The future of Hamilton's public transit

[drpgq]

Hopefully she is more on board with LRT than Dixon.

[NortheastWind]

Originally Posted by drpgq

Hopefully she is more on board with LRT than Dixon.

From CBC Hamilton:

"Hamilton hires new head of transit — and she likes LRT"

Hamilton has hired a new head of transit, and it's someone who knows about and is a fan of light rail transit (LRT).

Debbie Dalle Vedove starts as the new director of transit on Sept. 28. The last director, David Dixon, finished in June when he took a new position.

Her opinion of LRT wasn't necessarily a factor in the hiring, city manager Chris Murray said. But Dalle Vedove is a fan of LRT.

"She's for it," he said. And "having worked at TTC, she certainly has lots of that experience."

Dalle Vedove worked for the TTC for 20 years, starting as an operator. She gained "experience in bus, light rail and subway operations," the city said in a media release Tuesday. For nine years, she's been director of operations with Oakville Transit.

Dalle Vedove takes over from a director who occasionally found himself in the middle of heated LRT debates.

The city Dixon hired Dixon in October 2014. In February 2015, he told city council that HSR wasn't working for drivers or riders, and needed significant investment.

Dixon recommended spending $301 million over 10 years, including $200 million for a new bus maintenance storage facility.

That came just as the city was pressing the province for capital dollars for LRT. Mayor Fred Eisenberger worried then that asking for more would muddy the waters. The province ultimately announced $1 billion to build the LRT line but nothing for the transit plan.

The LRT system is now due in 2024, with city council expected to vote to accept the Metrolinx project later this year.

Dixon said in May that he left the city for a new opportunity, not because of LRT politics.

Eric Tuck, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 107, said then that if anything made departure attractive for Dixon, it was city hall bureaucracy.

"Whoever comes in, they're going to have to let him or her run the show the way it needs to be run," he said.

Gerry Davis, former general manager of public works, has been acting director of transit since June. Dalle Vedove was chosen from nearly 100 candidates from across Canada, Murray said.

"I am pleased to welcome Debbie to our team," said Dan McKinnon, new general manager of public works, in the media release.

"I have no doubt that Debbie's experience, energy, optimism and appreciation for the front line experience from both sides of the fare box will bring tremendous value to our transit division."

[thistleclub]

Waterdown parents launch petition requesting HSR service to Westdale
(Flamborough Review, Mac Christie, Sept 15 2016)

A group of Waterdown parents has started a petition to have the Hamilton Street Railway run a direct bus route from Waterdown to Westdale.

Kyra Paterson said the petition was started to help Waterdown French Immersion students at Westdale Secondary School attend before- and after-school activities.

“My son just started Grade 9 at Westdale,” she said. “We knew the school board would be providing a bus for the kids in Waterdown to get to school and back.

“That’s the closest French Immersion high school for them.”

While the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board has provided busing for students from Waterdown to get to and from school, Paterson said if students participate in before or after school extracurricular activities, it’s difficult for them to get home.

“The parents that I know figured out a route using HSR and Burlington Transit to get home,” she said. “It’s possible, but it takes between 60 minutes and 90 minutes.

“That’s a long time – it only takes 15 minutes to drive there.”

She added that trip is also impractical for early morning travel, when students sometimes have to be at the school at 7 a.m.

“We started thinking it would be nice if there was a city bus route that was more direct,” she said. “Right now you have to go to Burlington, and then from Burlington to downtown Hamilton, then from downtown Hamilton to Westdale or to McMaster.”

…

Ward 15 councillor Judi Partridge said she is aware of the petition.

“Ultimately, busing to and from schools is the responsibility of the school board,” she said. “There is busing in Waterdown now, we’ve got the all-day.

“It’s not going to be convenient, because you have to get on a bus that is going to take you to connect with (the) Waterdown (bus).”

Partridge added GO buses from downtown also connect to the Aldershot GO station until 8 p.m.

“Is it convenient? Is there a bus that’s going come directly to Westdale High School and drive back to Waterdown?” she said. “I get requests from parents who have students going to Redeemer (University College in Ancaster), students going to McMaster, students going to Mohawk.

“‘Can we have a bus that just goes directly from that school back to Waterdown after hours?’ I don’t think anyone would suggest that would be feasible.”

…

The Ward 15 councillor cautioned that the monetary impact direct HSR service from Waterdown to downtown Hamilton could be high.

“Waterdown does not pay for Hamilton transit within the City of Hamilton,” she explained. “Waterdown residents only pay a small area rated amount…for HSR bus service within Waterdown.

“If they want to connect to the rest of the city, it’s going to cost them a lot more.”

She noted the current area rating for transit in Waterdown is $57, while the rating for the downtown core and other heavily serviced areas is $295.

Read it in full here.

[NortheastWind]

Choices in life have consequences. But instead, they want the tax payer to deal with the issue.

[NortheastWind]

Choices in life have consequences. But instead, they want the tax payer to deal with the issue.

[Beedok]

Hope it happens. Aldershot joining Burlington really messed up connections to that whole part of town.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Beedok

Hope it happens. Aldershot joining Burlington really messed up connections to that whole part of town.

Waterdown was a lot smaller when Aldershot was annexed by Burlington in the early '60s. Doubt anyone thought far ahead to suburban growth and future transit needs.

Better service is definitely a good thing, but a direct city bus link to Westdale doesn't make much sense.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Waterdown was a lot smaller when Aldershot was annexed by Burlington in the early '60s.

Really? Waterdown actually has a historic core, so I figured it had been at least close to the same size.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Beedok

Really? Waterdown actually has a historic core, so I figured it had been at least close to the same size.

It does, and there are really nice stone buildings and old brick homes in the oldest parts of town. But pretty much everything west of Hamilton St. and most of the area east of Grindstone Creek has been built within the last 3-4 decades. Even just to the west of Main St. many of the houses are 1950s-60s+. South of Dundas St., much of the development is newer except along the older Main and Mill streets.

I think Waterdown's development history is fairly similar to Ancaster's. Both started out as small villages around mills (Waterdown later had the rail line running through it too), steady slower growth surrounding their original cores in the early-mid 20th century, before booming suburban growth hit... though that growth wave went through Ancaster somewhat earlier than it did in Waterdown.

[thistleclub]

Originally Posted by thistleclub

Happy belated third anniversary, Quick Wins A & B Line Passenger Amenities!

Related:

Via @JoeyColeman:

Remember those new bus shelters Councillors campaigned in 2014 saying they approved? HSR upper management never bothered to install. #YHMgov

Link

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

It does, and there are really nice stone buildings and old brick homes in the oldest parts of town. But pretty much everything west of Hamilton St. and most of the area east of Grindstone Creek has been built within the last 3-4 decades. Even just to the west of Main St. many of the houses are 1950s-60s+. South of Dundas St., much of the development is newer except along the older Main and Mill streets.

I think Waterdown's development history is fairly similar to Ancaster's. Both started out as small villages around mills (Waterdown later had the rail line running through it too), steady slower growth surrounding their original cores in the early-mid 20th century, before booming suburban growth hit... though that growth wave went through Ancaster somewhat earlier than it did in Waterdown.

I know most of it is modern, but the same seemed true for Aldershot, so that's what confused me.

Anyway, I hope that with some good planning Waterdown could work with that historic core to help grow into a functional community.

[Berklon]

Had to take the train into the Toronto office this week for the first time in a while.

I recently moved to the King/Greenhill area and am taking the Delaware to the Hunter station. The schedule for the Delaware bus baffles me. This is how the bus arrival at Hunter and the express train departure times compare: 5:46/5:48, 6:18/6:18, 6:48/6:48 and 7:17/7:18.
The best case scenario is a 2 minute buffer to catch the train - a little traffic and you've missed it. Nevermind the 2 scenarios where the arrival/departure are the exact same time.
Seriously, did they not try to plan the bus schedule to better work with the Go train service?

The King/Jones Delaware bus only comes every 30 minutes, so for me to catch the 6:48 train, I have to catch the previous bus 30 minutes earlier to arrive at Hunter at 6:18 (while just missing the 6:18 train) and then will have to wait another 30 minutes for the 6:48 train. So I'm basically throwing away 1 hour of my time just because the HSR couldn't schedule a 5 minute buffer with the train departures? It's reasons like this people won't give up their cars and just avoid public transportation altogether. It's just not convenient enough.

I'll be putting in a complaint/recommendation with HSR. Surely they must see how inconvenient this is.

[movingtohamilton]

Originally Posted by Berklon

Seriously, did they not try to plan the bus schedule to better work with the Go train service?
...
I'll be putting in a complaint/recommendation with HSR. Surely they must see how inconvenient this is.

I doubt that the HSR accounts for the GO train schedule when planning any route schedule. Even for the buses that go into the GO Centre, let alone the #5.

Other cities do, such as Oakville. But Oakville is largely suburban, and the schedule of its buses with GO is important. HSR will likely argue the opposite.

[thistleclub]

Hamilton calls Metrolinx offer for using Presto “unacceptable”
(Stoney Creek News, Kevin Warner, Nov 10 2016)

Negotiations between Metrolinx and the City of Hamilton for a new contract to use the Presto card for this transit system could substantially increase the cost to its budget.

City Manager Chris Murray said Metrolinx’s last offer to Hamilton was not “acceptable” and he has asked to meet with Transportation Minister Steve Del Duca over the issue.

“(Staff) is not comfortable making a recommendation (to council),” said Murray.

Mountain councillor Terry Whitehead said the proposed 10-year operating agreement with Metrolinx could mean an increase from about 2.5 per cent to 16 per cent to the city. Whitehead said it could add an additional $4 million to the city’s budget.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger, who took part in a discussion with other Greater Toronto Area mayors last week over renewing operating agreements with Metrolinx, disputed the potential impact to the city’s budget, saying the financial hit would be half of the $4 million estimate Whitehead cited.

But he agreed with Murray the final offer issued by Metrolinx was “unacceptable.”

He said Metrolinx has not delivered as promised on programs to Hamilton.

“There is a difference of opinion,” he said.


Read it in full here.

[thistleclub]

Could Toronto's road tolls debate benefit Ontario's municipal transit more widely?

CBC News:

Ahead of council's debate, Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, an outspoken critic of road tolls, wrote a letter to Tory saying she is "concerned" about imposing more fees on residents to raise revenue.

"Like many cities across the province, Toronto is facing very real challenges in terms of maintaining existing infrastructure, and making new investments in important initiatives like transit. I believe the lack of financial support by successive provincial and federal governments has contributed significantly to these challenges," Horwath wrote in the later, dated Tuesday.

"The City's need for revenue is real, and I respect the right of municipal governments to determine the most appropriate way to raise revenues. However, I am concerned that an increasing dependence on flat and regressive fees – such as road tolls and transit fares – can have a disproportionate and unfair impact on struggling residents and marginalized communities. I know that by working together, we can find better funding options."

Horwath called on the provincial government to restore funding for operating costs for municipal transit.


Toronto Star:

Horwath’s letter argues Toronto’s problem stems from a 1990s decision by then-premier Mike Harris to end provincial subsidies for municipal transit operations, and says as premier she would reinstate the funding.

The Hamilton MPP says that could pump $330 million into the city budget and obviate the need for tolls.

[SteelTown]

HSR will finally install auto-counters on buses for more accurate ridership counts. Of course, if it shows fewer riders, gas tax $ goes down

Yes, #HamOnt will receive $10,669,638 in gas tax from province this year, down from 2016 amount of $10,714,006.

HSR was 400,000 rides short of its 2016 expectations, or a loss of $800k revenue. Also translates into less gas tax $ for prov. #Hamont

On HSR budget, another 10 cent fare hike recommended this fall, along with $2.5 mil levy hike, = 5 new buses, 26 staff. #HamOnt

https://twitter.com/Mattatthespec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

[NortheastWind]

When the LRT is up and running, I wonder if the LRT ridership will count in the gas tax calculation? If not, that will put a big dent in the money Hamilton receives.

[HillStreetBlues]

Ridership decreases are the predictable result of fare hikes unaccompanied by service improvements.

[HillStreetBlues]

Are 2016 ridership numbers out? Wondering if ridership could have slipped below 21 million...

[thistleclub]

IIRC, the trend line at mid-year was pointing to 2010 levels: 21.2M-21.3M