tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post5562202605674426132..comments2024-03-11T12:46:28.806-04:00Comments on You. Me. Ride This Crazy Train - Adventures and Observations on The GO: The saga that is the 90AC.J. Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325979176373626807noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-87826323272254682092015-02-22T13:23:57.109-05:002015-02-22T13:23:57.109-05:00Anonymous (February 21, 2015 at 8:06 PM),
From wha...Anonymous (February 21, 2015 at 8:06 PM),<br />From what I’ve seen, termination might happen if an employee’s negligence resulted in physical injury to a passenger. I think it’s a case of weak management – not strong union – that reinstated those employees you referred to. Conscientious drivers make every effort to meet the times prescribed by their trip paddle. I discussed with an employee the replacement of the 90A driver. Without skipping a beat, the employee said, “And so it should be.”<br /><br />I disagree with your advice to not waste our time with calls or letters. Yes, some customer complaints are frivolous and should be dismissed outright. However, if there is a serious or recurring issue with the service delivered, as on Route 90A, then a CIT is warranted, IMO. Just as important are letters of commendation for exemplary job performance. And yes, it would be nice if management fast-tracked positive feedback to employees, as they do with CIT’s.<br /><br />For the record, I’m a passenger.Iona Pintónoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-25988212885594749662015-02-21T20:16:45.050-05:002015-02-21T20:16:45.050-05:00Well thank you for finding some time in your sched...Well thank you for finding some time in your schedule to pay me a visit.<br /><br />So you're telling me that a GO bus driver who hypothetically took selfies on himself while operating a bus on Highway 407, with passengers on board, who posted these pics to Instagram clearly showing the bus was in motion and he was on the job, along with also posting photos of female passengers' legs, butts and cleavage, all hypothetically of course, sometimes out of focus due to the fact he was obscuring his phone to take the photos, and also posted these on Instagram with hashtags identifying his employer ... WOULD GET TO KEEP HIS JOB?<br /><br />This is a company you'd want to keep working for, and be proud to work for?<br /><br />Please, if you do come back, please help me understand how a union (and my dad was a <b>Union President</b> for a trucking association for 15 years so I've got it my blood) could, in good conscience, fight to reinstate such a driver. And ... insure such a driver even with photographic evidence.<br /><br />ALLLLL hypothetical of course.<br /><br />Please, do tell us how the driver gets his job back.C.J. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325979176373626807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-69964233092196911932015-02-21T20:06:18.549-05:002015-02-21T20:06:18.549-05:00I don't check your site very often simply beca...I don't check your site very often simply because I don't find it funny and its a waste of time. But FYI it is almost impossible for a GO employee to get fired. And certainly NOT from customers complaints or not doing their job. Trust me , I've been here for almost 20 years. The few people that got fired got their job back thanks to our strong union. Don't waste your time with phone calls or letters, trust me we get thousands a year. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-60148166033247874402015-02-15T12:17:41.456-05:002015-02-15T12:17:41.456-05:00My husband works in Oshawa. We moved from Markham ...My husband works in Oshawa. We moved from Markham to Durham Region so he would be closer to work and would not have to set foot on a highway every day. When we moved out here, I was a consultant working from home. We had no need to live in Toronto. I had no plans to ever work in Toronto or anywhere further west. I would commute occasionally into Markham for on-site work...<br /><br />Then 2008 happened and shit hit the fan. My employer in-sourced its IT/business communications strategies and shuttered the division I was responsible for.<br /><br />I was out of work. Jobs were scarce in Durham, even Markham as many IT companies trimmed their bottom lines.<br /><br />My only option was downtown Toronto and joining thousands of others commuting into the city on GO Transit.<br /><br />My husband is happy, VERY happy where he works. We're so blessed that he has such a great job working with wonderful people.<br /><br />I LOVE my job. <br /><br />I deal with the nonsense because we're happy where we live but truth be told, it would be awesome to live close to work. I am envious of those who do.C.J. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325979176373626807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-85554655130184930732015-02-15T11:37:11.263-05:002015-02-15T11:37:11.263-05:00This is exactly why I live relatively close to wor...This is exactly why I live relatively close to work. I rent, people call me stupid for renting when I could have bought a house an hour commute away from Toronto, but I have options.<br /><br />My car didn't start last night because of the cold. Even though it was 2am, I would have still gotten home safely even if I didn't get a boost from my really nice coworker.<br /><br />It sucks to take the bus, and it sucks even worse to have to rely on it, but it's better than the alternative. If I owned a house outside of Toronto last night and my car didn't start, I would have been sol praying for a boost from someone, or waiting in the freezing cold for the tow truck to come.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-40539716092181948742015-02-14T23:02:04.233-05:002015-02-14T23:02:04.233-05:00I had similar issues with YRT's Viva Orange go...I had similar issues with YRT's Viva Orange going from Dowmsview Station to York University to connect to the Viva Purple years ago.<br /><br />The schedule had the Orange pull into York and drop off passengers to cross the street and 2 minutes later the Purple would leave. <br /><br />I was pretty fair with the drivers of the Orange in doing my research after 2 weeks of missing the connection EVERY TIME and seeing the Purple tease us as it left going the other way as we pulled out.<br /><br />I called into the YRT call Centre to explain the bus averaged 15 minutes (or whatever it was at the time) in travel time no matter which driver was at the wheel. The schedule said 12 minutes no matter what day it was.<br /><br />A couple days later I got a phone call from the YRT Supervisor I used to know saying he had just finished driving from Downsview to York. In theidfle of the afternoon, never mind rush hour, he couldn't do it in his car never mind in a 40 ft bus with three stops in between. He said the schedule was ridiculous and would be relooked at using GPS times averaged from some of the drivers who know the route.<br /><br />Hopefully GO will do this for you as well in the coming days.Michael Suddardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17922794404701194134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-25376837079336969672015-02-14T16:01:59.677-05:002015-02-14T16:01:59.677-05:00Too bad the GO tracker app doesn't work for bu...Too bad the GO tracker app doesn't work for bus routes, eh?Krupohttp://www.krupo.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-88685487379670051032015-02-13T21:08:22.904-05:002015-02-13T21:08:22.904-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.C.J. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325979176373626807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-75119237737656719792015-02-13T21:07:46.810-05:002015-02-13T21:07:46.810-05:00Are you alleging that some time in September someo...Are you alleging that some time in September someone started a situation at the Bowmanville Park and Ride that forces the drivers running the 618 to 713 travel window to be late every day?<br />I don't think it's up to me to investigate this as I don't have a large news organization I can expense my cab fare to so I could get over to the park and ride at that hour.<br /><br />I will be writing a follow up on Tuesday. I have heard from GO Transit where the schedule is to be adjusted and also there will be follow up by bus operations about the situation. <br /><br />It's plausible it's stemming from one thing or maybe a combination of things. What ever it is, I have to trust it will be addressed. C.J. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325979176373626807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-17375895690030502162015-02-13T18:22:16.094-05:002015-02-13T18:22:16.094-05:00@CJ
I've read your rant about the bus being la...@CJ<br />I've read your rant about the bus being late. Not because of just one driver but it seems all of them. So it appears to me that maybe one of the problems lies with the passengers boarding the bus. Have you ever considered starting the trip from the beginning to get an accurate account as to why it could possibly be this way. Just like the fellow you said called to you and asked you to let him know when the bus was coming was sitting comfortably in his car at the stop, not waiting at the stop but near the stop. Which I imagine took time getting out of his vehicle kissed wife goodbye, collected his things then proceeding to the waiting bus, just for him to board. How about that Bowmanville carpool lot, I imagine those 20-30 people do something a little similar. Sitting warmly in their running vehicles till that bus is on the platform waiting for each and everyone of them to board. Throw in a ticket sale (ticket machine on platform) but, it's so much easier to get from the driver or someone needs a presto loaded all takes time. Could just be why your bus is always late. <br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-64471201969371905152015-02-13T16:25:55.202-05:002015-02-13T16:25:55.202-05:00Hi Nahid
I've thought about it.
Bloor is terri...Hi Nahid<br />I've thought about it.<br />Bloor is terrifying where I am. Highway 2 is a disaster and it's too far north. <br />BUT... I think with a proper road bike and the right tires, I could make this work. <br />The only drawback is sweat. Oh, and the whole walking the kid to the sitter ...<br />When she's older and going to school on her own I am seriously considering the bike.C.J. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325979176373626807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-9848156381224013222015-02-13T16:19:32.961-05:002015-02-13T16:19:32.961-05:00Since you're probably getting pretty fit now, ...Since you're probably getting pretty fit now, it would probably be faster to bike to the station than to take the bus (though I wouldn't do it in the winter). Finding an appropriate route might be tough though.Nahidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242575544186973331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-38213213081034275782015-02-13T15:38:24.722-05:002015-02-13T15:38:24.722-05:00Someone wrote I should buy a car.
Really?
All tha...Someone wrote I should buy a car.<br />Really?<br /><br />All that expense plus GO Transit fare just to get to a train station. No thanks.C.J. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325979176373626807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-47889994952641757932015-02-13T15:26:14.686-05:002015-02-13T15:26:14.686-05:00He played a late soccer game last night. Didn'...He played a late soccer game last night. Didn't get to bed til 1:30. He was grumpy plus he's irritated by the situation as much as I am. I wasn't mad at him. he wasn't mad. We're just irritated it's come to this. He has to get to work just like I do. If he drives me, he's late. If we go earlier, the sitter isn't up yet. What can you do? We can't do much and I had to catch the train today. The 7:53 was not an optionC.J. Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03325979176373626807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-54467162314450151712015-02-13T14:52:46.150-05:002015-02-13T14:52:46.150-05:00"he thought it was ridiculous he even had to,..."he thought it was ridiculous he even had to, asking, "What the hell are you paying for then?""<br /><br />Well, as you fairly laid out in your blog, sometimes one just isn't up for a wait in the cold. Same reason why I will sometimes take the GO Train instead of the TTC (on those RARE days when I don't have to pick up my daughter from daycare). Sometimes, the "usual" means by which we commute rubs us the wrong way and we'd like a temporary "upgrade". Whether that be a ride for part of the trip, or changing the method/transit agency we use; I don't think it's unreasonable. <br /><br />In any event, I think he could have been a little more understanding. Maybe it was just too cold and early for him too? He strikes me as a fair kind of guy from what you've written before.MATTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6441168213084499367.post-19660641140147338892015-02-13T14:43:45.086-05:002015-02-13T14:43:45.086-05:00Buses are for suckers. I've yet to find a serv...Buses are for suckers. I've yet to find a service - in any country I've lived - that works. They serve mainly poorer travellers (sorry CJ!) and thus don't get the attention other transit gets. Good luck with your uphill battle!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com