting 2WAD service is better 100 or so years late than never.
 
felix123 said:
I don't accept that MX is faced with a unique problem. We now see the TTC as an example returning to 95% of prepandemic service, despite seeing the same challenges.
MX is just facing the same reality as any other employer with a staff shortage: in the current market they have to pay more to retain what staff they have, as it takes too long to train new hires.

And as someone who takes the LW line regularly, I find it odd that to be told that it's already approaching RER standards.
There was a very brief period when 20-ish minute off-peak frequency between Union and Oakville existed, but it has been more often than not, due to excuses x, y and z, hourly service whenever I've happened to ride on the LW. I don't know any riders who consider the service to be anything other than a commuter and ballgame train, and we've been promised incremental improvements for years. Instead, we keep backsliding, so it's difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

That said, Hamilton getting 2WAD service is better 100 or so years late than never.
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The ONE piece of credit I’ll give them on this is that the skill set in the running trades is highly valued, highly transferable and has a long lead time.

With that said, yes, I’m right there with you on the “excuse x, y and z” point, feel the backsliding as well and am both thoroughly frustrated and seriously concerned about long term intent when they make statements that seem to imply what’s going on now is anywhere near acceptable.

As far as my earlier comment, I don’t know if I’d call it “malice”, so much as a suspicion that the long existing faction in Metrolinx who feel their role is to run the largest, fullest trains possible at the lowest frequency possible is very much in ascendency at the moment. True believers in commuter style service in other words…
 
Northern Light said:
In the above, Mx gives two completely different answers as to why the service is being cut to West Harbour.

One answer is 'crewing constraints'; the other is the Hurontario LRT.

Which is it?
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But that extra 30min? Of travel time is such a deal breaker? Or is it an issue of having qualified crews?
 
Northern Light said:
In the above, Mx gives two completely different answers as to why the service is being cut to West Harbour.

One answer is 'crewing constraints'; the other is the Hurontario LRT.

Which is it?
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GO uses crew constraints for most cancelled trains now, the crews doing the weekday Niagara train haven’t gotten COVID, but the cancellation was staff sickness.
 
Willybru21 said:
GO uses crew constraints for most cancelled trains now, the crews doing the weekday Niagara train haven’t gotten COVID, but the cancellation was staff sickness.
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How does shortening the route make more crews available? Is it due to duty hours per day?

I don't understand the relation.
 
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