1. Why you ask?
I asked why. GO Transit replied, on Twitter, the following: "Hi CJ, To make travelling on GO as easy as possible for everyone and to meet Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act & French Language Services Act requirements, automated announcements are being introduced . For more info click here http://ow.ly/kI7q30kp8Zr Thanks ^IL"
2. The French Language Services Act
Services must be made available in French when demanded - this is what the act says in a nutshell. This part is interesting because GO has been skirting this for years considering most of their CSAs were/are not bilingual, meaning if a passenger demanded train announcements in French, while on-board, the CSA was/is to comply, non?
3. Why now?
The law says traveling on transit must be accessible to those with sight and hearing disabilities. The automated announcements, and soon, the visual displays on every coach, will meet compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. The repeat of the information in French, both visual and audio, means GO Transit will be in full compliance with the French Language Services Act.
The French Language Services Act is not new. GO is just bringing the agency up to speed; and the technology being used has been available for some time. Implementation has just been very slow, it appears.
11 comments:
I do understand why they are doing these announcements.
But between the automated ones playing twice (Eng and Fr) and the spoken announcements, we're essentially halfway to Pickering before they're done.
Too much communication.
Any reason why they need to be announced in English twice? I cant recall, the automated announcements (audio&visual) on the TTC are english only. So can we assume its coming to TTC?
Or is this going to be 'card readers cant display balances due to AODA/privacy' part 2 for the TTC...
IT IS TOO MUCH TALKING!
I agree.
With all the repeats that I try to tune out, I'll probably miss the one relevant announcement they may potentially make.
So you're saying that people will have even more reasons to not pay attention to the announcements.
Quit complaining!
Here in the U.S. they have audio commercials playing over the loudspeakers on our buses.
It's a given in modern society that everybody just "has to" make noise anywhere and everywhere
..."Get use to it", I guess.
I especially love it when the automated announcement plays, then the CSA repeats exactly what was just said. Fun!
Having to listen to all bilingual announcements will drive people to their cars &/or ear buds. More traffic! Less attention on train! Why doesn't GO make bilingual announcements available electronic for those few riders, instead of forcing thousands to listen to what amounts to noise pollution. Total nonsense and will affect riders negatively.
Yes!!!!! It is ridiculous!!!!
If you drive through Quebec,there isn't one construction sign anywhere in English. Last year while driving to Montreal,not one sign in English to inform us of the tunnel being closed for construction. We got in a serious situation because of it.
It's annoying and senseless to ramble about "safety tips" in 2 languages at every bus stop. These are not school buses. Current stop and next stop is all that's needed. If French is demanded, let a user press a button. Don't subject everyone to the unnecessary aggravation, especially your daily commuters!
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