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Bordercollie said:
This is exactly why the lowest bidder is not always the most economical. Bidders who accurately bid on jobs likely take some hiccups into consideration. The lowest bidder will always leave room for "extra", which is not Included as part of the bid.

Someone should show the bean counters at the TTC the cost difference between "fixing" an escalator and doing a complete overhaul. Cost analysis over time. Newer components likely are more efficient and will last longer which will save on maintenance over time. One step further someone should do an analysis to determine at what point an overhaul should be scheduled or a replacement should be scheduled to optimize the efficiency and downtime as well as cost over time.

Think about it. Why we only keep Wheel Trans buses for 5? Years instead of 13 is specifically for this reason. Trying to keep it on the road for 13 is more cost effective.
Click to expand...
Too many lefties that support this lives on or this crap would have ended long ago. Clearly if someone did some economic analysis, they can optimize when to overhaul and when to replace.
 
Bordercollie said:
This is exactly why the lowest bidder is not always the most economical. Bidders who accurately bid on jobs likely take some hiccups into consideration. The lowest bidder will always leave room for "extra", which is not Included as part of the bid.

Someone should show the bean counters at the TTC the cost difference between "fixing" an escalator and doing a complete overhaul. Cost analysis over time. Newer components likely are more efficient and will last longer which will save on maintenance over time. One step further someone should do an analysis to determine at what point an overhaul should be scheduled or a replacement should be scheduled to optimize the efficiency and downtime as well as cost over time.

Think about it. Why we only keep Wheel Trans buses for 5? Years instead of 13 is specifically for this reason. Trying to keep it on the road for 13 is more cost effective.
Click to expand...
So you want to throw millions down the drain by going to the 2nd or 3rd low bidder who will end up doing the same thing as the low bidder.

When I bid on projects, there is a small amount of money set a side to cover surprises as well delays that do happen on projects to the point its not enough in some cases. Change orders on projects are common for various reasons. Manpower and their skills has been an issues along with the unions for decades. We keep going to Europe to import skill workers since we can't train then there as well getting people here to learn the trade. Unions can be their own worse enemy and have see walkout on projects because another union did another union work as it was delaying them doing their work.

Yes you will get some low bidders who performance a poor from job to job that it take time to get them ban from the bid list when the policy states that the low bidder wins the contract. Even within TTC and The City unions, you have workers that show be shown the door for poor performance that the good workers will slow down to the poor performer level as they sat why should I bust my ass doing X worker who gets the same rate of pay. Getting someone remove from the union is not a simple matter to the point not worth the effect to do so.

As for Wheel-tram buses not lasting 13 year, they aren't supposed to so based on the milage they rack up along with a number of things unless you are spending tons of money in maintenance cost to do so that could be better use elsewhere.

Escalators have a life cycle like everything and in some cases a rebuilt is require than fix as well getting parts for it. Walmart installed a new escalators area that replace an old area and within months one went down and is still down 4 months later due to lack of parts.

End of the day, a lot of the behind the scene is not seen by the public for them to understand what is going on why x is running late or having issues as the parties are not giving out that info in the first place for various reason. Crosstown is a good example of that.
 
drum118 said:
So you want to throw millions down the drain by going to the 2nd or 3rd low bidder who will end up doing the same thing as the low bidder.

When I bid on projects, there is a small amount of money set a side to cover surprises as well delays that do happen on projects to the point its not enough in some cases. Change orders on projects are common for various reasons. Manpower and their skills has been an issues along with the unions for decades. We keep going to Europe to import skill workers since we can't train then there as well getting people here to learn the trade. Unions can be their own worse enemy and have see walkout on projects because another union did another union work as it was delaying them doing their work.

Yes you will get some low bidders who performance a poor from job to job that it take time to get them ban from the bid list when the policy states that the low bidder wins the contract. Even within TTC and The City unions, you have workers that show be shown the door for poor performance that the good workers will slow down to the poor performer level as they sat why should I bust my ass doing X worker who gets the same rate of pay. Getting someone remove from the union is not a simple matter to the point not worth the effect to do so.

As for Wheel-tram buses not lasting 13 year, they aren't supposed to so based on the milage they rack up along with a number of things unless you are spending tons of money in maintenance cost to do so that could be better use elsewhere.

Escalators have a life cycle like everything and in some cases a rebuilt is require than fix as well getting parts for it. Walmart installed a new escalators area that replace an old area and within months one went down and is still down 4 months later due to lack of parts.

End of the day, a lot of the behind the scene is not seen by the public for them to understand what is going on why x is running late or having issues as the parties are not giving out that info in the first place for various reason. Crosstown is a good example of that.
Click to expand...
Honestly I would give you the benefit of the doubt if most projects where or are completed close to budget or close to ontime. But it seems like every project is poorly managed with horrible communication. Why should we inform customers about construction that effects their access to the station? Why bother? Who cares?

Also removing cladding from the station ceiling and no it have it replaced for three or more years even though no work is going on.
 
Something interesting that I've noticed when tapping onto a TTC bus a Kennedy station's new bus loop for the 903 express for some reason the Presto reader thinks its in Hamilton.

1000000566.png
 
EastYorkTTCFan said:
Something interesting that I've noticed when tapping onto a TTC bus a Kennedy station's new bus loop for the 903 express for some reason the Presto reader thinks its in Hamilton.
View attachment 521553
Click to expand...

I've had this happen with routes operating in York Region such as the 102 and 17.

For some reason the reader glitches and forces everyone to pay a YRT fare.

I didn't notice it the first time however the second time I saw the YRT logo on the reader not TTC.

In any case, call Presto Customer Service and they will fix it.
 
Richard White said:
I've had this happen with routes operating in York Region such as the 102 and 17.

For some reason the reader glitches and forces everyone to pay a YRT fare.

I didn't notice it the first time however the second time I saw the YRT logo on the reader not TTC.

In any case, call Presto Customer Service and they will fix it.
Click to expand...
It's not charging anything different though it's just that it's reporting an odd location for the reader. I emailed the TTC about it but now I'm wondering if I should email Presto about it now too.
 
Bordercollie said:
Honestly I would give you the benefit of the doubt if most projects where or are completed close to budget or close to ontime. But it seems like every project is poorly managed with horrible communication. Why should we inform customers about construction that effects their access to the station? Why bother? Who cares?

Also removing cladding from the station ceiling and no it have it replaced for three or more years even though no work is going on.
Click to expand...
Removing TTC ceiling has been an issues for me for decades that I have recommended to the Commissars at their meeting over the years that it was an eyesore when open, but more so when it is replaced as its a miss mass look that removing it 100% was the best option. Labour cost is off the scale for both removing it, storage of it and replacing. Far cheaper to remove it 100% and paint the ceiling.

I cannot speak to TTC projects since I never worked on them, but the open markets.

There will be projects that will meet the completion date, being early, late and they have all different reasons for it. There will be budget met, under budget and over budget for various reasons.

I have worked on projects where the contractor or developer have gone under where my lawyer was too late placing a lien on the project that I have lost money.

I have seen projects where the low bidder has got the contract as it went to a bidder company that they like working with as well doing price peddling

I have lost money on projects as well made more than budget for, but mostly on budget.
 
In observing @drum118 's excellent pics above..............I have the following thoughts:

1) Supports are going in reinstate some sort of finish on the trackside walls.

2) So far, I don't think I see any sign of supports for new ceiling finishes for over the tracks

3) It looks like they squaring off the ceiling over the platform.

4) Is the lighting being permanently shifted to that lower height?

5) Also, the grey tiles in the foreground clearly don't match the rest in the 3rd from the bottom pic, so they are either different tiles, or one set has been painted, I do hope someone on the project make sure the end product looks cohesive.
 
Bordercollie said:
This is exactly why the lowest bidder is not always the most economical. Bidders who accurately bid on jobs likely take some hiccups into consideration. The lowest bidder will always leave room for "extra", which is not Included as part of the bid.
Click to expand...
What makes you think that they lowest bidder always wins? Quite frequently, they don't.

Bordercollie said:
Someone should show the bean counters at the TTC the cost difference between "fixing" an escalator and doing a complete overhaul. Cost analysis over time. Newer components likely are more efficient and will last longer which will save on maintenance over time. One step further someone should do an analysis to determine at what point an overhaul should be scheduled or a replacement should be scheduled to optimize the efficiency and downtime as well as cost over time.
Click to expand...
What makes you think that they don't do these calculations on an ongoing basis? Reading the various reports over the years, it's quite obvious that they do.

Bordercollie said:
Think about it. Why we only keep Wheel Trans buses for 5? Years instead of 13 is specifically for this reason. Trying to keep it on the road for 13 is more cost effective.
Click to expand...
Wheel-Trans buses are only kept for 5 years because that's all that they are able to last. It's the same reason why cop cars only last 3 or 4 - they are simply not designed in the same way as a heavy-duty, 40 foot bus, and can't be expected to last as long.

Dan
 
smallspy said:
Wheel-Trans buses are only kept for 5 years because that's all that they are able to last. It's the same reason why cop cars only last 3 or 4 - they are simply not designed in the same way as a heavy-duty, 40 foot bus, and can't be expected to last as long.
Click to expand...

Weren't the Orion II's just over 20 years old when they were taken off the road?

https://transittoronto.ca/bus/8518.shtml
 
Northern Light said:
In observing @drum118 's excellent pics above..............I have the following thoughts:

1) Supports are going in reinstate some sort of finish on the trackside walls.

2) So far, I don't think I see any sign of supports for new ceiling finishes for over the tracks

3) It looks like they squaring off the ceiling over the platform.

4) Is the lighting being permanently shifted to that lower height?

5) Also, the grey tiles in the foreground clearly don't match the rest in the 3rd from the bottom pic, so they are either different tiles, or one set has been painted, I do hope someone on the project make sure the end product looks cohesive.
Click to expand...
My main thought is - how the hell can it be taking so long to deal with 'station finishes'. St Patrick and Queen's Park have looked like war zones for FAR too long. (Yes, I realise the TTC had to remove the old 'panels' to look at and then fix the underlying structure and some 'down-time was inevitable but .....
 
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