GO Transit

[BuildingScout]

Our favourite Record columnist is at it again today. Surprise, surprise there is no comment form on the article.

It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. At the end of the day he's asking for more and faster trains, which I think is a very reasonable thing.

Coincidentally, yesterday on the Jeff Allen show (as anti-LRT as they come) they were saying that the LRT debate took place and it was time to move on. This message seems to be lost on Outhit.

[Pheidippides]

I don't quite understand why so many view GO being brought in to the community as 'political'. The induction of GO service to our community is pretty much following their standard model:

1) start with limited bus service
2) enhance the bus service
3) bring in limited rush hour trains to complement the enhanced bus service
4) enhance the train service

Durham Region is a great example of this. Originally there was only limited GO bus service to Durham Region. Then limited rush hour trains were brought out to Ajax & Pickering with bus connections as far east as Port Perry I believe. Then full day & weekend trains to Ajax & Pickering. Then rush hour trains were pushed further east to Whitby, again maintaining the bus connections further east. Whitby then got its full day and weekend service. Trains were then extended to Oshawa on a rush-hour only basis and then over time to full day and weekend service. Now GO is planning to add 3 stations to Oshawa and push further east in to Clarington.

Yes it took time, but it was incremental an continual improvement that preceded demand.

Besides, isn't that what your member of provincial parliament is for hearing the ridings' needs and advocating successfully for them?

[DKsan]

Can anyone tell me where the GO Bus leaves from at the Kitchener Rail station?

[Guido]

http://gotransitnlb.gotransit.com/pu...rd/Table31.pdf

[markster]

That answers the question "when", but does not answer the question "where".

[Guido]

Reading comprehension, apparently not my strong point at 5 in the morning. I think we could assume that the buses either pickup in the parking lot or at the driveway on Weber, but my bet would be in the parking lot itself.

[dunkalunk]

I know when I took the bus on tuesday I was dropped off at a concrete pad adjacent to the west of the train station building beside the parking lot. For all intents and purposes, I would assume pickup would be at the same location.

[loo]

“Parking at the King Street and Victoria Street Transit Hub
Parking is available for GO Transit riders at the King Street and Victoria Street Transit Hub located at 510 King Street West, at the corner of King Street West and Victoria Street and the End of the Roll and Noble Trade parking lots located nearby on Victoria St.

Parking is free of charge if you obtain your parking stub between 5:00 a.m. - 7:10 a.m. Monday - Sunday.

Effective January 19, 2012, after 7:10 a.m. the parking fee is $2.00 per hour up to a daily maximum of $12.00, Monday - Sunday. Customers must use the Pay and Display machines to pay for parking.”

That means it's free for whole day if your parking stub between 5:00 a.m. - 7:10 a.m?

[mpd618]

That means it's free for whole day if your parking stub between 5:00 a.m. - 7:10 a.m?

As far as I can tell, yes. It's a temporary measure to provide that oh-so-important free parking to spur GO ridership, before the land is given over to construction of the multi-modal hub.

[dunkalunk]

From what I've heard from some GO staff, they are investigating purchasing the used car lot immediately south of the station and creating some parking there.

In addition, the Region of Waterloo is planning on tearing down station plaza to widen Weber Street, and thus would own that lot and use it for parking before the new hub at King/Victoria is built. I think in one of the renderings of the underpass, they show that lot as surface parking.

[DHLawrence]

I'm surprised VIA didn't buy that lot years ago; about time, if you ask me.

[markster]

In addition, the Region of Waterloo is planning on tearing down station plaza to widen Weber Street, and thus would own that lot and use it for parking before the new hub at King/Victoria is built.

Ah progress.

It'll be nice when Downtown starts trending strictly downward in terms of surface parking.

[dunkalunk]

Normally, I would be against the addition of surface parking anywhere near downtown. However, the way that the current GO Kitchener train/bus stops and schedules are set up cater to those who would normally commute to Toronto and points in-between on the 401. With no suburban station in Breslau to divert drivers, they are going to need somewhere to park if the service is going to warrant expansion under GO's current peak-direction-only rail model.

Granted, much of this will change is about 6 years' time once the LRT has opened, the Breslau station is built, and GEXR has relinquished control of the Guelph Subdivision. The land is also part of one of Kitchener's Mixed-Use corridors and I have no doubts that the empty lots around the former station will see development pressure once the new train station is constructed.

[WaterlooNative]

The Station Hotel used the western half of the used car lot until 5-10 years ago when it burned down. I expect the used car salesman made and offer and hopes to make a mint in due time. Alternately, the ex-Station Hotel owner could be leasing it to his neighbour, hoping to make his mint in the longterm.

I've heard conflicting reports about the Station Plaza (formerly CN property I believe). Some reports only stated that Weber would be widened and so car access to the top part of the property would be restricted. The owners of the plaza hadn't been asked about it.

[HillDweller]

The Station Hotel used the western half of the used car lot until 5-10 years ago when it burned down. I expect the used car salesman made and offer and hopes to make a mint in due time. Alternately, the ex-Station Hotel owner could be leasing it to his neighbour, hoping to make his mint in the longterm.

I've heard conflicting reports about the Station Plaza (formerly CN property I believe). Some reports only stated that Weber would be widened and so car access to the top part of the property would be restricted. The owners of the plaza hadn't been asked about it.

I have heard that Station Plaza is going to be demolished.

[mpd618]

According to a post at CPTDB, GO Transit has bought up the Greyhound park-and-ride at Sportsworld and will set up their own one by fall.

I suspect this may explain Greyhound's new ticket shack downtown, though I'm not sure what exactly the plan is.

[markster]

Barrie (and even moreso Aurora and Newmarket) are getting psuedo-all-day weekend service for the summer.

Barrie weekend GO Train service pilot

GO Transit | blah | May 10, 2012 | Link

This summer, we're running a pilot weekend train service along the Barrie line.
Every Saturday, Sunday and holiday between June 23 and September 3, we will run:

• Six southbound train trips to Union Station. Two trips will depart Allandale Waterfront GO Station at 10:20 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.; four trips will depart East Gwillimbury GO Station at 1:20 p.m., 4:12, 8:00 and 10:55*
• Six northbound train trips will make all stops from Union Station. Two trips will depart at 5:25 p.m. and 12:10 a.m., making all stops to Allandale Waterfront; four trips will depart at 12:10 p.m., 3:01, 6:50 and 9:41, making all stops to East Gwillimbury*
• Four new weekend GO Buses will meet trains at East Gwillimbury GO Station making all stops to and from the Barrie Bus Terminal.

Check back later for detailed schedules.
*All times are subject to change.

[bzmwillemsen]

Would love to see some numbers from GO about the new extension to Kitchener.

I would really love to know if we are meeting their expectations ridership wise.

[metropolis]

GO Transit commuters to get refund if train late, starting in fall

TORONTO - Starting this fall, commuters in the Greater Toronto Area will be able to get their money back if their GO Transit train is more than 15 minutes late.
A source says the service guarantee will affect all GO train commuters, with the possible exception of the Niagara summer service.
Premier Dalton McGuinty floated the idea of a GO train guarantee last June before the fall election campaign.
At the time, he said the proposed refund system would likely cost between $6 million to $7 million.
Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak dismissed the GO train guarantee as a gimmick.
He says it’s more important to make sure the trains pull into the stations on time.
Metrolinx, the provincial agency that runs the GO Transit system, said last year that only 362 of the 53,000 train trips they run annually are more than 15 minutes late.

[UrbanWaterloo]

More GO Train, Bus Trips For Milton Commuters
June 7, 2012 | GO Transit | Link

Starting June 23, GO Transit will be expanding service along its Milton corridor.

The service changes include:

21 - Milton GO Train & Bus

• Two new weekday train trips will make all stops between Milton GO Station and Union Station, one eastbound in the morning and one westbound in the afternoon
• Two existing morning train trips will depart five minutes earlier all along the route, connecting bus service may be adjusted
• Milton GO Buses departing Union Station at 3:40 p.m. have been discontinued as passengers may now take the new 4:00 GO Train from Union Station. Passengers travelling to stops not served by the train can take a 3:25 GO Bus from Union Station.
• Several new weekend bus trips
• A new weekday bus trip will depart Union Station at 7:30 p.m. and operate express to Dixie GO Station
• The existing weekday 7:25 p.m. and 7:35 p.m. bus trips from Union Station will no longer serve Dixie GO Station; passengers can now take the new 7:30 trip.

25 - Waterloo/Mississauga GO Bus

• The weekday eastbound 5:25 a.m. trip from University of Waterloo will now depart at 5:20 to meet the adjusted Milton line train.

More Trips To Serve GO Kitchener Riders Better
June 7, 2012 | GO Transit | Link

Starting June 23, GO Transit will be expanding service along its Kitchener corridor to serve customers better.

The service changes include:

30 - Kitchener/Bramalea GO Bus

• The weekday eastbound 7:55 a.m. trip from Kitchener GO will now depart five minutes later at 8:00 to connect to an adjusted train at Bramalea GO.

31 - Kitchener GO Train & Bus

• The weekday eastbound 9:35 a.m. train trip from Bramalea will now depart at 9:40, arriving at Union Station at 10:18,and trip times will be adjusted to reflect actual travel times.
• Some morning weekday bus trip departures from Brampton GO and Georgetown have changed to accommodate the adjusted train.
• Some bus trips have been extended to now serve Georgetown GO Station, Norval, Mount Pleasant GO and Hurontario/Bovaird.
• The weekday westbound 6:18 p.m. train from Guelph Central GO will now depart three minutes earlier at 6:15. Other times along the route remain the same.
• A new weekday westbound bus trip departing Union Station at 10:30 p.m. will serve Malton and Bramalea GO Stations.
• The weekday westbound 10:30 p.m. bus trip from Union Station will now depart ten minutes later at 10:40. This trip will no longer serve Malton and Bramalea GO Stations; passengers can now take the new 10:30 trip from Union.
• Due to construction in Rockwood, some trip times have been adjusted. Some trips now require passengers to request stops at University of Guelph and Guelph Central GO Station.

33 - Guelph/North York GO Bus

• Due to construction in Rockwood, some trip times have been adjusted, including earlier departures. Some trips now require passengers to request stops at University of Guelph and Guelph Central GO Station.

37 - Orangeville/Brampton GO Bus

• The weekday southbound 7:50 a.m. trip from Orangeville will now depart five minutes later at 7:55 to connect to the adjusted bus trip at Brampton GO and the adjusted train at Bramalea GO.

38 - Bolton/North York GO Bus

• The weekday southbound 8:45 a.m. trip from Bolton will now depart five minutes later at 8:50 to connect to the adjusted train at Malton GO.

39 - Guelph/Bramalea GO Bus

• The weekday eastbound 8:00 a.m. trip from Guelph Central GO will now depart five minutes later at 8:05 to connect to the adjusted train at Bramalea GO.
• Accessible bus service is now available at Guelph Central GO Station.