Transit Nightmares

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A cross regional commuters nightmare-- this just in

At this moment a little while before leaving work for the trek home from Mississauga to Ajax, the Traffic info maps are GRAY   -- this means we have no idea before we go if there has been an accident or not and can't decide to take the 407 based on it. 

Hopefully the info is there before we leave.   Great it's back now. 

Orange and Red -- patches of gray.   As usual.  They could have substituted yesterdays because we really would not know the difference! 

This morning was very slow -- just volume they said. 

I refuse to leave my house before 7am!  I read about that guy who leaves really early then sleeps in his car at the parking lot at work for 90 mins.

There was a letter to the editor in the Toronto Star that says GO has it all wrong-- not longer cars --- we need more frequent service to all sorts of places other then downtown office buildings.  A person after my own heart!

Canada is all talk and no action in this area!  We are too chicken to do anything at all, any government , not just the new government.  We need radical change in our Transportation network.

How would traffic move if all the trucks were on the 407 and leave the free 401 to the cars ????

Maybe Trucks should not be in the rush hour traffic?

DRT Bus Stops- Traffic in Scarborough

I have not been able to find another regular driver to our carpool and something has occurred in the last while that I wish I knew the answer to.   Why has the traffic in Scarborough increased so much? 
In the last few months leaving on our daily trek to Mississauga always had of course slowdown in Scarborough so we shifted to an earlier start at 7:15 am putting us in Scarborough by 7:30 am and yes it was slow but not to the degree it has been since March Break.  It appears to be more congested and it takes longer to get the section where it starts moving again in the express.  The overhead signs are not helping as they don't even bother to tell us what is moving slow or very slow, there is a difference in these two terms-- what that is I have no idea.

On Friday we left at 7am and sailed through Scarborough but since it was a Friday I am not sure if that is regular, I did not want to be one of those crack of dawners because getting up at 6am is early enough.  Monday we will leave at 7am and if the Scarborough section is manageable then that is the new normal for me.  It is taking its toll on me as Friday evening I just dozed on the couch and did not want to do anything.

My life is ruled by traffic reports and "every minute makes a difference"

Move Ontario 2020 can't come soon enough, there is a stretch on the 401 that had such a wide shoulder in the Toronto area that I don't see why a carpool lane can't be added, why can't we take away a lane? We are too chicken to do it, if you had the choice between 2 lanes of not moving at all and one lane that required you to have a second driver or more what would you do? Carpool I bet.

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I was heading to the store on Saturday and saw a DRT Truck taking pictures of a corner in Ajax, this must be part of the task of gathering information on condition of bus stops.  I plan to go to the May Transit Advisory meeting -- hopefully I won't fall asleep during it from being up so early :)

One simple thing could be done to get me out of my car a few times a week --- a train at 7:30m that goes past Union in the morning with a shorter wait time before heading west from Union.  It seems I am asking for the world.  There has been a lot of movement of companies from Toronto to points west but the GO train schedule does not reflect this nor does Mississauga Transit's rush hour schedule.

The Gas taxes are filling the Province of Ontario's bank accounts but the highways still look like crap. On a single litre of gas the province is taking 14.5 cents and the Feds have the excise tax at 10 cents plus the GST on top of everything. 

Out of this money Municipal Governments are getting money for infrastructure and local transit authorities are receiving funding for capital projects, great but I still can't get a train to Mississauga to get to work at a decent time-- really early or late are my choices.

I have to leave my house before 6 am to get a train at 6am to make it to work around 8am total trip of DRT plus GO plus Mississauga Transit ---  I can leave my driveway at 7am and get to work for 8am, what would you do?  GO knows people don't want to pay downtown parking but I have free parking so my savings are only reflected in car maintance because it is still cheaper on a sinlge trip comparison cost with driving then the GO fare to Clarkson from Ajax.

However the milage is having oil changes more frequent and life of my car is shortened.

My next car will be a Honda!!  Sorry Oshawa but at least Honda's are still built in Canada by Canadian workers. 

TTC trike now - Monday also?

I went to bed last night with the knowledge of the TTC Strike that was called. 

I don't use the TTC but I have to pass through the city so it indirectly affects me with more traffic to deal with on the highway but many may not have the car as an option.  I went through the 8 day strike in 1991, my husband was forced to ride my Very Pink bike to work in Don Mills and I drove down to Queens Quay where I was working at the time and it took me probably 2 hours to get to work from Mount Pleasant and Davisville area, people were walking, riding bikes, hitch hiking, anything to get to where they were going.  Brutal!

Good luck on Monday if it is not resolved and if you have a transit nightmare to share, please do.

Should the TTC be an essential service ?  what about Transit in all of Ontario?  is it ok to strike in Durham but not Toronto?  St. Catharines,Hamilton , is it not essential for them ?

In the last two weeks I have purchased two things to reduce my reliance on my car for trips not going to work.   I purchased a wagon with real rubber tires to walk to the grocery store and have purchased a rack that lets me snap in a basket on the back of  my Bike.   I can ride my bike when I need to go and buy just a few things now and have a safe way to carry my cargo back.

We all need to find ways to incorporate some green ideas into our everyday lives. 

Train to Peterborough

There is a Mark Holland Town Hall meeting April 25th in Pickering.

At these gas prices Peterborough deserves some more transportation choice to get to the Toronto Area.

Even if your not from Ajax-Pickering come out and discuss this issue. 

I am biased in this issue because I have good friends in Peterborough that are rail enthusiast and one of them has worked hard with the past liberal MP to reopen this rail link. 

 

Driver Wanted !

If you live in Ajax or Pickering preferably and work in Mississauga and are not in a carpool now here are the specifics.  If you live in Whitby or Oshawa you are welcome as long as you don't expect us to go backwards to pick you up.  My driveway can 2 cars or more for free parking.

-- Must be able to leave house at a time to be on the 401 leaving Ajax-Pickering no later then 7:20 am.
This makes a difference, I have been leaving closer to 7:30 and traffic is building but I can not be a crack of dawner leaving for work at 6am or before 7 am.

Route is 401- 427 south to QEW--  We exit at Erin Mills Parkway so if you work at any of the companies that are clustered in that area that face the QEW or Speakman Drive behind, please email me though the blog. 

I am willing to leave work no earlier then 4:50 pm most days but arriving at 8:30 does not mean I can leave right at 4:30. 

I can't move becuase my husband works in Scarborough now and I use to work in North York.  Our life is in Ajax.

You will not have to drive more then 3 times in one week, sometimes less if the other driver I have can get on a better schedule.

No stopping for coffee on the way, no time for it, I am willing to brew coffee for anyone that wants it as long as you have a travel mug.

Here is something really interesting to read and I want people to comment on it.
http://www.projectbetterplace.com/     This is a business model for Electric cars.   I think it sounds great, what do you think.  Are we too chicken here in Canada ?

Gas Prices ouch!

Even in a carpool with 2 drivers we are seeing our cost of getting to work rise.   We have had to raise our rate for the regular passengers that don't drive. 

I keep thinking even one day a week in the GO train could be manageable but what happens when I get to Clarkson?????  I wait for 20 minutes for a bus and then about 15 minute bus ride a distance that is 5 mins by car or so. 

Can I park a bike there? I was thinking even of an electric bike! It is uphill I think to the office from the GO train station.  My hair will be messed up and vain or not the obstacle to riding a bike to work is weather and wind!

I should see if there are houses right near the station willing to act as secure bike parking for me?

I am still waiting for an express train from Durham to Mississauga at 7:30 and 5 mins max at Union and I could be at Clarkson by 9am I bet!  It takes in great traffic an hour to get to work and in moderate traffic 1 hour and 15 mins.   We get there faster by car! 

Why can't there be a train car where the upper seats are for people then remove some seats in the lower level and people stay with their bikes- even in rush hour ?

Moveontario is great but we need to get creative to respond to some immediate concerns and that is gas prices that will alter some people's driving habits. 

What changes have you been prompted to make in these times? any at all ? 

Buses - Highways-- Metrolinx

Last night I was at the Ajax Library and I saw all the Metrolinx greenpapers in hard copy booklets, of course I picked them all up.   I read over the current one last night- Highway related topics.

They have pictures and samples of various highway models used in other places in North America and one of the items mentioned was ramp metering---- this is actually funny because every day when coming home from Mississauga at Erin Mills on-ramp I would see this light and it is ALWAYS green- no matter how many cars were on the on-ramp, it was green, I wondered what the light was for.

Ramp metering works by allowing one car per green light to enter the highway.  I am not sure but I think I remember in my kid years driving with my parents to my Grandmothers in Brampton-- pre 403 and we had to take Highway 10 to Steeles from the QEW, there were cars at a red light waiting to get on the highway.  I could be wrong though.

There are a few places that have them but for some reason they are not used.  I guess the backups getting on the highway would be too much in these 905 ----->416 traffic flows- imagine ramp metering on Westney Road in Ajax in the morning. 

Controlling access to the highway however is the best method to reduce the gridlock.  This is exactly why I love accidents in West Whitby in the morning- no injuries of course but it spaces the cars out so we folks in Ajax get on in good moving spaced out cars until the Meadowvale wall at least but sometimes even that will be easier.   

I would love to see a true express lane-- longer stretches between where you can enter and exit.  It would be great if there was an express lane that allowed access in Scarborough but would not have an exit point until close to the Airport! We would really fly to work ! For carpoolers only of course :)

Bus bypass shoulders was written about, I have mentioned them before in this blog.  I see no reason why this can no be implemented in a reasonable amount of time in the east 401 area to assist the GO routes going into Scarborough.

This leads me to Buses on Highways and safety. 

Today in my carpool I noticed a Mississauga Transit bus express to somewhere northbound on the 427 and it was going faster then I was at one point, passengers standing and a good full bus.  I thought to myself about what would happen if there was an accident.  Are city buses crash tested for highway speeds?

Think about this-- Normally you see a transit bus in the slow lane stopping every so often and they don't usually get up to speed limit on a route unless they have no riders to stop for.   Coach buses would be on the highways- GO buses and other bus lines.  These buses have separate seats for everyone and hopefully few standing.  Personally I do not think any bus travelling on the highway should have anyone standing.

The argument against seat-belts on buses including school buses also is , riders are compartmentalized similar to eggs in an egg carton, this analogy was used and you can find it on the web- where I forget.   I for one think the people standing on any bus on a highway and that bus gets in an accident are in fact going to be extremely scrambled eggs.

The cushioning of the seats on coach style buses helps to protect against injuries they say and the individual seats, this gave me comfort when taking the GO to Finch when I worked in North York except for the days when I ended up on a bus with a cup holder protruding from the seat in front of me, great that would just impale me in the chest wouldn't it ?  I can hold my own coffee mug thank you.

Everyday I see Mississauga Transit buses on the highways - they do a lot of express routes and same with York Region transit on the 407.

Eventually sometime in the future DRT will take people to Scarborough Town Centre or U of T Scarborough Campus or if we are really lucky- both.  How will the bus travel? I would think along Kingston Road.

Transit and kids

Even if I am no longer a DRT rider regularly, my son is and I have to say that he has never had a bad experience and it gives me piece of mind knowing he is getting home safe after school when he chooses to ride, sometimes he walks the 30 mins or so home.

My son goes to elementary school out of district and lost bussing when leaving an optional program stream.  We rely on the Puckrin/Elm midday route to get him practically to the door and because he has learned how to transfer at the terminal when I was using the GO bus to North York he can get to daycamp in the summer also using 2 buses. 

My son is in grade 6 and next year is in grade 7.  I like to think he is learning independence while having the security of the driver.  There were days when I forgot the kid rate and he was a bit short, it was ok because there were days when he had only a toonie and paid too much.   

Thanks to the drivers that have driven my son home from school, next year he is going to be using it in the morning instead of my friend driving him to school.

So to the parents out there with kids that need to be driven everywhere--- pick up a bus schedule and see if maybe it's time they learn a route or two, kids that don't drive should at least know how to get home from anywhere in town using a bus.

Strike Watch

So now we have to wait to see what happens with the TTC.  I am not directly affected except for the massive wall of cars I will have to pass through Toronto in.  The 407 is really not much help in the morning heading westbound, just getting to the highway takes a great deal of time.

It would be soooo nice if there were carpool lanes on the 401! .

Now again I will bring up Ticket Machines at GO stations.   WHY IS THERE ONLY ONE????????

When Snow storms hit people who are not regular riders show up and lineups to buy tickets are long at the Agents and the single lone machine. 

The TTC Strike will see many migrate to the GO and the potential crush of passengers will be hard to take.   This is not unexpected and GO should be prepared for it.

Better get a 2 way ticket now and hang on to it, don't wait till the last minute.  I am sure you will eventually have use for the ticket or just send it in for refund. 

If a TTC strike hits , I plan to work from home for the first day and then hope it is worked out in time for the next day, I am lucky to be able to do that.

So Durham received the funding in the Budget for the "Quick Win"  BRT.  It's about time.

Metrolinx has a meeting on Friday and I have to check the schedule for the next DRT Advisory committee.   Phyllis a coalition member from Whitby has been selected to fill a vacancy on the Accessibility Committee, way to go! She is a regular rider on DRT and will have a lot to offer.

Today was an open house for the Environmental Assessment for Brock Road in Whitby between Rossland and Taunton.  This will cover the area where the bus stop issue is.   I was unable to make it.

This is an area that was built up yet left the ditches for too long as far as I am concerned but I am not an engineer so what do I know! 

If there is a TTC strike does GO have extra GO buses ? Do they consider alternative routes at all?

That new car commercial showing a bouncing car jumping over traffic looks really good doesn't it!

Start Praying now!

Deja vu-- Am I too cynical? I hope not.

Here from the minutes in below post.   NOTE THE YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2 posts in one day to make sure you read the one below for link to GO petition presentation.

Item #5 Customer Contact Report for December 2004

Members means Board Members-- local politicians we all elect-- ooops I mean about 25% or so of many municipalities voted in and a few that were not voted in from Regional Level Councils.

Received.

Mr. Bill Jenkins referred the Members to the first Customer Contact Report submitted to the Board,which will be part of the standard monthly report to the Board. It includes the percentage of complaints, comments, suggestions, and commendations from GO customers. It also listed the top ten complaints by the customers and action taken by the user groups. Mr. Peter Smith commended staff for a good report. 
Mr. Saad Rafi asked if a Customer Survey has been conducted. Mr. Bill Jenkins responded that the survey has been completed and results will be reported at either the March or April 2005 Meeting of the Board.

Report was received and tabled for the Members’ information

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Does that explain why I fear I am becoming cynical?  Next post will be from the March or April 2005 meeting because I am dying to know how this turned out.   If you don't know your history you are destined to repeat it -- I think that is how the saying goes.