The system needs to develop a targeted advertising campaign, which will actually show people how taking transit will benefit them, and not just with global warming as a scare.
Show people, how much time they would save, how much money they would save on specific routes.
Example: On commuting routes on the QEW, show drivers how much time it takes to take the GO down. If you are taking the go during morning rush, and take an express it takes 17 minutes from Clarkson to Union, no car can claim that.
Provocative_boi
quote:
Originally posted by jchung52
:D
They have similar looking ones @ the Pearson International airport,but they only run between the terminals....:sadgreen:
*~LiSa-LoO~*
Way to go with the new transport. Hopefully it'll be better for traffic - AND hopefully the system will be better than the current one, thus more ppl will want to take public transportation and drive less. I like how the cars are environmentally friendly too. A step in the right direction IMO.
DigiNut
First of all, some people here seem to be confusing Light Rail with Monorail (i.e. the photo). Totally different things. Light Rail is not elevated and is not rapid transit. At least, not the LR that Toronto is talking about.
For those saying that all the problems with streetcars/LRV can be boiled down to the fact that cars and streetcars have to share a lane, how exactly does making the lane inaccessible to cars help the situation? That is even more inefficient, it will create worse traffic jams which is a bad thing even from an environmental perspective. Good for commuters perhaps, terrible for drivers.
There's no way to spin this as something that would benefit auto drivers, unless it turns out to be fast and reliable and comfortable enough to attract people who would normally be driving. It's certainly possible, but given this city's track record for transit infrastructure, I'm not very optimistic.
And yes, I know that many of you who live in the downtown core and almost never leave it don't care what happens to ordinary traffic. That's precisely how we got into the situation that we're currently in.
smuncky
A public viewing opportunity to see an LRV will be avaliable at the following sites...
- Monday, June 25th (12 noon - 8pm)
Finch Station, one level below the bus terminal - 5174 Yonge Street
- Tuesday, June 26th (12 noon - 8pm)
Scarborough Centre Station, outside of the TTC station entrance - 300 Borough Drive
- Wednesday, June 27th (12 noon - 8pm)
The Albion Centre, Centre Court - 1530 Albion Road
- Thursday, June 28th (12 noon -8pm)
Yonge-Dundas Square, south-east corner of Yonge & Dundas
This is the version of a Bombardier LRV (in Minneapolis colors) that people will be able to see.
jchung52
quote:
Originally posted by DigiNut
First of all, some people here seem to be confusing Light Rail with Monorail (i.e. the photo). Totally different things. Light Rail is not elevated and is not rapid transit. At least, not the LR that Toronto is talking about.
For those saying that all the problems with streetcars/LRV can be boiled down to the fact that cars and streetcars have to share a lane, how exactly does making the lane inaccessible to cars help the situation? That is even more inefficient, it will create worse traffic jams which is a bad thing even from an environmental perspective. Good for commuters perhaps, terrible for drivers.
There's no way to spin this as something that would benefit auto drivers, unless it turns out to be fast and reliable and comfortable enough to attract people who would normally be driving. It's certainly possible, but given this city's track record for transit infrastructure, I'm not very optimistic.
And yes, I know that many of you who live in the downtown core and almost never leave it don't care what happens to ordinary traffic. That's precisely how we got into the situation that we're currently in.
by posting the pic, i was hinting that we should just get raised monorails running through the city... im not that stupid
check out the new proposal for their version of the new TTC LRV's in a short video that they made.
there were ads for this plastered all over Metro and 24 papers this morning ...
i wonder what the Bombardier Unions will have to say about this ..
m2j
quote:
Originally posted by DigiNut
First of all, some people here seem to be confusing Light Rail with Monorail (i.e. the photo). Totally different things. Light Rail is not elevated and is not rapid transit. At least, not the LR that Toronto is talking about.
Orko
quote:
Toronto transit plan promises plenty but pays for precious little
September 23, 2008 at 11:22 PM EDT
TORONTO — A long-awaited master plan to boost public transit, unveiled Tuesday, pledges to transform the Toronto region over the next 25 years – but fails to detail how it would cover most of its $50-billion price tag.
The plan from the province's Metrolinx agency, chaired by former Burlington mayor Rob MacIsaac, comes after months of discussions about the need for radical measures to raise billions for public transit, including a 10-cent-a-kilometre toll on major expressways, a parking tax or a regional sales tax.
But in a “draft investment strategy” short on specifics and released alongside a long list of previously reported new bus, light-rail and subway lines, Metrolinx backed away from ideas such as tolls and delayed further consideration of what it called “new revenue tools” until at least 2013.
Mr. MacIsaac told reporters the public needs to get a taste of major public-transit improvements before it can stomach anything like road tolls: “We are committed to finding a way to move forward with this that's not going to get mired in controversy.”
Until 2015, the plan says, the province's previously promised $11.5-billion MoveOntario 2020 program for public transit will cover the Metrolinx plan's costs. A hoped-for federal contribution of $6-billion to MoveOntario 2020 would allow construction to continue until 2018, it adds.
Metrolinx also says it will study new ways to “capture” some of the boost to land values created by public transit, as well as looking at increased development charges and partnerships with the private sector.
Both Premier Dalton McGuinty and Minister of Transportation Jim Bradley have previously ruled out road tolls, and the Metrolinx plan was delayed over the summer to allow the province to examine its proposals.
Mr. Bradley, asked Tuesday if Queen's Park would foot the bill past 2013, was non-committal: “I think it's difficult to be specific that far ahead other than to say I think the province would be there.”
Metrolinx officials drafting the plan had also met with anti-tax activist Kevin Gaudet of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, who was on hand at Tuesday's unveiling and praised the plan: “We're pleased to see that taxpayers have been saved from the prospect of new taxes, new tolls, road fees and congestion charges.”
Metrolinx's draft plan also shows the continuing state of the disagreement between Metrolinx and the Toronto Transit Commission over Toronto's proposal for a partially tunnelled light-rail line for Eglinton. Metrolinx and the TTC had clashed over the provincial agency's insistence on a more expensive but faster and fully tunnelled rapid-transit line using vehicles similar to those on the Scarborough RT or Vancouver's SkyTrain.
TTC officials have argued that their ridership projections do not warrant the more expensive line, which they say would cost as much as $10-billion, compared to a light-rail line's $2.2-billion estimated cost.
The plan released Tuesday refers to a “rapid transit” line for Eglinton, saying it could be buses, light-rail or another technology. But it also suggests the Eglinton line could become part of a refurbished and lengthened Scarborough RT line running all the way from Scarborough to the Pearson Airport.
Mr. MacIsaac, who stressed the plan would still be refined, said he was confident Metrolinx and TTC planners would come to a consensus.
Mayor David Miller denied there was a fight with Metrolinx over Eglinton and praised the draft plan. Pointing to the current federal election campaign, he said it was time Ottawa properly funded public transit.
“Other countries do it. … Look at the transit funding program under [former] president Clinton and vice-president Gore in the United States. Look what they do in Europe,” Mr. Miller told reporters.
The draft plan is to be debated on Friday by Metrolinx's 11-member board made up mostly of municipal politicians including Mr. Miller. Metrolinx says it will then seek public consultation before presenting a final plan to the provincial government in November, in time for consideration as part of its spring budget.
Let's hope the length of planning actually leads to a well thought out system.
NOT!
quote:
TTC may introduce "smartcard"
The TTC may join forces with other transit systems in the G-T-A, to introduce a 'smartcard' payment system.
Smartcards are embedded with microchips which can be loaded with pre-paid fares for subways, busses, or even ferries.
The National Post reports repreesntatives from Montreal's transit system were in toronto giving the TTC lessons on how the cards work.
TTC chair Adam Giambrone tells the post a pilot project is now in the works.
If its given the green light, the project is expected to cost the city anywhere from 250 to 300-million dollars, and would take upto seven years to complete.
Originally posted by Zentac_75
I can speak for Warsaw and Krakow's systems. Lightyears ahead of what we have here. Actually I was in Amsterdam, and Prague this February. Same thing, No trouble getting around and I didn't even know the connecting routes very well.
When I went to Warsaw this August (after a 3 year absence) they improved the system even more. Now all stops on major streetcar routes have LCD screens which display which routes will arrive when at that particular stop for the next 25 minutes. Oh, and like half of their routes are already LRT's like what the TTC is only now pallning to introduce.
I guess if Ontario got money from the EU it would be a little different though, eh?
quote:
But it also suggests the Eglinton line could become part of a refurbished and lengthened Scarborough RT line running all the way from Scarborough to the Pearson Airport.
I wonder what the timetable for this is. I guess by 2050 it should happen?
quote:
Originally posted by Orko
What is wrong with these clowns? Seven years?
LOL...how in the world does it take 7 years to incorporate something like this?? Goddamn!1
Dr. DAS
quote:
Originally posted by infinity HiGH
LOL...how in the world does it take 7 years to incorporate something like this?? Goddamn!1
It's simple!
First, they spend a year figuring out which transit systems should be incorporated in the new smart card project. Then they spend a year convincing those networks that it's a good idea.
Next, they submit an RFP to smart card manufacturers with a 6-month timetable. Then they spend another 6 months deciding what the card will look like.
The cards and hardware are delivered 6 months after that, followed by a 1.5 year re-design because the new system isn't compatible with the existing, antiquated fare system. They'll eventually cancel that contract - at cost - and issue the contract to another vendor. Six months later we have the new system.
Next, we have to train TTC staff to install and maintain the system, which will take 6 months. Now allow six months to install the new system and market it to the TTC's ridership.
The last six months is used up repairing and re-installing the system after the TTC workers it all up.
There you go, seven years later we have a barely useable, now outdated smart card system, which will require a retrofit two years later.
