[Northern Light]

Board meeting today. Looks like only one major item on their agenda which is the annual report. I'm a little surprised because there was recently one in June. cc @crs1026 @Northern Light

Meeting 2025-07-10

Learn more about the Board of Directors' agenda for Thursday, July 10, 2025.

www.metrolinx.com

One expects few surprises in such things, are there aren't any, really..........but there are a couple of small things to note:

The only mention of King-Liberty does not say cancelled, bu instead, 'progressed'

Also a clearer, if still vague admission as to the problems on the SSE:

A note on Mx/GOs mandate formally shifting from the GTHA to the GGH:

Changes are coming to fare integration. I believe the intent is to deliver these next spring:

***

Key paragraph:

There is also mention of:

- Progress with CN on improvements to the Halton Sub that will allow for 2-day all-day to KW

- Progress on the Bomanville extension with CPKC

- Progress on an IBC for Milton 2-way all-day.

 

[T3G]

Metrolinx laid off customer service workers days before using AI after Coldplay concert

Dozens of customer service employees were let go just as Metrolinx came under fire over a contractor’s use of AI to respond to customer concerns online.

www.thestar.com

Metrolinx laid off customer service workers days before using AI after Coldplay concert​

 

[Coolibop]

From the region of Durham:

Construction begins on Durham-Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit

Construction begins August 5 on the first segment of the Durham-Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit (DSBRT) along Kingston Road in Ajax—a major milestone for transit in Durham Region. This project is partially funded by a joint investment by the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario and Durham Region through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP).

Work will include:

Construction of dedicated median bus lanes, median transit stop platforms and shelters
Road reconstruction
Traffic signals with bus movements
Watermain and sanitary sewer installation
Dedicated in-boulevard cycle tracks with crossrides, sidewalks with accessibility improvements, street lighting and landscaping

When complete, DSBRT will offer service every five minutes in dedicated median bus lanes, saving riders up to 20 minutes in travel time. This phase runs from west of Harwood Avenue to Galea Drive and will take approximately 18 months. Local businesses remain open during construction.

 

[APTA-2048]

Wow 7 years after the first signs went up, construction is actually starting. I travel the Pickering to Scarborough section frequently and never noticed any work taking place that would have delayed construction to only start now.

 

[Coolibop]

Wow 7 years after the first signs went up, construction is actually starting. I travel the Pickering to Scarborough section frequently and never noticed any work taking place that would have delayed construction to only start now.

There has been utility relocation (new hydro poles) and underground infrastructure changes along Kingston rd work over the past few years in Pickering in prep for it...

If you had a keen eye for it, you'd notice... For example, the grassy Boulevard in the image below along Kingston rd east of Glenanna is all gravel now...

But yes, very slow project (for relatively simple infrastructure) as I've mentioned before.... More details in one of my previous posts.

 

[Allandale25]

New Chair of Metrolinx.

 

[Coolibop]

One expects few surprises in such things, are there aren't any, really..........but there are a couple of small things to note:
...

Catching up...To add the the conversation on the annual report...are we not surprised Metrolinx is (trending) over their capital budget? I find it odd they skipped over that in the public meeting...

Last year I believe we were 10-15 over ...this year 25 over? Below they highlight spending less on GO, more on LRT/subway, those offset (not sure why this is stated as such), but are still over by 25%? 2 billion seems high without discussion (although they do reference, in the video, another meeting where it may be discussed which I assume is not public)

Further down, I found this bit interesting re: reliability and transparency

And Metrolinx has trouble managing it's partnerships; so we created a new team:

The PWC audit has some hints at how (well?) Metrolinx is handling its partnerships:
re: outstanding claims against Metrolinx (property aquisitions, ontario line, Eg, Finch, and Hurontario LRTs)

I don't know how this compares to what could be reasonably expected and simply put it out there for review...PWC does state the number can be higher for various reasons - and of course we don't know what we eventually will settle for...

Management doesn't disclose those possible liabilities because it affects negotiations (presumably of settlements):

 

[urbancog]

they highlight spending less on GO, more on LRT/subway

Yes, Metrolinx's spending on GO Expansion / Extension has a lower priority than it's City of Toronto focused projects. I guess Ford is still playing Mayor of Toronto instead of Premier of all Ontario.

I focus on (obsess over?) the Kitchener line "GO Extension" and their 'January 2025 Active and Upcoming Construction Procurements' listed 3 Kitchener line project acquisitions as "Upcoming in 2Q2025". None of these were released by Metrolinx in 2Q, delaying all-day-2-way service yet again.

• Kitchener Extension | Guelph Subdivision Package 2A: Track and signals work, grading, drainage, and utility relocations in the Town of Halton Hills (Acton) in support of Kitchener GO service extension. - RFP release 2Q2025
• Mount Pleasant GO Station Modifications: Renovations including removal of the north platform to create space for a future track and modifications to existing tunnels, north stairs, and elevator. - RFP release 2Q2025
• Georgetown GO Station Improvements & Layover (Phase 1): Construction of a new island platform, bus loop, passenger pick-up and drop-off area, and a pedestrian bridge. - Prequalification 2Q2025

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

Newer GO buses are equipped with seatbelts, a requirement under Transport Canada legislation for all medium and large highway buses built after September 1, 2020. While older buses were not required to be retrofitted, GO Transit is encouraging riders to buckle up when seatbelts are available, making it a safety standard for new additions to their fleet.​

​

Reason for this is because of what happened today near Buffalo, NY on I-90 near Pembroke, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Buffalo. People inside were ejected as the windows shattered.

See https://www.thestar.com/news/world/united-states/rollover-crash-involving-tour-bus-on-the-new-york-thruway-leaves-multiple-dead-others-injured/article_973c94a5-7671-5ad3-8fc6-271e08cbce44.html

A tour bus returning to New York City from Niagara Falls with 51 passengers crashed and rolled Friday on an interstate highway, killing and injuring multiple people, police said.

The bus apparently lost control on I-90 near Pembroke, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Buffalo. People inside were ejected as the windows shattered.

“At this time we have multiple fatalities, multiple entrapments and multiple injuries,” said Trooper James O’Callaghan, a spokesperson for the New York State Police, adding that children were on board.

Several ambulances and medical helicopters transported people from the crash. O’Callaghan said most passengers were of Indian, Chinese and Filipino ethnicity, and translators were being brought to the scene.

The bus was traveling eastbound when it went into the median and then ended up in a ditch on the right side of the road, O’Callaghan said.

“The driver is alive and well,” he said. “We’re working with him. We believe we have a good idea of what happened, why the bus lost control.”

The Mercy Flight air medical transport service said its three helicopters were transporting people from the crash site to area hospitals. Erie County Medical Center, a Buffalo hospital known as ECMC, said it had at least eight patients by 2:10 p.m.

“It’s a full-size tour bus. Heavy amount of damage,” O’Callaghan said. “Most people I’m assuming on the bus did not have a seat belt on, that is the reason why we have so many ejected people on this bus.”

Three other helicopters from other services were being called to the scene, as well as ambulances from multiple area agencies, Mercy Flight president Margaret Ferrentino said.

“It’s a very active scene,” Ferrentino said. “At this time we’re praying for the victims.”

The New York State Thruway Authority said a lengthy stretch of the roadway had been shut down in both directions and drivers were being urged to avoid the area.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said on X that she was briefed on the “tragic tour bus accident” and that her office was working with police and local officials.

“There was glass all over the road and people’s stuff all over the road,” Powell Stephens of Medina told The Buffalo News after he drove by the crash. “Windows were all shattered.”

BTW. Ontario does not mandate seatbelts on all school buses, but Transport Canada regulations allow for the installation of three-point seatbelts on a voluntary basis, as decided by school boards and bus operators. Seen seatbelts on the small school buses.

 

[Bordercollie]

I'm not sure if it's going to make a difference but if it will prevent you from being ejected from the vehicle it might save your life.

 

[APTA-2048]

We’re not at the point where wearing a seatbelt on a coach is second nature like in a car. On my Megabus and Greyhound rides, I’d say over half the passengers didn’t wear a seatbelt belt. I’ve been on a few GO buses with seatbelts and almost no one wore one. I even admit it feels weird wearing one.

 

[Jonny5]

We’re not at the point where wearing a seatbelt on a coach is second nature like in a car. On my Megabus and Greyhound rides, I’d say over half the passengers didn’t wear a seatbelt belt. I’ve been on a few GO buses with seatbelts and almost no one wore one. I even admit it feels weird wearing one.

It's a weird bit of duality that it's still a common and tolerated practice to not wear a seatbelt in a taxi or rideshare vehicle, even among people who would literally always wear one in their personal vehicle and insist other passengers do so as well, so I'm not surprised.

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

Standees are generally not allowed on GO buses, especially during highway travel and on double-decker buses, as the primary rule is to be seated for safety. While some single-deck buses may be designed to carry standing passengers, it's best to remain seated whenever possible, and passengers should be prepared to wait for the next bus if the bus is at its full seating capacity.

 

[Bordercollie]

It does happen thou.

 

[urbancog]

Metrolinx continues to cope with removing DB as their GO Train operations partner; they now have a job posting for Director, Strategic Train Service Planning.

I was curious what they meant be a 'strategic train service' but it's really for strategic planning of train services, including corridor configuration planning.

While it's good to see them taking control of this critical function, it also feels like they've waste 30 months with the 2-yr OnXpress development phase followed by a further 8 months delay in posting this job ad.

We can only hope that this person is going to look at train services after the core 15-minute 2-way-all-day service has been delivered on the On-corridor sections, and not starting from scratch to re-assess the whole question of GO Train services.

I'm sure there are many other arm-chair services planners, like me, who wish their work experience matched the requirements.