Should you take public transit during a pandemic?
In this edition of On the Move, we cover how Public Transit is addressing the Covid-19 epidemic, why you'll be paying more if you use the GO and TTC, and a video on better planned streets for buses
Welcome to Issue #4 of On the Move, a twice-a-month newsletter sharing transit news and views from Guelph and beyond presented by the Transit Action Alliance of Guelph. It arrives directly in your inbox on the 1st and 15th of each month.
The community started to ask Guelph Transit and the City of Guelph what extra measures they were taking for transit bus cleaning in light of the Covid-19 epidemic. The initial responses were not very reassuring based on how other transit systems, big and small, were tackling the problem head on before any instructions to do so.
The Guelph Mercury Tribune then reported on March 12th that Guelph Transit bus cleaning was unchanged in light of COVID-19. A City spokesperson said the current daily cleaning regimen was adequate. This did not sit well with some members of the public. The very next day, Friday March 13, the City of Guelph announced it would be stepping up the cleaning of touch points on buses. TAAG is disappointed that Guelph Transit did not take a more proactive approach to this issue, beyond holding discussions, like many other transit systems did and when the public raised the issue back in early March.
Due to the closure of the University of Guelph decision to cancel face-to-face classes due to the Covid-19 virus, Guelph Transit will not operating buses on its University express routes between March 16th and 20. Starting on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, late night service is also cancelled.
In other local transit news…
Andrew Donovon looks at 4 ways to pay for free public transit for teens and kids in Guelph.
Despite the addition of the 59U Route, the 99 Mainline continues to leave passengers behind. The City did approve addition 1 additional bus during peak times this fall to help alleviate the problems but they admit in the report it won’t completely fix the issue.
The roll out of the new OnYourWay Card has had some hiccups:
If you had a monthly pass on February 29th, you may have noticed it saying you didn’t have a valid fare due to the calendar month being one extra day.
There were some technical issues on March 2nd with putting money on the cards at retailers and the Library.
The new transfer from the box are causing riders to pay twice due to the one hour time limit and being timed from the time you board to your transfer point. Help us make Fares Fair and get transfers extended to 90 minutes.
Guelph to see $3.15M in provincial transit funds from the Gas Tax. This money is only allocated toward capital spending (i.e. new buses) and not operating (i.e. adding routes)
There is a recommendation in Waterloo Region that would see age-based Grand River Transit (GRT) fare discounts shift toward income-based ones.
The City of Owen Sound will begin its bus service to Guelph on April 1st.
Metrolinx to reduce GO Transit service in response to coronavirus outbreak. Guelph will only have 3 trains in the AM to Toronto and 3 Trains from Toronto in the PM.
GO-TTC discount fares to end as Ontario pulls the plug on funding.
The TTC needs fixing. Here are five transit systems from around the world that are doing it right.
There’s no need to avoid transit, Toronto public health says.
Brampton to begin new BRT service to Toronto Pearson Airport.
6 months in, Ottawa's LRT has had more bad days than good ones.
Transit ridership drops significantly across the United Stares amid coronavirus fears; some agencies cut service.
Should you take public transit during a pandemic? (The answer is yes)
Why the United States sucks at building transit.
It's Time for Some Cheap and Boring Transportation Solutions.
Ridesharing hurts the climate (if you aren’t actually sharing the ride)
Do your buses get stuck in traffic? It's amazing what a difference it makes to life the city when public transit is treated as a first-class alternative to driving, as it is in Amsterdam, and many other cities in the Netherlands. Check out this video from Not Just Bikes:
Due to the events happening around the world, the TAAG Board of Directors has decided to postpone our Getting Around Guelph Pub Night scheduled for Wednesday March 25th, 2020 and cancel our TAAG working group meeting on Thursday, March 26th, 2020. A new date will be announced as soon as possible.
TAAG will be hosting three Understanding Transit with TAAG nights for community members, non-profit groups, and businesses in late April. These hour long sessions will introduce the community to the dilemmas decision-makers face when planning transit. They will also learn on how we can work together to advocate for a transit system that is frequent, affordable, and accessible for everyone. Register Now.
TAAG’s Annual General Meeting and Membership Renewals are coming up this May. Please renew now or at the AGM tentatively planned for May 28th, 2020.
The Transit Action Alliance of Guelph is looking for people to serve on our Board of Directors! The Board meets once per month for about 2 hours. Find out more by clicking this link here! Become a member here!
The next TAAG Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 14th starting at 6:45 p.m. at the Co-operators Headquarters in Downtown Guelph. Click here for instructions on how to access the building after hours. All TAGG Members and interested members of the public, including community groups and non-profits, are invited to attend. Find out about our membership options by clicking here. For more information about TAAG, check out this link.