The future of Hamilton's public transit

[durandy]

something I just notices in rereading the Metrolinx letter. They've said Hamilton can operate LRT, just like Toronto and Ottawa. But they seem to have forgotten the ask was operate and maintain. Maintenance has just been ignored. Unless it was inadvertent,I'm wondering if they're saying, sure, anyone can drive an LRT train. But we don't trust you to tinker with them. And maybe also it's part of the message that the only way to keep the projectco from building a good product is to force them to do the maintenance.

With respect to the effect of the loss of the B Line, I agree with Joey. Since all routes 'lose money', the difference comes from the levy. Less goes to the B Line routes, but ultimately a private operator will still be requiring some contribution from the city. The impact with a private operator will be that the 2019 budget will need to put more money into the HSR on a per rider basis but less total dollars.

On a personnel basis, the difference should be pretty minor. Any drivers laid off should be rehired by the new operator, with any reduction due to capacity taken care of through attrition.

I don't buy Metrolinx's integration argument. Surely the integration of two separate transit operators is much more difficult than integration between a builder and operator.

So overall, I think Metrolinx is saying it's doable and not that big of a deal. But bringing it up right now is pretty odd timing and almost seems like it's designed to sabotage the project. Part of me thinks NDP conspiracy with he 2018 election in mind, but probably it's just a combination of shortsightedness and plain stupidity, on the part of one particular councillor.

[thistleclub]

Metrolinx's' LRT projects appear to be procured under one of two models: DBFM (e.g. Eglinton Crosstown LRT, Finch West LRT, Ottawa Confederation West LRT) or DBFOM (e.g. Hurontario LRT, Waterloo LRT).

[markbarbera]

Originally Posted by JoeyColeman

The HSR does not make profit on any route. The 1-King is the closest to break even, requiring a much smaller subsidy than other routes.

This isn't a question of profitability, it is a question of revenue stream. They may not make money on the routes, but fares go in the fare box. If the fare box is not an HSR fare box, they don't have that revenue stream any more

[thistleclub]

Revenue stream will also be impacted by things like schedule adherence, service hours, maintenance costs, and transfer rates (a trunk line generally sees a higher ratio of transfer use than a feeder, and the HSR may underestimate transfer use — the 2010 Operational Review noted rates almost twice that of the HSR's working estimate, a huge wobble). Not to mention the terms of an RFP.

[thistleclub]

Via HSR Operational Report (Mar 2010):

The average fare is the product of total fare revenues divided by the number of annual revenue passengers. HSR’s average fare is approximately $1.37, around 25% lower than the peer group average… A review of the fare structure and profile of users indicates that the adult rate of $2.40, which is the benchmark for pricing, is lower than Hamilton’s peer group, which averages $2.75.… The current single-ride cash fare of $2.40 is the lowest among power systems in Ontario.… The student ticket rate is the lowest in the comparison group, with a higher-than-average discount over the cash fare.

Via Metrolinx (Sept 2017): GTHA Fare Integration Report

[LikeHamilton]

Councillor Aidan Johnson to put forth motion to let province run Hamilton’s LRT

900 CHML | Ken Mann | December 13, 2017

A motion will be presented at city hall on Monday to drop council’s request that the Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) be put in charge of operating Hamilton’s light rail transit (LRT) line.

Councillor Aidan Johnson’s motion would endorse the original, integrated design-build-finance-operate-maintain model.

ohnson says that means having the province of Ontario, who he notes owns the tracks and owns the trains, put in charge of operations.

He believes that is a better option from an “efficiency perspective” and “from a financial responsibility perspective.”

Johnson notes that city staff have projected an extra cost of $750,000 each year to have the city operate LRT, which he describes as an “unacceptable” price tag.

He’d rather invest that money in what he calls “gigantic social and environmental needs” in Hamilton, such as social housing.

Johnson concludes that whether “we are going to deliver LRT in a more efficient or a less efficient form” is “really what we’re talking about on Monday.”

https://globalnews.ca/news/3915114/c...hamiltons-lrt/

[thistleclub]

Via Steve Munro (and the Dec 11, 2017 TTC Board Meeting), a snapshot of U-Pass pricing across Canada (as of 2015).

[mishap]

I'm not surprised it's the lowest charge for a UPass in Hamilton, though i am surprised that it's not the largest discount.

[markbarbera]

With a privately operated LRT on the horizon, the fare is bound to jump up to be more in line with Ottawa, the only other city besides Hamilton with two transit agencies - although I think KW will be dual transit system once their LRT is in place as well.

Herein lies the irony, the city avoids paying $750K in annual operating costs, but the rider will pay more at the fare box for the privately run LRT than they currently do for public transit.

Perhaps Aidan Johnson and the rest of council can explain how they don't see public transit as a social service during the next election cycle

[LRTfan]

Originally Posted by markbarbera

With a privately operated LRT on the horizon, the fare is bound to jump up to be more in line with Ottawa, the only other city besides Hamilton with two transit agencies - although I think KW will be dual transit system once their LRT is in place as well.

Herein lies the irony, the city avoids paying $750K in annual operating costs, but the rider will pay more at the fare box for the privately run LRT than they currently do for public transit.

Perhaps Aidan Johnson and the rest of council can explain how they don't see public transit as a social service during the next election cycle

Metrolinx is a public agency. Not private. They, and the city will set the terms that are agreed upon for this system.

[durandy]

Originally Posted by LRTfan

Metrolinx is a public agency. Not private. They, and the city will set the terms that are agreed upon for this system.

Metrolinx's only role following the award of the project contract will be to own the lands and to ensure the contract and other project agreements are implemented. There is absolutely a possibility that the private operator will set fares.

[durandy]

If this article is accurate, Matthew Green is well on his way to having no friends. I'm surprised he hasn't jumped for a provincial NDP seat yet, but maybe his sights are federal. He clearly lacks the soft touch that keeps the machine running.


Hamilton city council: The mouse that roared – a toothless LRT motion

Council got nowhere in its push for Local 107 and its request to Metrolinx has no teeth

Opinion 06:42 PM by Andrew Dreschel  Hamilton Spectator|

https://www.thespec.com/opinion-stor...ss-lrt-motion/

[Jon Dalton]

I'm surprised he shit talks Aidan Johnson, you'd think those guys would be friends. The lower city councillors should really try to get along.

[ScreamingViking]

Green may have meant well. But his surname is unfortunately apt re: his experience as a councilor. This has all been a foolish waste of time.

[thistleclub]

Metrolinx's only role following the award of the project contract will be to own the lands and to ensure the contract and other project agreements are implemented. There is absolutely a possibility that the private operator will set fares.

FWIW, in service of its Regional Transportation Plan and vision of a seamless mobility experience for transit users across the GTHA, Metrolinx is also undertaking fare integration across the GTHA, so local transit user costs will likely rise — on HSR as well as LRT — regardless of who operates the system. Despite recent hikes, HSR fares are still the lowest in the GTHA, and among the lowest in Canada.

[thistleclub]

City must abandon bus tickets or lose provincial gas tax money
(Hamilton Spectator, Matthew Van Dongen, Jan 11 2018)

Hamilton must abandon paper bus tickets and passes in favour of PRESTO cards if it wants to keep receiving millions of dollars in provincial gas tax grants.

The city will also have to pay more for the privilege of using the tap-card technology and respect an exclusivity deal limiting card-loading stations to city property – or at businesses owned by grocery giant Loblaws.

The city and provincial transit agency Metrolinx have been negotiating behind closed doors since 2016 over the cost of the electronic "tap" card service, which is also used on regional GO Transit and by other GTA bus services.

Right now, the adoption rate of PRESTO by city HSR riders is only 25 per cent, one of the lowest usage rates in the GTA. But a requirement of the new proposed deal with Metrolinx is to achieve 80 per cent adoption by 2021."

"For this to occur it is necessary to remove legacy fare media… from circulation," said a report to council from HSR brass.

Technically, the city does not have to sign a new 10-year agreement to use PRESTO. But if it doesn't, Hamilton would lose access to annual provincial gas tax dollars. Right now, that's close to $11 million a year – and the amount is expected to double by 2021.

Right now, the city pays Metrolinx about $422,000 a year for the use of the Presto system. But that amount is projected to spike to $4 million a year, or nine per cent of fare revenue, by 2027….

Under the proposed new deal with Metrolinx, Loblaws-owned stores like Fortinos and Shoppers Drug Mart would have a monopoly on card-loading stations at private businesses. Card-loading can also be done online, or on city property.

Read it in full here.

[movingtohamilton]

In the article, this sentence caught my eye: "...But the city has so far continued a parallel system of paper fares and passes over concerns about accessibility and the ability of low-income riders to adopt the electronically loaded PRESTO cards."

Do we know how much it costs the city to operate a parallel system of paper fares?

What do we take from that comment about low-income riders ability to adopt...? Is the City saying poor people are too dumb to use Presto?

[mattgrande]

Originally Posted by movingtohamilton

In the article, this sentence caught my eye: "...But the city has so far continued a parallel system of paper fares and passes over concerns about accessibility and the ability of low-income riders to adopt the electronically loaded PRESTO cards."

Do we know how much it costs the city to operate a parallel system of paper fares?

What do we take from that comment about low-income riders ability to adopt...? Is the City saying poor people are too dumb to use Presto?

To use Presto you need a computer and a credit card, do you not? Not everyone has access to those.

[movingtohamilton]

Originally Posted by mattgrande

To use Presto you need a computer and a credit card, do you not? Not everyone has access to those.

Good point. But you can buy a Presto card without a computer.

You can load the card at the HSR customer service centre on Hunter, paying with cash or debit. At the card-loading stations you should be able to pay with debit.

[matt602]

I'd say the city's concerns regarding that are still valid. If you don't get to a PRESTO agent (City of Hamilton municipal centres, GO stations and Fortinos customer service desk) your only option for loading money onto the card is a credit or debit card online AND the money won't clear for up to 24 hours and until you tap the card on a balance checker or pay a fare.

The problem I've encountered with that is if you don't even have enough money on your card for a single fare and tap it before it's loaded, you'll get thrown into underbalance and the card gets locked until you pay a fee to unlock it again.

If the money applied onto the card instantly (like basically everything else you buy online) I feel like the service would be a lot more accessible. Metrolinx also needs to install self serve machines like the ones in the GTA and TTC subway stations into major HSR terminals (MacNab, Limeridge, Eastgate, possibly the Meadowlands).