GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[lenaitch]

This is the case for the police, as well.
All their OT / off-duty pay are included as part of the salary reported. So the Sunshine List numbers include all that.
This may have changed - I know that including off-duty was criticized heavily.

It hasn't mattered in the past couple of years: a TPS 1st class constable makes about $107K. As far as I know, paid duty remains classed as Earned Income. In the past, it was considered a transactional matter between the member and whoever hired the duty and it was not reported on any CRA form. That changed several years ago when a CRA sector audit determined significant under-reporting. All payment is now routed through the Service's financial systems and included as Earned Income.

 

[wopchop]

It hasn't mattered in the past couple of years: a TPS 1st class constable makes about $107K. As far as I know, paid duty remains classed as Earned Income. In the past, it was considered a transactional matter between the member and whoever hired the duty and it was not reported on any CRA form. That changed several years ago when a CRA sector audit determined significant under-reporting. All payment is now routed through the Service's financial systems and included as Earned Income.

Yes, this is exactly what I mean. The number reported on the sunshine list includes all OT/paid duty, so not necessarily an accurate reflection of their pay. Especially as paid duty is being paid by the developer, not the municipality. This was criticized in the past, because the released salary doesn't provide that context.

 

[crs1026]

Yes, this is exactly what I mean. The number reported on the sunshine list includes all OT/paid duty, so not necessarily an accurate reflection of their pay. Especially as paid duty is being paid by the developer, not the municipality. This was criticized in the past, because the released salary doesn't provide that context.

Tax considerations aside, I see a big difference between reporting paid duty earnings and, say, earning money outside of police work ( eg by doing plumbing or electrical work as a part time contractor). The city imposes paid duty on businesses and functions, and the duties performed are police related. So it should be included in the employment income of the officer.
The point of the Sunshine List is to report "total compensation", and not simply base pay rates.... so overtime, paid duty, and some benefits payments all are included.
The threshold has become trivial, and ought to be raised....

- Paul

 

[wopchop]

Tax considerations aside, I see a big difference between reporting paid duty earnings and, say, earning money outside of police work ( eg by doing plumbing or electrical work as a part time contractor). The city imposes paid duty on businesses and functions, and the duties performed are police related. So it should be included in the employment income of the officer.
The point of the Sunshine List is to report "total compensation", and not simply base pay rates.... so overtime, paid duty, and some benefits payments all are included.
The threshold has become trivial, and ought to be raised....

- Paul

Yes, but the majority of people interpret the sunshine list as $x paid from taxpayers money for that person. If part of that reported figure is from outside sources (i.e paid duty), it does not reflect that accurately.

All earnings should be reported, of course.

I agree the threshold is now out of date.

 

[crs1026]

This is telling.

If the track is this rough, maybe it's time to switch to a bus service until a proper refurbishment of the line can be completed.

Fixing things on a fits-and-starts basis is disruptive, drives away ridership and wastes money.

- Paul

 

[innsertnamehere]

the train has been about politics since day 1 - money or sense isn't the point.

 

[turbanplanner]

the train has been about politics since day 1 - money or sense isn't the point.

Why are people mad GO is running new routes? Yeah it sucks now but you need demand before you can justify dumping in more resources

 

[T3G]

Why are people mad GO is running new routes? Yeah it sucks now but you need demand before you can justify dumping in more resources

It's kind of a circular problem, but if you don't make the service attractive to use, no one will use it, so that kind of defeats the possibility of more demand justifying the dumping in of resources.

It's why transit sucks in the entire GTA suburbs. It runs infrequently, so no one will use it, but no one uses it, so there is no financial incentive to expand the service.

 

[Northern Light]

It's kind of a circular problem, but if you don't make the service attractive to use, no one will use it, so that kind of defeats the possibility of more demand justifying the dumping in of resources.

It's why transit sucks in the entire GTA suburbs. It runs infrequently, so no one will use it, but no one uses it, so there is no financial incentive to expand the service.

Well said overall........but I would take a tiny issue w/the second line...........ridership is comparatively high in Brampton; because the service is too!

That's exactly what proves out your point.

That you need to deliver a product that works for people, that appeals to people in order to drive the demand that further expands the service.

York Region is the control case here. Miserable service levels on most routes, and much lower ridership and investment follow.

 

[turbanplanner]

It's kind of a circular problem, but if you don't make the service attractive to use, no one will use it, so that kind of defeats the possibility of more demand justifying the dumping in of resources.

It's why transit sucks in the entire GTA suburbs. It runs infrequently, so no one will use it, but no one uses it, so there is no financial incentive to expand the service.

The issue is there is nearly a 0% chance you'll get to a go station and 1 mostly straight bus route will get you home or wherever you are going to?

When Vaughn laughed the dial a ride to 2 go stations a while ago everyone was pissed that they didn't ramp up bus service without realize it wouldn't make much difference. A house that's about 3km away from the station with FIFTEEN MINS BUS FREQUENCY would take almost long walking as it would to take the bus.

You can't really run good bus service in cul-de-sacs or subdivisions. Which is fine somewhere like Guelph. We don't need the entire golden horseshoe to look like Humber bay. Some people do want a backyard.

 

[allengeorge]

We don't need the entire golden horseshoe to look like Humber bay. Some people do want a backyard

No fear of that. We appear to be going in the opposite direction: sprawling as much as possible.

Backyards and long commutes for all!

 

[turbanplanner]

No fear of that. We appear to be going in the opposite direction: sprawling as much as possible.

Backyards and long commutes for all!

Based on how empty a lot of the go lots are I feel a lot of these people can work from home. I've lived in a townhouse and a condo and both are miserable.

 

[Bordercollie]

This is telling.

If the track is this rough, maybe it's time to switch to a bus service until a proper refurbishment of the line can be completed.

Fixing things on a fits-and-starts basis is disruptive, drives away ridership and wastes money.

- Paul

View attachment 439242

For how long? But VIA is still running?

 

[Willybru21]

The track work has been completed and the trains can run normally again.

 

[Krypto98]

This is telling.

If the track is this rough, maybe it's time to switch to a bus service until a proper refurbishment of the line can be completed.

Fixing things on a fits-and-starts basis is disruptive, drives away ridership and wastes money.

- Paul

View attachment 439242

The cn 1501 track inspector went by there yesterday...