GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

[LNahid2000]

3) At least everyone on that level has a seat.....but that's really not good enough for a 2-hour ride.

People are still looking for seats. The CSA announced that there are more empty seats at the front of the train, and there was a constant stream of people passing through to get there.

The CSA also came through the train to do a passenger count after we passed Aldershot. Hopefully this makes Metrolinx realize that demand is not low.

 

[Northern Light]

People are still looking for seats. The CSA announced that there are more empty seats at the front of the train, and there was a constant stream of people passing through to get there.

The CSA also came through the train to do a passenger count after we passed Aldershot. Hopefully this makes Metrolinx realize that demand is not low.

Presto already feeds them that data; data they've been wilfully ignoring, the same way the TTC does.

That's why I noted the value in embarrassing them publicly.

I always prefer to be constructive privately, but if that doesn't work...........

 

[reaperexpress]

Also, can we take a moment to note that GO is easily filling 12-car double-decker trains on a weekend. There are very few cities in North America - or even in Europe - which can do that, even with bargain-basement pricing like GO's weekend passes.

If European rail operators insisted on filling a 12-car double-decker train before increasing service, they wouldn't have frequent service either.

Surprise surprise. Niagara service is a joke, they are using the low demand excuse to run less service and increas profits.

Eventually people will get turned off the service due to delays and the sheer amount of people.

Honestly I wish they would increase profits given their unfortunate financial situation the past couple years, but that's definitely not occuring with $10 weekend passes. That's $5 each way for a 130 km trip, or further if they're connecting to/from another GO service at Union. If they made the weekend passes distance-based so that it's less of an insanely good deal to Niagara, they would have less crowding, and the profits they generate would eliminate any disincentive to running additional service - since that service pays for itself.

 

[Mind_the_gap]

Back to the good old days of awkwardly sitting across from a stranger:
View attachment 401765

Honest question, how slowly is the next stop display installation program progressing on GO trains? They apparently started in 2016 with the accessible coaches, but there really hasn’t been much mentioned since. Admittedly, it’s been years since I’ve been on a GO train, that’s why I’m genuinely curious whether this is still ongoing, and roughly what percentage of coaches have been retrofitted?

 

[Krypto98]

Presto already feeds them that data; data they've been wilfully ignoring, the same way the TTC does.

That's why I noted the value in embarrassing them publicly.

I always prefer to be constructive privately, but if that doesn't work...........

I could be inaccurate if they use default trip or tap on way too early

 

[Garuda]

You know this entire "service" was designed by a Torontonian who has probably never been to London. They can't for the life of them fathom how people would actually go to London to work from it's suburbs or the service would reflect that. Everyone in London's suburbs commutes to Toronto, didn't you know that?

Seriously, would you start a service with just one return trip a day that takes 4 hours? Added to this of course is that this person probably thought that the TTC & LT were one in the same. If not, then nobody would offer a car-free transit line that leaves the city BEFORE the local transit system actually "starts running. In other words, take transit but only if you have a car to do it with.

Tell that to me friend who lives in London and commutes to Kitchener 2 days a week for meetings. Sure the early departure isn’t the best but she loves that she doesn’t have to deal with traffic and can get work done while on board.

The service is what true regional Rail should look like.

 

[EnviroTO]

I don't really understand why GO has the seating arrangement it does. Surely there is some data that would show what percentage of travellers are in groups of more than 2 and they could set up less quad seating so people don't need to lock legs with each other. For long legged people the current seating is a little too intimate.

Current top floor (18 quads, 0 pairs):
S→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←S
S→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←S
Proposed top floor (6 quads, 24 pairs):
S→←←←←→→→→←←←←→→→→←S
S→←←←←→→→→←←←←→→→→←S
Current lower floor (18 quads, 2 pairs):
→←→←SSD→←→←→←→←→←DS←→←→←
→←→←→SD→←→←→←→←→←DSS→←→←
Proposed lower floor (10 quads, 18 pairs):
→→←←SSD→←←→→←←→→←DS←→→←←
→→←←→SD→←←→→←←→→←DSS→→←←

 

[anb]

So… not the best first day for the Barrie GO train weekend service at all.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1528067026035539968

It was seamless coming up to Aurora earlier in the morning, but now the weather was brutal for a moment and left a tree branch in the way. It was just a couple of moments south of King City and we were held back for a moment before turning back the train to the station. But for me the timing couldn’t have more luckier as I just caught a local YRT 96 bus at the on street stop, that thankfully brings me to the subway anyways (was gonna get off at Downsview Park), while everyone now waits for jam packed GO buses.

 

[Northern Light]

I don't really understand why GO has the seating arrangement it does. Surely there is some data that would show what percentage of travellers are in groups of more than 2 and they could set up less quad seating so people don't need to lock legs with each other. For long legged people the current seating is a little too intimate.

Current top floor (18 quads, 0 pairs):
S→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←S
S→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←→←S
Proposed top floor (6 quads, 24 pairs):
S→←←←←→→→→←←←←→→→→←S
S→←←←←→→→→←←←←→→→→←S
Current lower floor (18 quads, 2 pairs):
→←→←SSD→←→←→←→←→←DS←→←→←
→←→←→SD→←→←→←→←→←DSS→←→←
Proposed lower floor (10 quads, 18 pairs):
→→←←SSD→←←→→←←→→←DS←→→←←
→→←←→SD→←←→→←←→→←DSS→→←←

Important to add, there needs to be adequate space for those w/strollers, mobility aids and/or bicycles on every train/car; and loading standards need to reflect this.

This is a real issue for the TTC who, as example, state that a fully seated load is reasonable for an off-peak bus, but they count those seats that are removed when someone using a mobility aid boards; nor do the factor in the room a typical stroller consumes and the impediment to standing room and boarding times.

On buses I strongly advocate for a fully seated load - minus 4 to reflect two sets of seats being up.

I also think its important to move from the style where the entire bench goes up/down, to individual seats, so that a parent can sit beside a stroller.

I'm not sure what load-factor GO uses in its calculations, but it certainly needs to reflect the above.

 

[beatle04]

More service is definitely needed. I'll probably have to take the bus back since I only need 6 hours there, which puts me between the 3:15 and 7:15 trains.

I really wished the frequency was greater.

 

[beatle04]

Presto already feeds them that data; data they've been wilfully ignoring, the same way the TTC does.

That's why I noted the value in embarrassing them publicly.

I always prefer to be constructive privately, but if that doesn't work...........

Not neccesairly. With the Niagara train, a lot people could be paying by using the weekend pass.

 

[LNahid2000]

I really wished the frequency was greater.

Yep. I went to the US to pick up some online orders. I got to the customs agent on my bike at 3:10 and thought, there's no way in hell I'm making the 3:15 train. Biked like crazy and made it to the station at 3:16...no train on the platform! Turns out it was even later than the morning train and we're still sitting on the platform. I wouldn't have to worry about train timings so much if it was an hourly train.

 

[beatle04]

Yep. I went to the US to pick up some online orders. I got to the customs agent on my bike at 3:10 and thought, there's no way in hell I'm making the 3:15 train. Biked like crazy and made it to the station at 3:16...no train on the platform! Turns out it was even later than the morning train and we're still sitting on the platform. I wouldn't have to worry about train timings so much if it was an hourly train.

Off topic question. When you cross the border with your bike, do you cross as a vehicle or a pedestrian walking over? I've been thinking about doing a bike ride in Buffalo but have no idea how to get my bike over without a car.

 

[LNahid2000]

Off topic question. When you cross the border with your bike, do you cross as a vehicle or a pedestrian walking over? I've been thinking about doing a bike ride in Buffalo but have no idea how to get my bike over without a car.

Vehicle. There are gates and a turnstyle that prevent you from using the pedestrian crossing, at Rainbow at least.

 

[anb]

I really wished the frequency was greater.

I get that they can’t provide that much train service but they should at least let the express bus (12B) run again at all times, and also extend it to Dundas/407 so it could have a connection to the 40 bus that goes to Sq One and the Airport and is 24/7 unlike the trains at Burlington, and seamlessly would reach a whole new section of the GTA. The fact that they haven’t thought about that speaks volumes to their thought processes.