[crs1026]

What I do is that ML notified BBD that they were going to go to 15 minute service about 8 months ago and apparently ML gives BBD 18 months notice before any service increase. Meaning there's only about 10 months left to fulfill the crewing requirements which at the current pace is not going to happen.

Typical ML. Give 18 months' notice on a training regimen that requires 24 months to qualify a trainee. And then make noise publicly blaming the vendor when it can't happen. So, does Bombardier take the high road, or fire back publicly to tell their side of the story? ML is playing optics rather than do the heavy lifting and focus on getting the job done competently.

The relationship between Bombardier and transit in Ontario has so many tentacles, and so many subtlties.....it can't be unwound in one simple step, and certainly not amicably. If we are on the road to severing ties altogether, fine, but recognise just what a big thing that is. One area of non-performance may not negate the benefit of the overall relationship. In a complex relationship, you find ways to correct problems without declaring war on the other party.
What if Bombardier decides that they will no longer assemble in Thunder Bay?

Bombardier's performance on Flexities has sucked, but let's be careful what we wish for.

- Paul

 

[steveintoronto]

They were already well behind when it comes to training new engineers. Whether the fault for that ultimately lies with BBD or ML I do not know.

When Googling on this, I noticed quite a few ads for crew in Montreal. I suspect there's a much bigger story behind this, it just hasn't emerged yet.

 

[crs1026]

The story is fairly simple: demographics, and market forces.

There has always been a cross flow of RTE's between CN, CP, GO, and VIA. Each offer a different value package (CN/CP pay best but the hours are worst, VIA better hours but some nights in a hotel, GO hours not perfect but always sleep in your own bed and least likelihood of weekend work for the long term).

That was fine when someone was hiring and someone else was laying off. Right now there is more of a perfect storm, with CP and CN having gone as lean as they can go for now and VIA seeing a lot of retirements. CP and CN are improving their labour relations after a long period of giving people every reason to jump ship (or just firing them for minor offenses).

As @Vegeta suggests, it is plain stupid for the outfit that has the biggest growth need to be stressing its labour force to the point of quitting. Realistically, any competing bidder for the GO contract will have no other alternative but to hire all the qualified people that Bombardier sheds. But that comes with huge uncertainty about continuity of wages, benefits, retention of seniority, etc.


- Paul

 

[steveintoronto]

The story is fairly simple: demographics, and market forces.

On that aspect of the operation, fully agreed, but ML might have an end-plan based on something the press isn't privy to yet, including dissipating a situation where BBD finds it 'more advantageous' beyond even the corporate changes apparently imminent, to spin-off the operation, and ML either takes it in-house, or segues it to whoever is their new 'uber-contractor' to crew the trains. Is it possible that ML wants to outsource even more of their operations than they now do, including dispatch and other facets? It's a good question, and this is the way some of the world's major train operations are run. Is that a good model? It all seems to depend on many factors. Some have brought the entire operation back in-house. ML might be in turmoil over it, and unfortunately the crew are the ones caught in the middle. There's something huge missing from the story...

 

[steveintoronto]

I hadn't noticed the emphasis on "international consortium" before, that's a real clue on this, as is the term "operators/operations" which isn't really defined. The whole operation, or just the crewing?

Here's the story as reported by CBC:

[...]
Metrolinx said Friday that it will seek new operators after the current contract expires in 2023 to run its service, which will
quadruple in size.

Although it has had no problem with Bombardier's operations of its suburban and airport railway service, Aikins says it is looking for an international operator or consortium to run the enlarged service of 6,000 trains per week.

The new contract is expected to be awarded in about a year.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/metrolinx-bombardier-dispute-1.4216781

Here's how Metroland is reporting it:

[...]
Metrolinx said Friday that it will seek new operators to take over the suburban GO Transit and UP Express airport rail services after the current contract expires in 2023.

The winning bidder to be chosen in about a year will first review the current operations by Bombardier and two other Canadian companies and then operate the services as it quadruples in size to 6,000 trains a week from 1,500.

"We really need to bring in an internationally experienced operator (or consortium) to help us do this," Metrolinx spokeswoman Anne Marie Aikins said in an interview.

She said the existing operators wouldn't be able to objectively review the current service and therefore won't be eligible to bid.

However, Aikins said the winning bidder wouldn't be precluded from using the services of Bombardier and the other two companies to operate and maintain the trains.

She said the contract with Bombardier is worth about $100 million a year.

Eric Prud'homme, spokesman for Bombardier, said the company is "surprised" it won't be allowed to bid and is studying the document from Metrolinx. [...]

https://www.flamboroughreview.com/n...rolinx-cuts-bombardier-from-contract-renewal/

 

[dowlingm]

GO might need to be careful what they wish for. I get the impression moving operators was not all that MBTA hoped.
http://www.nbcboston.com/news/local...Operator-Keolis-After-Contract-409826095.html

 

[steveintoronto]

GO might need to be careful what they wish for. I get the impression moving operators was not all that MBTA hoped.
http://www.nbcboston.com/news/local...Operator-Keolis-After-Contract-409826095.html

Interesting comparison, although the ML expansion *appears* to be a good part of the story here...although it's really hard to know what the motivation is precisely. Partly whipping boy, albeit performance (which may or may not be anything to do with the BBD crew operation) is hard to gauge.

One of the big questions for me is 'OK, you're quadrupling size starting next year....show me the money!' (Money being results of the expansion). We've all been waiting for this expansion for how long? It's excruciating, albeit the Minister for Announcements, Il Duce, will have to have another announcement to fill the potholes with air.

There's either something very big we're not being told about going on, (perhaps partial privatization/operational outsourcing of the entire division?)(Oz has examples of this, owned by the Gov, operated by contract, Yarra Trams good example) or it's serendipitous to kick the dog. It's very curious. I suspect one of the usual avid journos will have a story on this soon.

Edit to Add: Synchronicity to your MBTA story, Dowling! I mentioned Yarra Trams, just reading up more on other Oz PPP/PPIs, and lo and behold:
[Yarra Trams is the trading name of the tram network in Melbourne, which is owned by VicTrack and leased to Yarra Trams by Public Transport Victoria on behalf of the Government of Victoria. The current franchise is operated by Keolis Downer.]
Wikipedia

There's "Keolis" again...didn't realize they were international, thought it sounded familiar.

Further Edit: The synchronicity grows: (Note the Caisse! Largest BBD Rail partner/shareholder after BBD themselves)

Keolis is the largest private sector French transport group. It runs passenger railways, tramways, bus networks, funiculars, trolley buses, and airport services. Based in Paris, Keolis is 70%-owned by the SNCF (French National Railways Corporation) and 30%-owned by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (Quebec Deposit and Investment Fund; public pension plans in the province of Quebec).

In 2013 Keolis turned over €5.1 billion.[2] As at December 2013, Keolis employed 54,600 people in France, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, India, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. It is the largest provider of public-transportation services in France.

Keolis holds a 51% shareholding in Keolis Downer, which has operated the Melbourne tram network since November 2009.[3][4] Keolis Downer has operated the G:link light rail line on the Gold Coast since July 2014.[5]

In March 2015, Keolis Downer purchased bus operator Australian Transit Enterprises which operates the Hornibrook Bus Lines, Link SA, Path Transit and SouthLink operations with 930 buses.[6] In July 2017, Keolis Downer trading as Newcastle Transport took over the Newcastle Buses & Ferries business under a 10 year contract.[7][8] [...continues with extensive holdings and contracts in many nations...]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keolis

"SNCF"....and the seeming implication by ML was that BBD 'wasn't up to the job once operations expanded'. Very curious. Who do they have in mind? DB? (Deutsche Bahn AG)

 

[crs1026]

We really have no data to do more than speculate, and I'm reluctant to go very far with that.

What we do know is that any meaningful expansion is years away. The Barrie line needs another year just to get that first bit of doubletracking in place, and then Davenport will take years. Unionville needs two years for same, although it's already at hourly service at least. Kitchener/Bramalea needs a 401/409 tunnel, more track, and a very big resolution with CN. West Harbour has likely slipped to next year at best. LSE also only just starting to add track. All of these lines need electrification, and that's years away. So.....getting to 2000 trains per week, let alone 6000, is a five year proposition. I can't see how ML could make the case that Bombardier is somehow impeding that growth. ML needs to get its own tasks done.... ie build some tracks first. So why hint that Bombardier is not performing? I have heard nothing that would suggest Bombardier is doing so poorly at running GO that their metrics have slipped. The metrics will speak louder than the review.

The "future of GO" study sounds like the kind of "hire a consultant to review organization" review that every business does every few years. I have certainly heard ML people speculate that some sort of drastic internal reorganization is expected (ie long overdue) but that is an office worker thing and not a GO Operations thing. Perhaps ML or the Province want to have that kind of plan in hand before the election so that they can fend off rival ideas from other parties, or starting a reorganization that ties the hands should a different party get elected.

I have gone on here ad nauseum that the hidden part of the iceberg, after actually needing tracks to run on, is labour supply. It's two years to certify a new hire to operate a train. In my conspiracy theory, Bombardier may be taking a hard line requiring ML to give clear, firm, binding statements of what its crew needs will be two years and more away.... instead of slipping in incremental service upgrades piecemeal whenever some politician needs a boost. (#Barrieweekend, #Unionvilledays, #Bramalea2yearslateandcounting) That uncomfortable reality check may sit poorly in ML's craw, because to my observation they can't schedule a two car funeral to a defined future time point. But I have no data pointing to that.

- Paul

 

[steveintoronto]

That uncomfortable reality check may sit poorly in ML's craw, because they can't schedule a two car funeral to a defined future time point. But I have no data pointing to that.

I searched for an actual ML New Release on that, couldn't find one. My intent was to quote Aikens exactly first-person.

Several references in a number of stories to 'an interview' with Aikens....and again, it's dangerous to read too much into this, but if you wished, as Smallspy described, to 'let the press the interpret it for the sake of headlines', you'd do that, and then state after if there's blowback: "Well we're not on record as stating that, it was an interview, not a proper press release". Is this being spun? It has all the hallmarks, but the question remains: 'Why?' One of the likely scenarios is that they're trying to spook a reaction from BBD, whether that's to divest or withdraw from crewing altogether or not is a good question. And then there's Siemens...

 

[jje1000]

Probably necessary, but inevitably go over like the "why did they spend so much money for something so boring" comments you usually see for rebranding attempts.

Seeking wider recognition, Metrolinx spending $250,000 to design a new brand
Agency controls billions of dollars of transit projects, including GO Transit service, but most Torontonians aren’t aware of what it does.

It’s a public agency that controls a $1-billion operating budget and is in charge of a once-in-a-generation expansion of transit in the GTHA.

But Metrolinx has a problem — most people don’t know what it does.

That’s why the provincial organization has embarked on a rebranding effort it hopes will help it connect with the transit-riding public.

For the past year Metrolinx has been gradually rolling out a new “visual identity” across its divisions. The agency said the new brand will cost $250,000 to research and design.

Agency spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said the public’s lack of understanding of Metrolinx’s role is “an ongoing struggle” for the organization.

Research conducted in 2016 revealed that 47 per cent of GTHA residents didn’t know what Metrolinx was and a majority had a “low understanding of the relationships between Metrolinx” and its numerous divisions.

Metrolinx says it chose the new simpler colour scheme “to increase clarity of communications” with the public, as well as to comply with accessibility legislation requirements relating to colour blindness.

The $250,000 cost of the rebrand covers research, brand analysis, design and the creation of a new “identity standards manual,” according to Aikins.

The figure doesn’t cover the cost of applying the new brand to physical assets such as signs, uniforms and vehicles. Aikins said in order to keep costs down, the new branding will only be applied to Metrolinx’s physical assets as they’re replaced or updated.

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/tr...nx-spending-250000-to-design-a-new-brand.html

 

[TOareaFan]

Probably necessary, but inevitably go over like the "why did they spend so much money for something so boring" comments you usually see for rebranding attempts.






https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/tr...nx-spending-250000-to-design-a-new-brand.html

How about "why did they spend any money or time rebranding at all".

They are a government agency, a monopoly service provider that spends a lot of money with little/no transparency. Give me one example of why this was "necessary"?

 

[crs1026]

How about "why did they spend any money or time rebranding at all".

They are a government agency, a monopoly service provider that spends a lot of money with little/no transparency. Give me one example of why this was "necessary"?

Their brand would be a lot better understood if they published meaningful target completion dates for key milestones for all their major GO/RER construction projects - and stuck to them.

- Paul

 

[Voltz]

This better not mean another new vehicle livery,

 

[TOareaFan]

This better not mean another new vehicle livery,

Why would it mean that? ML has rebranded...but if you go to their web page and click on one of their operating divisions (GO) you will note there is still the familiar GO branding. Similarly, clicking on UP or Presto takes you to their familiar brands too.

 

[Amare]

Im surprised that they dont have enough recognition, especially given the photo-ops Del Duca has every other day.