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01-17-2007, 11:45 PM
Council Gets to Work -- First Moves Included Buying Buses from California (http://www.netnewsledger.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=596&Itemid=2)
netnewsledger.com | Monday, 15 January 2007
Thunder Bay's new "progress Council" got down to work tonight.
One of the topics was acquiring a pair of new smaller thirty foot buses which would be used on Thunder Bay Transit routes with lower rider demand. The buses are to be purchased as a pilot project.
Thunder Bay Transit management wants to purchase two buses, from a California company.
Councillor Mark Bentz raised the issue that the City of Thunder Bay would look silly if the first move from the city after all the effort to purchase transit subway cars in Ontario would be for the city to purchase these two new buses from outside Canada.
Councillor Rydholm, questioned Transit wondering if transit managers had questioned Calgary Transit managers over the savings they had made by using smaller buses.
Rydholm was told the savings in Calgary were made by a better labour agreement.
Rydholm said, "it seems wasteful to run these big buses", and wondered "how many people ride on a bus?" She said Neebing residents often complain to her that buses run in her ward with only two people on them.
The dilemma according to Rydholm is that the requirements placed on municipalities by the McGuinty government mean that no buses can meet the requirements.
Frank Pullia said that this recommendation was requested by Council, and Transit had come back to report on how to meet those recomendations.
"If you are reccomending it, I assume it is a good idea," stated Pullia who added he supports the purchase of the two buses.
Councillor Hebert in questioning the proposal wondered if Transit would be getting a fair test of the two buses.
Hebert was concerned that the message from Thunder Bay Council would be to the City of Toronto a mixed message.
Andy Savela wondered when Transit was planning to look at transit ridership and perhaps make route changes based on ridership.
Savela said one of the number one issues was city buses and scheduling.
Savela stated he would not be supporting the motion. Savela asked "what does it do to our future options for buying smaller buses?"
Transit replied that there would be no major change.
Trevor Gertuga said the recommendation from the previous council was to have administration do a feasibility study and recomendation to Council.
Overall, it appeared that as a part of Council's orientation that more time should be spend letting Council members fully understand how some of the City's operations are done.
Gertuga said even the buses Thunder Bay wants are not made in Ontario.
Councillor Ruberto said "it is a pilot project so we should give it a shot". Ruberto continued to ask "why these two smaller buses couldn't be used on routes at night when ridership is down.".
Councillor McKinnon wondered, about how much money Transit gets from the sale of used buses.
McKinnon was concerned that no one is making the smaller buses in Ontario or in Canada.
Mayor Peterson asked "What we have is a 49 bus fleet?" The Mayor asked if "we are going to be putting in the fully accessible bus fleet soon?"
The Mayor said we have a fleet that we can be very proud of, and said that for the $12,000 cost to the city, that it would be a good investment for the city.
The Mayor didn't comment on how her efforts on behalf of the Bombardier Contract for the City of Toronto would now be seen when the City moved to purchase buses from outside Ontario.
The motion passed at Council.
===
While I support a move to smaller buses for the routes with lower ridership (Our buses hold 29 to 41 people, my route almost never has more than 15 riders at once) I think that buying buses from outside of Canada is stupid. I'm sure there are some other Canadian cities that are selling older 30ft buses, aren't there?
netnewsledger.com | Monday, 15 January 2007
Thunder Bay's new "progress Council" got down to work tonight.
One of the topics was acquiring a pair of new smaller thirty foot buses which would be used on Thunder Bay Transit routes with lower rider demand. The buses are to be purchased as a pilot project.
Thunder Bay Transit management wants to purchase two buses, from a California company.
Councillor Mark Bentz raised the issue that the City of Thunder Bay would look silly if the first move from the city after all the effort to purchase transit subway cars in Ontario would be for the city to purchase these two new buses from outside Canada.
Councillor Rydholm, questioned Transit wondering if transit managers had questioned Calgary Transit managers over the savings they had made by using smaller buses.
Rydholm was told the savings in Calgary were made by a better labour agreement.
Rydholm said, "it seems wasteful to run these big buses", and wondered "how many people ride on a bus?" She said Neebing residents often complain to her that buses run in her ward with only two people on them.
The dilemma according to Rydholm is that the requirements placed on municipalities by the McGuinty government mean that no buses can meet the requirements.
Frank Pullia said that this recommendation was requested by Council, and Transit had come back to report on how to meet those recomendations.
"If you are reccomending it, I assume it is a good idea," stated Pullia who added he supports the purchase of the two buses.
Councillor Hebert in questioning the proposal wondered if Transit would be getting a fair test of the two buses.
Hebert was concerned that the message from Thunder Bay Council would be to the City of Toronto a mixed message.
Andy Savela wondered when Transit was planning to look at transit ridership and perhaps make route changes based on ridership.
Savela said one of the number one issues was city buses and scheduling.
Savela stated he would not be supporting the motion. Savela asked "what does it do to our future options for buying smaller buses?"
Transit replied that there would be no major change.
Trevor Gertuga said the recommendation from the previous council was to have administration do a feasibility study and recomendation to Council.
Overall, it appeared that as a part of Council's orientation that more time should be spend letting Council members fully understand how some of the City's operations are done.
Gertuga said even the buses Thunder Bay wants are not made in Ontario.
Councillor Ruberto said "it is a pilot project so we should give it a shot". Ruberto continued to ask "why these two smaller buses couldn't be used on routes at night when ridership is down.".
Councillor McKinnon wondered, about how much money Transit gets from the sale of used buses.
McKinnon was concerned that no one is making the smaller buses in Ontario or in Canada.
Mayor Peterson asked "What we have is a 49 bus fleet?" The Mayor asked if "we are going to be putting in the fully accessible bus fleet soon?"
The Mayor said we have a fleet that we can be very proud of, and said that for the $12,000 cost to the city, that it would be a good investment for the city.
The Mayor didn't comment on how her efforts on behalf of the Bombardier Contract for the City of Toronto would now be seen when the City moved to purchase buses from outside Ontario.
The motion passed at Council.
===
While I support a move to smaller buses for the routes with lower ridership (Our buses hold 29 to 41 people, my route almost never has more than 15 riders at once) I think that buying buses from outside of Canada is stupid. I'm sure there are some other Canadian cities that are selling older 30ft buses, aren't there?
