Hello transit gurus
new member here. I've been an occasional reader of UT and just want to contribute my impression of UPX so far.
I work downtown on Front Street W a few blocks from Union Station, and travel for work about 3 times a month, mostly via YYZ. Before moving to TO, I had lived in Boston, SF, and Berlin so I've had some exposure to mass transit usage in other cities. By comparison, I think UPX works overall quite well from a passenger perspective.
A few benefits I've personally come to appreciate about UPX as a somewhat regular rider:
1. On-time performance, around the clock. This is huge because as a regular traveler, I tend to avoid spending too much time at the airport and always leave about 90-120 minutes before my flight departure time. UPX has allowed me that predictability that no other service can guarantee. Last week, I made the mistake of taking a limo from First Canadian Place to catch my flight at YYZ - I got into the car at 7 pm on a Thursday evening, and 10 min later, was still creeping on the ramp below Gardiner. Once on Gardiner, all was well until we reached Islington, another back up that lasted for 5 min before getting on 427 North. All in all, the whole thing took about 40-45 min door-to-door, which wasn't bad at all. However, throughout the entire journey, I was constantly dreading the possibility of missing my flight and couldn't relax until reaching YYZ. I never had to dread this kind of scenario when taking the UPX.
2. Overall rider experience: 3 weeks ago after landing at YYZ at 10:45 am in the morning, I had to get on a last-minute conference call at 11 am. UPX proved to be a life saver because I got on the train departing YYZ at 10:57, comfortably seated, and was able to dial-in at 11 am sharp for a 30 min conference call. During the call, I was able to charge my phone, walk about the train to stretch my legs, and enjoyed a relatively quiet working environment for 25 min. I took advantage of the onboard restroom for the first time, and was able to brush my teeth, freshen up, change and get ready for an upcoming meeting at noon, all the while continuing a conference call (I was on mute). These amenities may sound like trivial benefits, but for anyone who travels somewhat frequently or just got off a plane and had to head straight to work, it's a huge plus.
As for empty trains, I often land in YYZ in the morning periods between 10 am - 12 pm on weekdays, and notice a decent-ish ridership, nowhere near full or half-full but definitely not a "ghost train". Often times when I walk into the first car at YYZ, it would be half full, so I always ended up using the second car which usually had 3-5 people and provided a more quiet environment for working and taking calls.
