HawthorneVillager.com

Hawthorne Village (Milton) Discussion Board
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 1:51 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 2 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Sun Jul 24, 2016 10:26 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Jan 23, 2014 7:28 pm
Posts: 1
I do not find myself agreeing with Councillor Malboeuf very often, when it comes to Transit, but, when he voiced his displeasure with the 'short timeframe council had to consider the renewal of the transit contract i found myself cheering him on. The 6-year contract with PWT was slated to end on June 30th, 2016. The three year renewal proposal was presented to Council on June 27th - how can you have a meaningful discussion? This renewal should have been presented in January of this year. There were a number of other statements made by staff which have a tendency to raise my concerns:
1) The staff statement ' while the report was scheduled for Council's May meeting, (still not enough time), staff wasn't comfortable with the financial commitment in the proposed contract, so it went back to the negotiating table with PWTransit and [/u]took out a number of items to reduce the cost.' My problem is consistent with when it is time to renew your car/home insurance and the insurance company says - 'we can reduce your rate IF you agree to give up some coverage' What did we give up in the old contract to get the dollars to PWT's liking and within the allotted dollars? Were their growth items in the contract, which have been removed but, will find their way into spending later this year. What would have been the result if Council changed the timelines for the contract - say one year guaranteed and discussion to continue on a longer period - perhaps even with the Town accepting the lease liability for the final two years if an extension was not agreed on.
2) I believe PWT provides a very high level of quality in service and, they do have a commitment to a yard for the equipment but, this is all the more reason to have presented a "complete" picture of needs for Council to consider and, to have done it earlier.
3) I would like to know how much the year-to-date ridership is up in comparison to two years ago, not last year, as presented by Commissioner Cripps. Last year's numbers were a disaster due to the staff recommendation to provide door to station to door service to a select number of residents and, eliminate the three late buses. Is the 9% growth just these riders returning? What was staff's budgeted growth this year? Would the numbers for operating costs have not shown an increase when presented at budget time? Was the contract renewal even mentioned in Staff presentations at budget?

Council needs to start demanding staff provide adequate time for major decision making presentations. This is a three year contract, starting the first of July, 2016 - does this mean the renewal will be presented late June, 2018 - an election year!!!!!!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Aug 03, 2016 9:32 am 
Offline

Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 8:02 am
Posts: 3
As a person who is very familiar with transit in this town. I am a driver for Milton Transit. I will not speak about the contract and the decisions made regarding. However I will speak about a few issues I see day in and day out. I will start with an example that I see regularly. Its approx 7 am in the morning, a well dressed professional steps on my bus to go to the Go station to catch a train to Union. Their car won't start, leaving it behind for a family member to use, whatever the reason. They get on the bus and ask how much is the fare? I reply " 70 cents with presto". They are often surprised and start to dig for coins and put a way that $5 dollar bill they had in their hand. Many people in this town have no clue that they could leave the car in the driveway and pay 70 cents to the Go! I have a suggestion, put a little banner on the rear of every bus promoting this low rate to the Go. Mail everyone a two way free presto ticket in their hydro bills. This busses are moving billboards promoting Lawyers, Real-Estate Agents, Restaurants. How about promoting the transit! Or upcoming Free transit days, events, etc? Spending this money on transit and not self promoting?

another issue: Person gets off at the Go station from a Go bus From Kitchener or Guelph. They don't have change, maybe need to use a bathroom they want to buy a ticket for milton transit. We have to suggest, please walk a 1/4 mile away to the super store for a bathroom and change. Come back here in 30 minutes or maybe an hour on Saturday and take a bus. Or you could walk 3/4 mile to the library and buy tickets between the hours of ? and ? Dear council, I know this station is metrolinx but you call this a transit hub? You think a small booth with a city employee ( at least during business hours could possibly benefit the towns transit, tourism etc..would also be a form of security. People come through here and think they are in small village in Saskatchwan.

Everytime I read in the local Media about the town mentioning cutting transit or how expensive it is and scrutinizing it I can respond with it being improved and better thought out. Look at the real-estate development in Toronto that is adjacent to a subway station or closely accessible to transit? It is very successful.
Put a bus-stop right in the middle of main street downtown at one of those walkways. People can cross the street, it will control the traffic for the moment, make pedestrians the priority, not the cars flying through! Why should an able bodied person feel like they have to lead off to steal 2nd base to get a cross a street downtown?

Please start thinking like a town that has more than three houses!
cheers


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 2 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
[ Time : 0.011s | 15 Queries | GZIP : Off ]