GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[Allandale25]

^ not sure why I'm included in that. I was not expressing shock or non-shock.

 

[Allandale25]

^ A better question would be the discussions that took place with CN post the change when there was a realization in December-January there were concerns, and the turn around time to implement the February 13th train. CN probably had either some degree of flexibility, the crew schedule changes were possible on the Metrolinx side, and going to night/evening weekend service is something CN wasn't able to accommodate at this point. Those are all guesses on my part. Maybe the evening and weekend aspect is also linked to the Minister saying in December 2018 there would be more news in 12-18 months.

Maybe this latest interview with the Minister here partly answers my question.

""CN's been very good about working with us and opening up lines and that's why we were able to reinstate the express train, which is an additional train, back onto the track because we were able to work with CN to open up some of the freight times," he said."

- article also notes the cost of introducing the new service
- notes the Cambridge study isn't a priority
- no change in the 12-18 months "announcement" timeframe

 

[steveintoronto]

^ Norris nailed him down on the timeline. I'm starting to collect crows, since Yurek is going to be eating a lot in the next little while.

 

[nfitz]

^ Norris nailed him down on the timeline. I'm starting to collect crows, since Yurek is going to be eating a lot in the next little while.

Given Metrolinx's and MTO's history of announcing dates of stuff that never happens, or happens years later, there are so many Ministers who have so much crow to eat.

And it seems to mean nothing, because then we are listening to a different minister's BS by then, with many still believing what they say ...

 

[Allandale25]

^ It'll be interesting to compare and contrast how the previous gov did compared to the current one. Guess we'll know in 12-18 months. So set your calendar to Tuesday, June 30, 2020 (last day of the 18 months from the last day of December 2018).

 

[ShonTron]

There's a new GO Transit ridership map released by Metrolinx today. It includes rail lines and stations (including UP Express) for 2018. It's really interesting.

Mount Pleasant is the busiest non-Lakeshore Line station, followed by Bramalea and Aurora.

https://blog.metrolinx.com/2019/01/...-map-released-for-go-and-up-express-stations/

 

[44 North]

There's a new GO Transit ridership map released by Metrolinx today. It includes rail lines and stations (including UP Express) for 2018. It's really interesting.

Mount Pleasant is the busiest non-Lakeshore Line station, followed by Bramalea and Aurora.

https://blog.metrolinx.com/2019/01/...-map-released-for-go-and-up-express-stations/

finally, this is what people have been talking about for years. Wonder why UP avg dailies aren't included. guess running out of room in that area of the map.

 

[Leo_Chan]

There's a new GO Transit ridership map released by Metrolinx today. It includes rail lines and stations (including UP Express) for 2018. It's really interesting.

Mount Pleasant is the busiest non-Lakeshore Line station, followed by Bramalea and Aurora.

https://blog.metrolinx.com/2019/01/...-map-released-for-go-and-up-express-stations/

Image from link:

 

[Allandale25]

^ And as some have noted, some typos:

1. "Clarkson should read “1.2M” and Oakville “1.3M.” There’s a missing decimal for Whitby too."
2. Georgetown should be 589 not 589 K
3. For consistency, flip the UP Express numbers and the GO numbers for Weston to match Bloor and the UP Express Logo before the station name. Also add more white space near the Weston numbers, move the Barrie Line. This also shows that the Barrie line doesn't stop at Bloor.

 

[steveintoronto]

Given Metrolinx's and MTO's history of announcing dates of stuff that never happens, or happens years later, there are so many Ministers who have so much crow to eat.

And it seems to mean nothing, because then we are listening to a different minister's BS by then, with many still believing what they say ...

I've coined a new phrase:
"Kicking the Crow down the road" (apologies to 'Can'). Of course, Yurek would have us believe that the Crow is taking an 'all day train' down the road, but I digress.

I note CN's complete silence on the matter...

Still studying the map/chart, but immediately note Guelph has a higher ridership than Kitchener. That defies intuition. There's an interesting story there.

 

[Northern Light]

Image from link:
View attachment 172661

The typos aside (really, did no one proof read)............

The most interesting thing to me is seeing where ridership is growing the most, being able to see if that correlates at all w/service expansion or station works.

Biggest increases in % terms, year over year.

Aurora - 30.5%
Kennedy - 28.2%
Bloor - 28%
King City - 22.5%
Old Cummer - 22%
E. Gwillimbury - 20.1%
Milliken - 18.7%
Kipling - 18%
Mt. Pleasant -17%
Gormley 16.9%
Agincourt - 15.2%
Guelph 14.9%
Newmarket 14.9%
Bradford 14.6%
Erindale - 14%
Weston - 14%

****

As a corridor, nothing comes close in % growth to Barrie which shot up over 20% last year.

Stouffville is second with 9.2%

****

LSE growth is modest at 4.3%.

But notable is the very strong growth in LSE from Danforth through Eglinton with range of 9-12% approx.

Most growth can be correlated to additional service in some way.

Milton though posting over 6% growth as a corridor has not seen much if anything new.

 

[crs1026]

^ Certainly seems that the use of GO in the 416 is rising. Fare/transfer policy?

- Paul

 

[ShonTron]

I wonder if Aurora’s growth is because of all the new forced transfers there as the midday/evening and most weekend trains terminate there. Ridership that might have gone to Newmarket and East Gwillimbury otherwise.

 

[Bureaucromancer]

This sounds stupid, but if NFTA ran DMUs from NF to Buffalo getting preclearance and extending go across the bridge would end up with a pretty good service that also serves the American side properly.

 

[steveintoronto]

^ Certainly seems that the use of GO in the 416 is rising. Fare/transfer policy?

- Paul

I had to think about this for a bit, only to realize there's a context missing for the numbers that plays right into your point:

More customers than ever before are bee-lining it to Barrie via GO Transit, or stops along its line, according to the latest ridership numbers released this week by Metrolinx.

https://blog.metrolinx.com/2019/01/...-map-released-for-go-and-up-express-stations/

There's no indication of the *origin* of the trips, assuming the vast majority are return ones. The quote above indicates travel to or toward Barrie! But then one can think: 'That's neutralized in terms of co-fare stats'...except is it?

For instance, are Bloor' and Kipling's numbers skewed by being destinations, or origins? And would "fare/transfer policy" play equally into that?

It's a really good question. There may be a multiplicity of factors playing into this (cost of parking, local bus service factors, general income levels of riders, et al) as I'm intrigued with the difference in numbers between Guelph and K/W, Guelph's being higher than K/W, (up to, depending how you define the catchment area) five times its size!

And yet GRT offers a cheaper co-fare than Guelph Transit does, ostensibly with less constraints on it as well:

GO Train Riders - Grand River Transit
https://www.grt.ca/en/fares-passes/go-train-riders.aspx
GO Train riders can board a GRT bus for only 50¢ to travel to and from the Kitchener GO station. When you board the bus, show the operator your Presto card or valid GO Transit ticket and deposit 50¢ in the farebox. Valid GO train fares: Adult single ride ticket or day pass.

Guelph Transit and GO Transit co-fare program
Passengers will qualify for the $0.60 co-fare when boarding a Guelph Transit bus and presenting one of the following:

• A valid GO Transit day-pass when connecting to or from a GO Train or GO Bus at Guelph Central Station on any service day. Transfers will be issued for the Guelph Transit system upon request.
• New times starting September 6 – A PRESTO card from the start of service until 7:30 a.m. and between 5:40 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. on buses scheduled to arrive at or depart Guelph Central GO Station during regular weekday service.

• https://guelph.ca/living/getting-ar...ph-transit-and-go-transit-fare-integration-2/

This looks like a job for Steve Munro to do a multi-page analysis on!

Addendum: This went up while I was posting:

I wonder if Aurora’s growth is because of all the new forced transfers there as the midday/evening and most weekend trains terminate there. Ridership that might have gone to Newmarket and East Gwillimbury otherwise.

Yeah, it makes taking the map/chart figures at face value misleading without another layer or more of detail compensating for it. There's some amazing stories indicated in those stats, but the story may not be as it initially seems.