Toronto Union Pearson Express | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | MMM Group Limited

nfitz said:
And yet until recently, GTAA had all the special discounts for the off-site parking (near Viscount station) because of all the empty spots!
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we are saying the same thing....they always have empty spots available.

nfitz said:
Your wrong here. GTAA owns the 407, west of 427. They are responsible for it, and all the ramps from Airport Road, etc.
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I am gonna guess you mean the 409...which I did not know.....ramps off of airport road are, essentially, the driveway into the airport and that start of their road network.
 
TOareaFan said:
we are saying the same thing....
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oops - double negative!

TOareaFan said:
I am gonna guess you mean the 409...which I did not know.....ramps off of airport road are, essentially, the driveway into the airport and that start of their road network.
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Yes, 409. They've spent a lot of money on those ramps in recent years. And done quite a good job of it. I remember the old traffic jams leading to the old terminals. I can't recall seeing one of those in a long time!
 
nfitz said:
oops - double negative!

Yes, 409. They've spent a lot of money on those ramps in recent years. And done quite a good job of it. I remember the old traffic jams leading to the old terminals. I can't recall seeing one of those in a long time!
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Yep they did a great job.....seems they finally got the traffic flow in and around the airport done well.
 
MrsNesbitt said:
I get the feeling that there's a certain class of business traveller who will settle into the UPX to avoid sitting in traffic in an airport limo (and for comfort's sake too - I for one find trains, especially with the luxuries that they've promised for better or for worse on this one, infinitely more comfortable than being stuck in the back of any car).
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Basically anyone who is within a short distance of Union and would currently take a taxi - in other words, a large proportion of downtown-based travelers.

Despite popular opinion, most frequent business travelers are not the business elite; they are salespeople, lawyers, engineers, consultants, etc. who travel in economy and have to follow strict corporate expense guidelines. For example, my company has a "transit first" policy, and cost is always a big factor for travel bookings, so I can see UPX becoming the default option for one or two person trips when it opens even if the fare is $30.
 
In an interview with CBC news (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toron...ronto-s-airport-train-be-too-pricey-1.2740320), it says,
[Metrolinx spokesperson] Aikins said the service will try to establish a fare structure that offers a break for families, children and seniors. She also said the UP Express will add "another option" for travellers heading to and from Pearson, along with the TTC's Airport Rocket service, which is a direct bus to the airport from Kipling subway station for the price of a regular TTC fare.
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Does anyone know anything about the "another option" that UPex will be adding?
 
DarnDirtyApe said:
Basically anyone who is within a short distance of Union and would currently take a taxi - in other words, a large proportion of downtown-based travelers.

Despite popular opinion, most frequent business travelers are not the business elite; they are salespeople, lawyers, engineers, consultants, etc. who travel in economy and have to follow strict corporate expense guidelines. For example, my company has a "transit first" policy, and cost is always a big factor for travel bookings, so I can see UPX becoming the default option for one or two person trips when it opens even if the fare is $30.
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I can see it being attractive because it is a known (once fare is announced) fixed cost that likely can be pre purchased and/or tacked on to trip ticket. Contrast to a taxi which could get caught in traffic or take a 'detour' which ups the fare.
 
TOareaFan said:
The "replace lost parking revenue" line was a colossal PR mistake. They should have just called it what it is....a contribution to the land lease payment they make to the feds.

GTAA pays a land lease for the entire airport grounds......it is a major expense item for them. They have various sources of revenue including lease income they generate from letting various other parties operate their businesses on that airport land. Metrolinx is getting the access to some of the airport lands to build a station and operate rail service. The fee per rider is simply GTAA charging for that business to operate.
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Yeah, I'm not convinced there's really going to be much lost parking revenue even if UPX runs at capacity. There's never going to be a shortage of parking demand at YYZ, and there will always be people who want to drive or be driven and not get on a train.
 
Woodbridge_Heights said:
I can see it being attractive because it is a known (once fare is announced) fixed cost that likely can be pre purchased and/or tacked on to trip ticket. Contrast to a taxi which could get caught in traffic or take a 'detour' which ups the fare.
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Taxi fares aren't that variable, but travel time is a huge uncertainty and you have to guess at the maximum time it might take because if you underestimate, the plane will leave without you. Right now we say to allow for 1 hour travel time from downtown to Pearson and even that's a crapshoot.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it's faster to talk to Union from the financial district than it is to drive to the Gardiner.
 
DarnDirtyApe said:
Taxi fares aren't that variable, but travel time is a huge uncertainty and you have to guess at the maximum time it might take because if you underestimate, the plane will leave without you. Right now we say to allow for 1 hour travel time from downtown to Pearson and even that's a crapshoot.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it's faster to talk to Union from the financial district than it is to drive to the Gardiner.
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Most days in rush hour it is faster to walk (i think that is what you meant) to Union than it is to drive onto the Gardiner.

When we have a flight from Pearson we allow 1:15 minutes to get to the airport (it can sometimes be longer but not much) that way if it is, say, 1 1/2 hours we are still in the 1 hour before flight window that the airlines like for domestic travel. Remarkably, the most frustrating times are when you leave that time and it takes 30 minutes (rare but sometimes happens) and you find yourself wondering what you could have done with those 45 minutes....so the most valuable thing the UPe gives is time predictability.

Most people here know takes 10 minutes to walk to Union (we are at King and Uni)....add in 25 minutes travel and you have a 40 minute trip (leaving 5 minutes at Union for buffer).......now if you can actually check in and tag your bags as well, that may reduce the time you need to be at the airport to half an hour before flight...and all of a sudden you have gained not just predictability but real time savings........and if that comes in at +/$25 compared to a cab ride with no predictability it really is a no brainer.
 
I'm also at King & University (hmm, 1 in 4 chance it's the same building I suppose) and our standard is to leave the office 3 hours before flight time for US trips - 1 hour for the drive and 2 hours for US preclearance, security, etc. Such a drag but UPX will definitely help. Too bad more people don't understand how much of a no brainer this is. No appreciation for the plight of downtown office drones!
 
DarnDirtyApe said:
I'm also at King & University (hmm, 1 in 4 chance it's the same building I suppose) and our standard is to leave the office 3 hours before flight time for US trips - 1 hour for the drive and 2 hours for US preclearance, security, etc. Such a drag but UPX will definitely help. Too bad more people don't understand how much of a no brainer this is. No appreciation for the plight of downtown office drones!
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The US clearance doesn't take 2 hours any more. It used to occasionally but last time I went there, they asked passengers to pass security based on departure time. So you don't get stuck in a 800m line because too many people went to the airport 3 or 4 hours before their flight. So if you have a 6pm flight and arrive at the airport at 5:15pm, you get to the line, and those who won't fly out until 7:30 or 8:00 will just have to sit in area Q and wait. Has it changed since?

Makes a lot more sense. The US clearance waiting time is too long primarily because people go there way too early for the actual departure, and they get in the way of those who actually allocate otherwise reasonable time. I never understood why people choose to wait in the airport for 1.5-2 hours at the gate with a boarding pass in hand without anything to do.
 
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ksun said:
The US clearance doesn't take 2 hours any more. It used to occasionally but last time I went there, they asked passengers to pass security based on departure time. So you don't get stuck in a 800m line because too many people went to the airport 3 or 4 hours before their flight. So if you have a 6pm flight and arrive at the airport at 5:15pm, you get to the line, and those who won't fly out until 7:30 or 8:00 will just have to sit in area Q and wait. Has it changed since?

Makes a lot more sense. The US clearance waiting time is too long primarily because people go there way too early for the actual departure, and they get in the way of those who actually allocate otherwise reasonable time. I never understood why people choose to wait in the airport for 1.5-2 hours at the gate with a boarding pass in hand without anything to do.
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The time based departure combined with some of the automation they have put in place really has sped up US pre-clearance.....still not sure I would cut my arrival time down to 45 pre flight....I guess it might depend on time of day.
 
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