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

TOareaFan said:
One of the advantages to reducing the non-pearson fares to GO fares is you will be able to test how much demand there is for ReR at Weston and Bloor.....no?
Click to expand...

True, although it's hard to judge demand without stops at Islington, Mount Dennis, St Clair, and Liberty.

TOareaFan said:
I don't expect it to be hordes either....but this misconception of Weston still lives on. Weston is essentially two communities and can, generally, be split as north of the track and south of the track. I can tell you that the people currently using GO from Weston do not appear to be economically challenged :)
Click to expand...

I have always wondered where the Weston ridership comes from.....there isn't a lot of parking, so most of those folks must live close by. The north-east end does appear much more prosperous.

- Paul
 
TOareaFan said:
care to elaborate what is insane about it?
Click to expand...
why would the fare Weston to Bloor be the same as Weston to Union when all other fares with GO are based on distance? What do you not understand about that or understand what "INSANE" means?
 
Palma said:
but how would people get on at Mt Dennis? There is nota stop there now is there? All I see is tracks near those houses close to Eglinton
Click to expand...
Mount Dennis station webpage shows renderings of GO station, and notes that:

A new GO station and a new UP Express station will be constructed as part of the project. The GO and UP Express platforms will be accessible from the underground connection between the main entrance and 3500 Eglinton Avenue West. The GO and UP Express waiting area and public washrooms will be located on the main level of 3500 Eglinton Avenue West.​

http://www.thecrosstown.ca/the-project/stations-and-stops/mount-dennis-station

Palma said:
why would the fare Weston to Bloor be the same as Weston to Union when all other fares with GO are based on distance? What do you not understand about that or understand what "INSANE" means?
Click to expand...
GO isn't fare by distance, and never has been. It is fare by zone. And the fares between zones are set by distance.

Union and Weston (and Exhibition) are all in the same zone (zone 2). Weston and Etobicoke North are in Zone 4. A zone 2 to zone 4 fare is the same for any pairs.

It's the same way Scarborough GO and Danforth GO are in the same zone.
 
nfitz said:
Mount Dennis station webpage shows renderings of GO station, and notes that:

A new GO station and a new UP Express station will be constructed as part of the project. The GO and UP Express platforms will be accessible from the underground connection between the main entrance and 3500 Eglinton Avenue West. The GO and UP Express waiting area and public washrooms will be located on the main level of 3500 Eglinton Avenue West.​

http://www.thecrosstown.ca/the-project/stations-and-stops/mount-dennis-station

GO isn't fare by distance, and never has been. It is fare by zone. And the fares between zones are set by distance.

Union and Weston (and Exhibition) are all in the same zone (zone 2). Weston and Etobicoke North are in Zone 4. A zone 2 to zone 4 fare is the same for any pairs.

It's the same way Scarborough GO and Danforth GO are in the same zone.
Click to expand...
Gotcha. Did not know that. I would use it at $4.00
 
Last edited:
What I'd like to see is it become a flat fare, rather than fare-by-distance. That way it lowers the price from Union to the airport, but it's still high enough that most people still won't use it as a commuter route from Bloor to Union. Somewhere in the $10-15 range would be appropriate I think. A few people from the High Park area may choose to use it as a commuter route, but by and large it will still maintain its original purpose: as an express airport train.
 
Palma said:
why would the fare Weston to Bloor be the same as Weston to Union when all other fares with GO are based on distance? What do you not understand about that or understand what "INSANE" means?
Click to expand...
It was not clear to me if you thought the level of the fare itself was insane or if it was that they were the same.

It is unusual that fares on GO would be the same.....but something I have advocated for before.....that is GO trips within the same municipality be the same. Living in Brampton and knowing a lot of people who use GO I can tell you the varied pricing between the 3 stations gives people an incentive to drive farther for a lower fare......so our local roads bear the brunt of people who are closer to Brampton or Mt Pleasant making the drive to Bramalea.

I have always thought that there should be one Brampton fare (set it at the middle ground which Brampton DT station presents) and also that travel within a municipality should have a flat fee (so someone living near Mt Pleasant and working near Bramalea might use the train rather than drive or take 2 or 3 buses to get to work).
 
TOareaFan said:
It was not clear to me if you thought the level of the fare itself was insane or if it was that they were the same.

It is unusual that fares on GO would be the same.....but something I have advocated for before.....that is GO trips within the same municipality be the same. Living in Brampton and knowing a lot of people who use GO I can tell you the varied pricing between the 3 stations gives people an incentive to drive farther for a lower fare......so our local roads bear the brunt of people who are closer to Brampton or Mt Pleasant making the drive to Bramalea.

I have always thought that there should be one Brampton fare (set it at the middle ground which Brampton DT station presents) and also that travel within a municipality should have a flat fee (so someone living near Mt Pleasant and working near Bramalea might use the train rather than drive or take 2 or 3 buses to get to work).
Click to expand...

The issue with that though is not all municipalities are the same size. You have two stations in Mississauga that are spaced miles apart that under your system would be the same fare, but you have stations like Pickering and Ajax that are in different municipalities that would be 2 different fares. Or if you prefer, Pickering and Rouge Hill. Or Kipling and Dixie, or Unionville and Milliken, or Aldershot and West Harbour. Municipal boundaries aren't always the best way of drawing fare lines.
 
gweed123 said:
The issue with that though is not all municipalities are the same size. You have two stations in Mississauga that are spaced miles apart that under your system would be the same fare, but you have stations like Pickering and Ajax that are in different municipalities that would be 2 different fares. Or if you prefer, Pickering and Rouge Hill. Or Kipling and Dixie, or Unionville and Milliken, or Aldershot and West Harbour. Municipal boundaries aren't always the best way of drawing fare lines.
Click to expand...
probably why I am not a transit planner....but maybe in my simple mind I used "municipalities" as a proxy or short form for "current municipal or regional transit jurisdictions"....just think it is an idea worth exploring.
 
gweed123 said:
What I'd like to see is it become a flat fare, rather than fare-by-distance. That way it lowers the price from Union to the airport, but it's still high enough that most people still won't use it as a commuter route from Bloor to Union. Somewhere in the $10-15 range would be appropriate I think. A few people from the High Park area may choose to use it as a commuter route, but by and large it will still maintain its original purpose: as an express airport train.
Click to expand...

I think going to a flat fare would be completely counterproductive. A rate set appropriately for Union would be so absurd for Bloor and Weston that there would be no point in stopping at all. And a rate set appropriately for Bloor and Weston would bring in a lot less revenue than we could otherwise get for trips from Union.

We know that a $10-15 fare for Bloor/Weston to Union brings virtually no commuter demand, because that's the fare we have currently for those trips.

As has been stated an endless number of times, the GO fare structure is already sufficient to discourage trips such as Weston-Union or Pearson-Weston. It has a base fare and a zone fare component, and the base fare of $4.71 on Presto ($5.30 cash) makes any trip way more expensive than by TTC before even adding the zone charges.

If that does still result in too much commuter demand, a flat surcharge could be applied to UPX services (i.e. a higher base fare). There is no need to eliminate the zone component altogether.
 
Last edited:
reaperexpress said:
I think going to a flat fare would be completely counterproductive. A rate set appropriately for Union would be so absurd for Bloor and Weston that there would be no point in stopping at all. And a rate set appropriately for Bloor and Weston would bring in a lot less revenue than we could otherwise get for trips from Union.

As has been stated an endless number of times, the GO fare structure already sufficient to discourage trips such as Weston-Union or Pearson-Weston. It has a base fare and a zone fare component, and the base fare of $4.71 on Presto ($5.30 cash) makes any trip way more expensive than by TTC before even adding the zone charges.

If that does still result in too much commuter demand, a flat surcharge could be applied to UPX services (i.e. a higher base fare). There is no need to eliminate the zone component altogether.
Click to expand...
what is still below demand. in other words you may see ridership from Weston to Uni9on at lets say 7.000. Does that not stand to reason if you further lower the fare. an increase in passengers. If that's the goal or at least see if there is even more demand at a lower level (just not $0)
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top