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What's your work commute during PanAm? (TTC/MiWay/HSR/GOtrains for free!)

mdrejhon

mdrejhon

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With the Games becoming close (July 10-25), here's an excellent suggestion few people know about:

Currently, a PanAm or ParaPanAm ticket acts as a de-facto daypass to all of GTHA's transit services.
This include the expensive GOtrains. Even if you go to work before a PanAm game!

There are many PanAm and ParaPanAm tickets that cost less than a day's of transit usage (e.g. Hamilton->Toronto GOtrain plus TTC). People have heard of free transit, but don't realize how valuable a PanAm ticket can be when used like a daypass.

The ticket allows you to use it like a daypass for work and other stuff during the daytime; as a measure to keep you off the road -- this is the goal to keep the roads unclogged during PanAm. You do not need to use the free transit only for your Game, but also for any GTHA transit for anything before and afterwards, on your ticket date, at least within the PanAm footprint. This is allowed. That makes it a bargain!

It is officially allowed & officially sanctioned. Example:

TTC Customer Service ‏@TTChelps 15h15 hours ago
@mdrejhon Yes, a ticket will provide you with travel for the entire day - including your morning work commute. Pretty cool, right? ^SM​

Have you?

What's your planned PanAm commute itinerary?
 
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Answering myself:

Yes, I have.

For soccer tickets I plan to:
- HSR bus to GOtrain station
- GOtrain commute to Toronto work on the morning GOtrain
- GOtrain commute to Hamilton home on the evening 5:50pm PanAm express GOtrain (nonstop)
- HSR bus shuttle to game (to enjoy game at new Hamilton stadium)
- Walk home (I live only 1 kilometer away from the Hamilton stadium)

Cost without PanAm ticket: About $30

I am considering purchasing additional tickets which includes either downtown or Mississauga events.
 
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Given that the Pan Am tickets are mostly just self-printed through Ticketmaster, I do wonder what's going to happen when I flash my home-printed soccer ticket - or my Blackberry screen - to the 506 driver at 7 AM on my way to work ...
 
nfitz said:
Given that the Pan Am tickets are mostly just self-printed through Ticketmaster, I do wonder what's going to happen when I flash my home-printed soccer ticket - or my Blackberry screen - to the 506 driver at 7 AM on my way to work ...
Click to expand...
or when you print multiple copies of the same ticket and give them to friends and family for free transit use!
 
nfitz said:
Given that the Pan Am tickets are mostly just self-printed through Ticketmaster, I do wonder what's going to happen when I flash my home-printed soccer ticket - or my Blackberry screen - to the 506 driver at 7 AM on my way to work ...
Click to expand...
Yup. I just asked @TTCHelps for you.

They replied almost instantly on Twitter, in less than 5 minutes.

Mark Rejhon ‏@mdrejhon · 9m9 minutes ago
@TTChelps Are all TTC streetcar drivers trained to allow PanAm tickets to be used as a daypass for work commute before attending the Game?

TTC Customer Service ‏@TTChelps · 3m3 minutes ago
@mdrejhon Hi - yes, definitely - all our team will know about the various passes and tickets that allow travel. We're training right now.^SM

Mark Rejhon ‏@mdrejhon · 8m8 minutes ago
@TTChelps e.g. If I have PanAm ticket to Hamilton evening soccer game, can I show ticket to TTC driver early A.M. for Toronto work commute?

TTC Customer Service ‏@TTChelps 15h15 hours ago
@mdrejhon Yes, a ticket will provide you with travel for the entire day - including your morning work commute. Pretty cool, right? ^SM

[Added additional twitter replies]

There you go.... From the horse's mouth.....Your PanAm tix is an unlimited daypass for anything transit for the same day, even if not PanAm related. Officially sanctioned too! They want your car off the road at all costs.
 
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Well, that's a positive sign.

If they wanted cars off the roads at all cost, they'd simply make transit free for those weeks!
 
nfitz said:
Well, that's a positive sign.

If they wanted cars off the roads at all cost, they'd simply make transit free for those weeks!
Click to expand...

Good point nfitz. That would've been a great experiment to see how the price of transit affects traffic patterns.

As for my commute, I will be driving to work still, but my company is flexible with our hours and has already notified us that we may have to adjust them due to traffic. It's a 15 minute drive on a normal day, and I'm assuming it will turn into 40 minutes based on days when traffic is completely backed up. I'll just show up before 8 to avoid most of the rush.

I have tickets to the opening ceremony and a swimming event, and I am taking both of those days off completely, so the transit pass thing doesn't really help with my work commute.
 
mdrejhon said:
de-facto daypass to all of GTHA's transit services.

.... but also for any GTHA transit for anything before and afterwards, on your ticket date, at least within the PanAm footprint. This is allowed. That makes it a bargain!

Have you?

What's your planned PanAm commute itinerary?
Click to expand...

Surely it is not all transit agencies? Why would a municipality that has no part in the games, is not hosting any events nor is seeing any transit improvements to get their citizens to the games subsidize the games by offering free transit?
 
TOareaFan said:
Surely it is not all transit agencies? Why would a municipality that has no part in the games, is not hosting any events nor is seeing any transit improvements to get their citizens to the games subsidize the games by offering free transit?
Click to expand...
Check out the official announcement;
On the day of ticketed event, spectators can show their Games competition or ceremonies ticket to get on any of the 14 public transit or specialized transit systems for people with disabilities in the Games region.

Games tickets can be used to ride:

  • GO Transit
  • Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) / Wheel-Trans
  • York Region Transit / Viva / Mobility Plus
  • MiWay
  • Durham Region Transit / PULSE / Durham Region Transit Specialized Services
  • Brampton Transit / Züm
  • Milton Transit / Access+
  • Oakville Transit / Care-A-Van
  • Burlington Transit / Handi-Van
  • Hamilton Street Railway / DARTS
  • St. Catharines Transit
  • Welland Transit
  • Niagara Specialized Transit
  • Peel Region Transhelp
Click to expand...
 
mdrejhon said:
The ticket allows you to use it like a daypass for work and other stuff during the daytime; as a measure to keep you off the road -- this is the goal to keep the roads unclogged during PanAm. You do not need to use the free transit only for your Game, but also for any GTHA transit for anything before and afterwards, on your ticket date, at least within the PanAm footprint. This is allowed. That makes it a bargain!

Have you?

What's your planned PanAm commute itinerary?
Click to expand...

For daily GO commuters, it's not that big of a deal because of how PRESTO works. July has 22 business days, which means if you pay your fare with PRESTO two ways each day, you already were getting two days free, and two and a half days at 88% off. If you use your PanAm ticket as a fare, then you lose out on those free days. You would have to buy tickets for PanAm events on at least five different days, at very low prices, to see a benefit.

Of course if you planned to take several days off in July it works.
 
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Jonny5 said:
Of course if you planned to take several days off in July it works.
Click to expand...
Or if you had weekend trips. Like to the aquarium or Canadas Wonderland.

It is my understanding, and in at least one media aricles, that it is fair game to use your PanAm tix for a ride to/from Kitchener or Vaughan on GO, from what I have been hearing. As those trips originate or end within the PanAm zone. A family in Kitchener can go to PanAm on a GoTrain for free, if they go on one of the available morning trains... That is potentially 150 dollars of savings, and that doesnt even yet include touring around Toronto by TTC for free before or after going to the Game. Be a tourist!

It still takes your car off the roads.
 
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nfitz said:
Correct. You don't get it Kitchener, Guelph, Barrie, etc. ... even if you heading to GO to get to the games.
Click to expand...

I'll be one pissed off taxpayer if Brampton Transit is giving free rides....."Hey, we didn't use your 5k arena for anything....instead we squeezed one of the most popular sports (basketball) into a sub-3k arena and spent money building a temporary facility for volleyball*....we know those would have worked great in your arena but, hey, thanks for subsidizing the games with free transit rides to other places!"

*this is the venue that I am most angry about....I am a sports fan....I like that we are building some sporting legacy and don't query the spending on the games that does that....but when you don't use a modern arena for a sport perfectly suited for it but, instead, spend money building a temporary facility that will disappear after the games....I get annoyed.
 
Hamilton has had its major stadium drama, too, I feel your pain. Yours is even more ridiculous, as we got permanent stuff (West Harbor and a permanent new TiCats stadium).

The idea of free transit with tix is very sound if executed properly, and a good way to promote future transit loyalty if it goes well, and increases awareness for continued transit improvements if very popular. But I must say, Brampton's situation makes you think.

Let's back to the topic. Any ticket purchases? Any plans to use your PanAm ticket as a daypass?
 
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