News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 02, 2020
A Message to Our Readers
 11K     0 
News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 01, 2020
EarthCam Time-Lapse Documents Rafael Viñoly-Designed New Stanford Hospital Construction
 43K     0 
News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 01, 2020
Resort Town
 6.7K     0 
I think big rail improvements were planned for, but staffing issues at Alstom has prevented that from happing this round anyway.
 
Sure, intentions for big improvements led to pulling back from full Hamilton service.

Frankly I’m at the point that I genuinely don’t think Metrolinx wants to run trains and is looking for excuses. It seems like we’re going to have to fight them every schedule period, which is sure made harder by releasing them with only a couple days notice,

ugh.

:mad:
 
The links to the revised schedules are up, but most links to the new schedules go to 404 screens.

www.gotransit.com

PDF Schedules

Download the full schedule for your line or route in PDF format.
www.gotransit.com

EDIT: it seems that Hurontario LRT construction (the one that Ford unilaterally named for his crony) is the excuse for reduced evening service, judging by the explanations for changes to Routes 12 and 15 in the link above.

But why cut the trains that continue to West Harbour?
 
Last edited:
Bureaucromancer said:
Sure, intentions for big improvements led to pulling back from full Hamilton service.

Frankly I’m at the point that I genuinely don’t think Metrolinx wants to run trains and is looking for excuses. It seems like we’re going to have to fight them every schedule period, which is sure made harder by releasing them with only a couple days notice,

ugh.

:mad:
Click to expand...
It's been pointed out several times on these boards, but a lot of it does genuinely seem to be out of MX's control. Not only is staffing a problem due to COVID being an ongoing issue (this can be seen with how often trains are just cancelled out of the blue due to staff shortages), but also it is alleged by some on this board that crew are leaving GO in favour of working at other companies like CN and VIA. Metrolinx are hiring new operators to remedy this issue (I see ads for GO Job opportunities all the time), but ignoring the fact that it takes many months of training to get a new hire fully working, it is unclear by how much the new influx of personnel are outpacing the worker drain GO is experiencing.
 
ARG1 said:
It's been pointed out several times on these boards, but a lot of it does genuinely seem to be out of MX's control. Not only is staffing a problem due to COVID being an ongoing issue (this can be seen with how often trains are just cancelled out of the blue due to staff shortages),
Click to expand...

Covid is no longer new. Decisions on how thin to run the personnel count, and to terminate/put on leave the anti-vax set (right or wrong) require planning.

ARG1 said:
but also it is alleged by some on this board that crew are leaving GO in favour of working at other companies like CN and VIA
Click to expand...

This has been happening for many, many years. There are two choices, train more people than will be poached by other carriers and live w/the fact you're subsidizing them; or raise the pay. While that decision is made by Alstom directly, Mx clearly has the option to pay more for its staff, and amend its contract with Alstom accordingly.

****

Mx made choices around laying people off, service reductions etc, many retired/moved-on, rather than sit at home collecting CERB, this was predictable.

Mx has made a series of very poor choices over many years, some, in fairness, are the result of conditions imposed from above; but many they have to wear.
 
Last edited:
Northern Light said:
Covid is no longer new. Decisions on how thin to run the personnel count, and to terminate/put on leave the anti-vax set (right or wrong) require planning.
Click to expand...
Sure, but either way vaccination isn't some magic apple, and even vaccinated workers will get sick constantly (which is why I didn't bring up vaccination at all). When you add up the worker shortage: Outcome, not so good.
Northern Light said:
This has been happening for many, many years. There are two choices, train more people than will be poached by other carriers and live w/the fact you're subsidizing them; or raise the pay. While that decision is made by Alstom directly, Mx clearly has the option to pay more for its staff, and amending its contract with Alstom accordingly.

****

Mx made choices around laying people off, service reductions etc, many retired/moved-on, rather than sit at home collecting CERB, this was predictable.

Mx has made a series of very poor choices over many years, some, in fairness, are the result of conditions imposed from above; but many they have to wear.
Click to expand...
I don't disagree, and whilst I don't work at Metrolinx, it's pretty obvious that there have absolutely been some level incompetence present in the management. That being said, incompetence != malice. @Bureaucromancer was putting forth the accusation that "Metrolinx doesn't want to run more trains and are actively looking for excuses", which is completely different from "We can't run more trains because we f'd up".
 
ARG1 said:
Sure, but either way vaccination isn't some magic apple, and even vaccinated workers will get sick constantly (which is why I didn't bring up vaccination at all). When you add up the worker shortage: Outcome, not so good.

I don't disagree, and whilst I don't work at Metrolinx, it's pretty obvious that there have absolutely been some level incompetence present in the management. That being said, incompetence != malice. @Bureaucromancer was putting forth the accusation that "Metrolinx doesn't want to run more trains and are actively looking for excuses", which is completely different from "We can't run more trains because we f'd up".
Click to expand...

I can see where you'd get that; I read it more as 'Mx seems to be going through the motions, has lost any sense of drive or ambition'

Which I can understand. Incompetence is not malice; but at the very least, its negligence. Has anyone else noticed how invisible Phil Verster has become?
 
PS, for everyone, the new schedules are up; though the 'Service Changes' page is not yet updated.

No new schedule for Lakeshore East or Richmond Hill

New schedules for LSW, Stouffville, Kitchener, Milton and Barrie
 
Northern Light said:
PS, for everyone, the new schedules are up; though the 'Service Changes' page is not yet updated.

No new schedule for Lakeshore East or Richmond Hill

New schedules for LSW, Stouffville, Kitchener, Milton and Barrie
Click to expand...
Where are you getting them? I tried https://www.gotransit.com/en/trip-planning/seeschedules/full-schedules but many seem to be broken - like https://www.gotransit.com/static_fi...Planning/FullSchedules/FS03092022/TABLE01.pdf and https://www.gotransit.com/static_fi...Planning/FullSchedules/FS03092022/TABLE71.pdf
 
I don't accept that MX is faced with a unique problem. We now see the TTC as an example returning to 95% of prepandemic service, despite seeing the same challenges.
MX is just facing the same reality as any other employer with a staff shortage: in the current market they have to pay more to retain what staff they have, as it takes too long to train new hires.

And as someone who takes the LW line regularly, I find it odd that to be told that it's already approaching RER standards.
There was a very brief period when 20-ish minute off-peak frequency between Union and Oakville existed, but it has been more often than not, due to excuses x, y and z, hourly service whenever I've happened to ride on the LW. I don't know any riders who consider the service to be anything other than a commuter and ballgame train, and we've been promised incremental improvements for years. Instead, we keep backsliding, so it's difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

That said, Hamilton getting 2WAD service is better 100 or so years late than never.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top