Dear Management,
I promised I would never make this blog about you.
But you so went there ...
It was a train derailment. I'm glad it wasn't a terrorist attack because clearly, the system still remains somewhat disorganized and unprepared when a large scale service disruption occurs that isn't a suicide. And even those are a hot mess.
Just like how I plan to expect the unexpected with the shenanigans of fellow commuters, you've got to get it together, folks.
I'm surprised no one helped themselves to the complimentary pick-axe and sledgehammers provided on each coach ... right?
Some observations at Union Station:
6:23pm - Lady in blue coat bursts into tears after being told Pickering was still off limits. Eventually she collapsed into one of those blue steel chairs and called her husband/boyfriend/lover/brother on her cell and sobbed about "just wanting to get home". For real. I went and got my drink on at Four Bar at Wellington and Bay.
6:59pm - The group of college guys singing, "Let my people go" was the highlight of the evening.
8:13pm - The train I finally dragged my sorry ass onto was full of people extremely pissed off. These people were in desperate need of dates with Mr. Morgan and Ms. Gin. Why not make it an orgy with Mr. Vodka?
I did.
5 comments:
Only once have I seen a backup plan used by GO Transit and it was difficult. There was a chemical spill in the Oakville CN yard and no trains could get past Clarkson. So GO called in Mississauga Transit buses to take people from Clarkson Station to Oakville Station. That took 2 hours for me and I was in the middle of the hoard of people trying to get on a bus.
Part of the problem in the number of people on a single train, plus GO doesn't have access to enough buses.
GO Transit has the same mentality as the Toronto Maple Leafs. What's your alternative?
I am always amazed with people's reactions. Anger makes people sick. Imagine if they were in a real disaster. I think of Haiti, earthquake at 5 p.m., people looking for loved ones (screaming in fear/pain) in the dark. It is all in one's perspective, methinks!
I love your reaction. Relax, have a drink, you need to focus on changing what you can - and sometimes you can only your response to adversity.
If you follow @GetontheGO you would have seen... zero. Zip. Nothing. GO really needs to figure out how to use twitter.
Part of the problem is that announcements at Union are impossible to understand. Pickerng passengers were actually being shuttled by bus from Ajax (sensibly), but I didn't find that out until I got on the train.
My job involves having a plan for deployment. Considering a train derailment is not an unforeseen event, you would think GO transit would have a station closure plan and steps for how to deploy an alternate transit procedure.
Are there instructions on their website about using alternate routes via TTC, Durham Transit and other transit systems? There appears to be a very real communication disconnect. There is so much social media available that a Crown corporation ought to be ashamed they are so woefully inept.
Ppl going to oshawa could have picked up a go bus from york mills. That's what I do to avoid messes on the georgetown line
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