Minister Del Duca announces all-day #GOtrain service to #Niagara in 2021 pic.twitter.com/Q7fH852wve
— GNCC Advocacy (@GNCCadvocacy) June 28, 2016
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
He's great for photo ops. That's about it.
Is Burlington GO Station an indication of what we can expect when construction begins on the GO expansion into Niagara and eastern Durham Region?
Can workers from the new condo being built, help the stalled #BurlON #GOTrain stn? 18 mths ago. pic same pic.twitter.com/R1TAwX75zV
— WarningU2 (@WarningU2) June 29, 2016
3.1 km from my home is a magic bus stop that takes people to Oshawa GO in 13 minutes
I had no idea. No CSR from Durham Transit told me about this option. I just used the route I was first given when I moved into the neighbourhood in 2014.
I feel like I'm in a parallel universe.
I took the new route this morning - a route that has always been available in Courtice. I left the house at 6:25. I was at the Oshawa GO Station at 6:59 am. First bus 6:30. Second bus 6:46. The ride from the transfer stop was 13 minutes.
Prior to this morning, I spent 45 minutes getting to Oshawa GO.
I was on the 7:03 train this morning. This means I can leave earlier and take the 4:30 express which means I will be home by 6pm instead of 6:30!
I owe all this to a kind person who works for Durham Region Transit who texted me last night. Thank you.
I feel like I'm in a parallel universe.
I took the new route this morning - a route that has always been available in Courtice. I left the house at 6:25. I was at the Oshawa GO Station at 6:59 am. First bus 6:30. Second bus 6:46. The ride from the transfer stop was 13 minutes.
Prior to this morning, I spent 45 minutes getting to Oshawa GO.
I was on the 7:03 train this morning. This means I can leave earlier and take the 4:30 express which means I will be home by 6pm instead of 6:30!
I owe all this to a kind person who works for Durham Region Transit who texted me last night. Thank you.
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
So you think all that feedback from yesterday's shit show will accomplish anything?
Black holes vis-à-vis communicating
with GO Transit
Special
to This Crazy Train
By
GO Voyageur
One
of my submissions to TCT elicited the
following comment from Anonymous (November
6, 2015 at 9:01 AM):
“Um... it's up to the bus
drivers to clean the buses so if there's such a concern for health, they
obviously don't care about their own, never mind passengers? And also has
anyone written to GO directly to complain or is putting it on the internet the
norm now?”
I
believe enough commenters addressed Anonymous’
first concern. Allow me to speak to the
latter.
I
could have contacted GO Transit directly by any of the following channels:
- Customer Comment Form
- Telephone: 1-888-GET-ON-GO (438-6646)
- Send e-mail to Customer Relations: CustomerRelations@gotransit.com
- Send e-mail to the president: greg.percy@gotransit.com
The
problem with all those interactions is they lack transparency. “Putting it on the internet” helps to level
the playing field between corporations and consumers. Is it a perfect solution? No.
But, ask CJ about some classic shootouts
at the Twitter corral that attempted to make
things right for Metrolinx customers.
On
Twitter, I engage @GOtransit on matters of interest to the corporation and
possibly other commuters. Often, my
feedback GOes nowhere. Here are some
examples:
Regarding the matter of removing timetables from bus stops on Route 12 without advance notice from GO Transit, I’m still waiting for @femwriter’s “team” to respond. UPDATE: After much negative feedback from drivers and the survey Tell us how you use GO Transit's schedules! (Let GO Know), timetables were reposted for the spring board period (2016/04/02). However, no one from “the team” ever replied to me.
Matt Baynie, VP of Operations, replaced Paul Finnerty in March 2015, but the INFO-GO Web page wasn’t updated. As of this writing, the Web page still contains stale data. Why? After the shit show of Monday, June 27, I would hazard a guess that a few passengers had a desire to ring some of those telephone numbers.
Regarding the matter of removing timetables from bus stops on Route 12 without advance notice from GO Transit, I’m still waiting for @femwriter’s “team” to respond. UPDATE: After much negative feedback from drivers and the survey Tell us how you use GO Transit's schedules! (Let GO Know), timetables were reposted for the spring board period (2016/04/02). However, no one from “the team” ever replied to me.
Matt Baynie, VP of Operations, replaced Paul Finnerty in March 2015, but the INFO-GO Web page wasn’t updated. As of this writing, the Web page still contains stale data. Why? After the shit show of Monday, June 27, I would hazard a guess that a few passengers had a desire to ring some of those telephone numbers.
I
have sent positive feedback to GO Transit via Twitter. The following two incidents are examples:
On Sunday, September 13, the 10:27 bus from Niagara Falls discharged passengers at Burlington GO station’s platform 14. A passenger with a white cane exited the bus and stood there waiting. After the last passenger left the bus, the driver approached the gentleman, took him by the arm, and guided him into the station so he could catch his train. Later, the driver told me the bus previously let passengers off at platform 12, and the gentleman had become accustomed to counting the steps into the station from there. Platform 14 was new territory for him and he required assistance. The driver was happy to oblige. I felt the least I could do was share the experience with @GOtransit.
On Friday, September 25, I was at the St. Catharines bus stop waiting for the Burlington bound bus. The 12:54 bus from Burlington to Niagara Falls arrived and discharged passengers. The driver noted the volume of customers GOing the other way and offered to sell tickets to those people so as to expedite loading of the other bus when it arrived. He didn’t have to do this, but he knew the bus to Burlington was running late. Again, I felt the least I could do was share the experience with @GOtransit.
I get upset when I submit a commendation for frontline staff, it’s acknowledged by customer relations personnel, but it is not acted on by those higher up in the organization. As of this writing, senior management has not communicated my commendations to either driver. Shame!
On Sunday, September 13, the 10:27 bus from Niagara Falls discharged passengers at Burlington GO station’s platform 14. A passenger with a white cane exited the bus and stood there waiting. After the last passenger left the bus, the driver approached the gentleman, took him by the arm, and guided him into the station so he could catch his train. Later, the driver told me the bus previously let passengers off at platform 12, and the gentleman had become accustomed to counting the steps into the station from there. Platform 14 was new territory for him and he required assistance. The driver was happy to oblige. I felt the least I could do was share the experience with @GOtransit.
On Friday, September 25, I was at the St. Catharines bus stop waiting for the Burlington bound bus. The 12:54 bus from Burlington to Niagara Falls arrived and discharged passengers. The driver noted the volume of customers GOing the other way and offered to sell tickets to those people so as to expedite loading of the other bus when it arrived. He didn’t have to do this, but he knew the bus to Burlington was running late. Again, I felt the least I could do was share the experience with @GOtransit.
I get upset when I submit a commendation for frontline staff, it’s acknowledged by customer relations personnel, but it is not acted on by those higher up in the organization. As of this writing, senior management has not communicated my commendations to either driver. Shame!
I
asked CJ whether she or the author of a
TCT story in June of 2015 had received a
response from the president of GO Transit.
The answer was no. If Greg Percy
won’t respond to customers, where is the motivation for his subordinates do so? The Sunshine
List in action, or is that inaction?
Anonymous,
do you understand now why putting it on the internet is the norm? Because communicating with GO Transit is like
a black hole — customer feedback goes in and nothing returns.
Monday, June 27, 2016
What was your favourite thing about this morning's mess? This was mine
@JenInRGB @ThisCrazyTrain Thank you for bringing that to our attention, I will notify the team to have the schedule issue fixed. ^IZ— GO Transit (@GOtransit) June 27, 2016
Friday, June 24, 2016
Had I been asked to speak, I would have said something like …
SPECIAL TO THIS CRAZY TRAIN
by Anonymous
Let me start by saying funerals make me uncomfortable. I’m never sure whether the words I offer bereaved family members are sufficiently adequate to bring any comfort in the aftermath of a death. Such was the case today, June 23, when I attended services for retired GO Transit driver Garnet "Garney" Thompson.
The visitation and memorial service were lovely. There were memory boards with photographs of Garney and his family through the years, as well as his achievements as a driver with GO Transit. One of the photos — of a much younger Garney — touched me. Why? Because he wore the same facial expression that ended a discussion on my last trip with him.
During that trip last autumn, Garney told me of his desire to retire. He told me he'd been in the saddle long enough — forty-one years total with TTC, Gray Coach, and GO Transit. He related to me not only his first trip with GO Transit, but also the genesis of Bus Ops.
I reciprocated by beginning to share with Garney my first trip with him from Burlington to St. Catharines one sunny Sunday afternoon in June 2011, but before I got very far, he cut me off with a terse "I don't work weekends!"
Undaunted, I continued my tale. I related to Garney details of that day — details that only he would know. I finished with, "Are you certain you've never worked on a weekend?"
As we came to a stop at a red traffic light, Garney cocked his head in my direction, and gave a sly smile — the same facial expression he had in the photo positioned in the lower right corner of the first memory board. I winked in return. No more was said on the matter.
My lasting memory of Garney is that he had a kind heart. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to toast him and congratulate him on his retirement.
This Sunday marks the fifth anniversary of the day I first met Garney. May he rest in peace.
by Anonymous
Let me start by saying funerals make me uncomfortable. I’m never sure whether the words I offer bereaved family members are sufficiently adequate to bring any comfort in the aftermath of a death. Such was the case today, June 23, when I attended services for retired GO Transit driver Garnet "Garney" Thompson.
The visitation and memorial service were lovely. There were memory boards with photographs of Garney and his family through the years, as well as his achievements as a driver with GO Transit. One of the photos — of a much younger Garney — touched me. Why? Because he wore the same facial expression that ended a discussion on my last trip with him.
During that trip last autumn, Garney told me of his desire to retire. He told me he'd been in the saddle long enough — forty-one years total with TTC, Gray Coach, and GO Transit. He related to me not only his first trip with GO Transit, but also the genesis of Bus Ops.
I reciprocated by beginning to share with Garney my first trip with him from Burlington to St. Catharines one sunny Sunday afternoon in June 2011, but before I got very far, he cut me off with a terse "I don't work weekends!"
Undaunted, I continued my tale. I related to Garney details of that day — details that only he would know. I finished with, "Are you certain you've never worked on a weekend?"
As we came to a stop at a red traffic light, Garney cocked his head in my direction, and gave a sly smile — the same facial expression he had in the photo positioned in the lower right corner of the first memory board. I winked in return. No more was said on the matter.
My lasting memory of Garney is that he had a kind heart. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to toast him and congratulate him on his retirement.
This Sunday marks the fifth anniversary of the day I first met Garney. May he rest in peace.
Thursday, June 23, 2016
She must be important
@GOtransit @ThisCrazyTrain @GOChronicles
— Kylo Jen (@JenInRGB) June 22, 2016
Seriously. It's rush hour.
A whole quad.
Dedicated to being her office. pic.twitter.com/cQIBONl5ky
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
What a disgusting human being
Suspect charged after woman spat on, has hijab pulled in London, Ont. supermarkethttps://t.co/xiH9Nhf5Gf pic.twitter.com/QuiYi1ELlV
— CityNews Toronto (@CityNews) June 22, 2016
Before you make mince of our 1-stop subway plan, please look at an artist's rendering of how great it will be. #TTC pic.twitter.com/EqyGWTBz3J
— TTCwelps (@TTCwelps) June 22, 2016
Came for a fight - got owned
Two women boarded my bus last night after - judging by their conversation - spending some time at a visitation at a nearby funeral home. Whoever died was young, and predeceased by a parent. Lots of comments about how she is with her father now. God will take care of her ... and other sentiments made by those who have faith in the afterlife and Heaven.
Enter asshole chainsmoker (ACS) in the cut-off jeans. He starts mumbling at first and then gets louder as the women's conversation continues. Eventually he pipes up asking them to "shut up about Jesus and God" and "all the other lies about where people go when they die".
These ladies weren't talking loudly. I could hear them because they were directly behind me. ACS was in a seat directly beside them. One of the women told him to mind his own business and suggested his mother would be ashamed of him if she heard how he talked to a complete stranger. He fires back with "my mom fucking taught me to speak my mind."
The woman would have none of it. She pulls out her phone and asks ACS for his mother's phone number so she can call her herself and discuss the situation. ACS tells her she's crazy. She tells him he needs to "grow a pair and man up to his lies." At the front of the bus, you could see the driver slowly lean over searching for her bag of popcorn.
He mumbles something and tells them he doesn't need to listen to them anymore. Both women suggest he take another bus. He just rolls his eyes and tells them to call Jesus. Weak. He exited the bus before me.
When I got off at my stop I told the women I thought they handled ACS beautifully. They both laughed and one mentioned she's a retired high school teacher - this was nothing, she says.
No doubt.
Enter asshole chainsmoker (ACS) in the cut-off jeans. He starts mumbling at first and then gets louder as the women's conversation continues. Eventually he pipes up asking them to "shut up about Jesus and God" and "all the other lies about where people go when they die".
These ladies weren't talking loudly. I could hear them because they were directly behind me. ACS was in a seat directly beside them. One of the women told him to mind his own business and suggested his mother would be ashamed of him if she heard how he talked to a complete stranger. He fires back with "my mom fucking taught me to speak my mind."
The woman would have none of it. She pulls out her phone and asks ACS for his mother's phone number so she can call her herself and discuss the situation. ACS tells her she's crazy. She tells him he needs to "grow a pair and man up to his lies." At the front of the bus, you could see the driver slowly lean over searching for her bag of popcorn.
He mumbles something and tells them he doesn't need to listen to them anymore. Both women suggest he take another bus. He just rolls his eyes and tells them to call Jesus. Weak. He exited the bus before me.
When I got off at my stop I told the women I thought they handled ACS beautifully. They both laughed and one mentioned she's a retired high school teacher - this was nothing, she says.
No doubt.
Is the surprise a fine? Polkaroo should know better
Caught up with Polkeroo @GOtransit at Rougehill. Has he got a surprise coming soon.Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/gsT18kAMcD
— Peter Mohyla (@GOMohyla80) June 17, 2016
Dixie chick fans bring all the chunks
Via text message this morning:
Here's one for ya! Last night on the train home from the Jays game, we were unlucky enough to be sitting near a group of 16 year old girls, who were super drunk from the Dixie Chicks concert. One of them tried to run to the bathroom to puke, but it was locked and she threw up all over the stairs and by the doors. Instead of helping her, her friends all took pictures, videos, etc and one of the other passengers on the train called them out on it and there was quite a few verbal slings back & forth all the way to Oshawa.
Monday, June 20, 2016
ICYMI
...lineup at Port Credit GO station to catch shuttle buses to Cooksville #GOtrain #portcredit @GOChronicles pic.twitter.com/kNLNPYvBFS
— Isabel (@isabelvm) June 20, 2016
Metrolinx finds a work around and announces new stations and new train service for a LSE extension to Bowmanville
Ontario is working with CP Rail on infrastructure and service planning for the extension. A portion of GO service on that Lakeshore East line would use CP’s existing corridor north of Hwy. 401.
“The building of an overpass over 401 will be the biggest piece of construction,” explained Minister Del Duca.
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
But I don't know how to schedule!
For the fastest and easiest way to figure out what train you will need to take when June 27th arrives, visit http://www.gotransit.com/timetables/en/schedules/full_schedules.aspx and choose June 27 as the date you are travelling.
For those who leave Union on the LSE, like me, the ride home offers the following options (x denotes an express train to Pickering and all stops afterwards):
400x
410
430x
440 kind of x (all stops after Eglinton)
500x
515
515x
530x
The mornings aren't all that different. A few trains roll back and some roll forward. I think it's the mornings that may be challenging for some if they take local buses. In my case, I will no longer be able to take the train I am used to since DRT's schedules change as well and not in my favour.
Monday, June 13, 2016
It's a no from me
Put down your phone Research says talking to strangers on public transport makes you happier https://t.co/KlkXP7OCCf pic.twitter.com/MgInZD3p0l
— Mind Your Brain (@mindyourbr) June 13, 2016
Seriously?
When u get to #miltonON #gotransit station and u have to crawl through the passenger side #jerk #niceparkjob #grrrr pic.twitter.com/HatbMJbD78
— Laurie Melissen (@Laurie3M) June 3, 2016
ICYMI: Man threatens to have a bomb aboard GO bus - shuts down 407 for six hours on Saturday
A 28-year-old Hamilton man has been charged with mischief after allegedly telling a passenger on a GO Transit bus that he was carrying a bomb, forcing the closure of Highway 407 for several hours Saturday.
It happened around 9 a.m. ET on a bus travelling between Derry Road and Brittania Road in Milton, Ont.
The suspect is now in police custody. It's unclear whether he posed a serious threat.
FULL STORY
Ed: - This part I find very disturbing (from the Toronto Star): Ontario Provincial Police officers advised the driver to lock the doors of the bus and keep everyone inside until they could arrive.
It happened around 9 a.m. ET on a bus travelling between Derry Road and Brittania Road in Milton, Ont.
The suspect is now in police custody. It's unclear whether he posed a serious threat.
FULL STORY
Ed: - This part I find very disturbing (from the Toronto Star): Ontario Provincial Police officers advised the driver to lock the doors of the bus and keep everyone inside until they could arrive.
UPDATE: Hamilton man charged with mischief after making bomb threat on GO bus. No bomb found https://t.co/mjX8kWcmLB pic.twitter.com/pI6WDKhe0y— CityNews Toronto (@CityNews) June 12, 2016
Man charged with mischief after Go Transit bus incident. Report of an explosive was unfounded-Media release attached pic.twitter.com/ZCpg1ZZomt— Sgt Kerry Schmidt (@OPP_HSD) June 12, 2016
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Today I learned that if GO Transit cancels a morning train, it takes 3 trains to make up for it - so says anonymous person
I got schooled quite rudely in a phone call someone dialed from a number that when I called it back, after the person hung up on me, connected me to an automated message from a Bell payphone.
The woman was irate about a tweet I posted this morning. I tweeted: "728 from Oshawa also an all stops train. Why are 2 express trains compromised because of 1 train issue?"
This was not a stupid or rude, or an ignorant question, but according to the person on the line, I was stupid to ask it.
Person: One train holds, what? Like, 1200 passengers. If one train has already 600 passengers on it and it's going to be full by Union, how are 1200 passengers to get on it... so it will take three trains to be all ready to pick up all the people who can't take one train. Don't be so ignorant. You present yourself as this expert when you're stupid. Get your facts straight first before you run your mouth spreading false information. *click
Well, let's see random person, if GO would be more transparent about their logistics, none of us would ask any questions. Would we?
Thanks for the phone call. And from a payphone no less...
The woman was irate about a tweet I posted this morning. I tweeted: "728 from Oshawa also an all stops train. Why are 2 express trains compromised because of 1 train issue?"
This was not a stupid or rude, or an ignorant question, but according to the person on the line, I was stupid to ask it.
Person: One train holds, what? Like, 1200 passengers. If one train has already 600 passengers on it and it's going to be full by Union, how are 1200 passengers to get on it... so it will take three trains to be all ready to pick up all the people who can't take one train. Don't be so ignorant. You present yourself as this expert when you're stupid. Get your facts straight first before you run your mouth spreading false information. *click
Well, let's see random person, if GO would be more transparent about their logistics, none of us would ask any questions. Would we?
Thanks for the phone call. And from a payphone no less...
Batman and Robin stumble upon DRT’s Bus Tracker
Special to This Crazy Train
by Yew Wannanohooiam
by Yew Wannanohooiam
Holy
public transit, Batman! What did Durham
Region Transit do to that sign?
It
appears they added the stop number, Robin, which can mean only one thing,
namely, DRT has implemented real-time bus information. Quickly, Robin, launch the mobile Batbrowser
and point it at the DRT website!
You’re
right, Batman. There it is on the home
page!
Follow
that link, Robin, and enter the bus stop number.
We’re
in luck, Batman, there’s a bus due in ten minutes.
Continue
to monitor, Robin. I wonder if it’s
actually reporting real-time information or just the time remaining to the
posted schedule.
Look,
Batman, it’s now reporting the scheduled departure time!
Excellent,
Robin. Let’s see what happens as the bus
approaches.
Holy
chronograph, Batman! There’s the bus
now, and that’s what the website is reporting!
Just
as I knew it would, Robin. The citizens
of Durham Region now have real-time bus information to tell them when their
next scheduled bus will arrive.
Hopefully, the remaining DRT tools will be
rolled out in short order.
Holy
pax, Batman! GO Transit bus riders still
don’t have their real-time bus facility.
That’s criminal!
If,
Robin, you mean GO Transit management haven’t delivered on their promise of
almost three years ago, whilst burdening their customers with inflationary fare
increases year after year, then yes, that’s criminal.
Let’s
return to the Batcave, Robin. There are
some PRESTO matters that require our attention.
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
She's got the "hard" part right. Not sure if that was a typo...
Being #taphappy traveling thru cities on one hard @GOtransit @PRESTOcard pic.twitter.com/gyKXH5XKdj
— Angela Chao (@MindlessDoodle) June 4, 2016
Just try this at 4:45 pm on a Lakeshore train
#GOtrain to Toronto is like a box of chocolates - never know what you're gonna get! Thnx The Entertainers! pic.twitter.com/21nIXDKMnE
— Bill Reid (@billreid03) June 2, 2016
Friday, June 3, 2016
Last night I asked my seat mates if they minded if I ate some peanuts and this guy chewed me out for asking
We had just left Whitby. Coach isn't very full. I'm starving. Before I open my bag of peanuts that I have been craving since I bought them (I love the PC brand, salt and malt vinegar flavour) I asked the two ladies sitting next to me if they had a nut allergy. Both said they were free and clear. I opened my bag.
As we started to get off the train at Oshawa, this man sidled up to me and told me he would never ask others for "permission to eat food". "This is a free country and if people with nut allergies don't know how to manage in the real world - they should stay home," he said, all smug-like.
I told him it was none of his business why I asked and if I wanted his opinion, I'd give it to him.
As we started to get off the train at Oshawa, this man sidled up to me and told me he would never ask others for "permission to eat food". "This is a free country and if people with nut allergies don't know how to manage in the real world - they should stay home," he said, all smug-like.
I told him it was none of his business why I asked and if I wanted his opinion, I'd give it to him.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
I don't think GO train delays will ever compare to this chaos when the TTC suspends service
Service gradually being restored on TTC #Bloor Line 2. Lineup to get on shuttle buses at Pape approx. 20 min! pic.twitter.com/fWP2wbuWnG
— Brendan O'Mahony (@bomahony) June 1, 2016
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