Transport 2000 Canada Hot Line

2 June 2001

This is the Transport 2000 Canada Hotline, issue number 604, recorded on 2 June 2001, our 25th anniversary year, David Leibold reporting.

In this issue...

1 - Quebec transit study recommends busways along rail corridors

On 29th May, a steering committee chaired by the Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) and consulting firm McCormick Rankin, announced the conclusions of a report on future transit services for the Quebec side of the National Capital Region.

This was the result of a review on a 1995 study that proposed a bus system for the Outaouais region, rather than rail transit.

The new study comes to two basic conclusions:

1) That a bus roadway system be built along existing railway corridors. These routes are intended to serve work trips. Estimated cost for the Rapibus service is $65 million.

2) That a loop line be built to link the Hull and Ottawa downtown cores. This route is intended primarily to serve off-peak travel. It is proposed that some sort of "high technology" system be built for the loop, one that may not necessarily be compatible with Ottawa's light rail pilot project technology. Cost could be from $110-200 million, depending on the type of system to be used.

In the news release announcing these findings, it was suggested that vehicles using rubber tires on tracks could be used for the loop service. Meanwhile, there are growing concerns that guided tire-based technologies are falling out of favour internationally.

The technical conclusions of this plan were made by a consensus of the members of the Management Committee who participated in the work. However, there appears to be no provision yet for public input on this plan.

2 - Transport Canada reduces tour boat inspections

Transport Canada admitted that it is watering down its safety inspections of tour boats. Instead of a federal inspection each year, tour vessel owners only need to fill out a report to Transport Canada each year.

The inspection changes were admitted by Transport Canada last week during an inquest into last year's sinking of the True North II near Tobermory, Ontario. That disaster claimed the lives of two children on board. The inquest has also brought forth accusations that safety violations on the True North II were long overlooked.

Transport Canada promises spot checks of unknown intensity, and there is expected to be an inspection when a vessel is new.

3 - CN to upgrade track switch locks

Train Scan reports that 1900 track switch locks on CN's lines will be replaced by tougher locks. The upgrade was prompted by the April derailment of VIA's Ocean train at Stewiacke, Nova Scotia in which a tampered switch lock is reportedly involved. The lock replacements are expected to be completed by year's end at a cost of $250 000.

4 - Freight to end on Vancouver rail line

While some companies have announced plans to divert more of their freight from roads to rail, Canadian Pacific announced it would terminate freight service on its 10 km Arbutus line in Vancouver.

Molson's brewery had been CP's only customer on that line, but reached an agreement with CP to convert its facility to truck shipments.

CP is taking the City of Vancouver to court over a bylaw declaring the Arbutus right of way to be a public thoroughfare. The case has yet to reach court. For now, CP will retain ownership and maintenance of the corridor.

5 - Transit conference in Halifax

This week in Halifax (4-6 June 2001), the Canadian Urban Transit Association is holding its Annual Conference. Details are available on the CUTA website: http://www.cutaactu.on.ca/

6 - New Detroit road crossing planned

Serious plans are being made for a new road bridge between Windsor and Detroit. The Mich-Can International Bridge Company is one group which hopes to build the bridge as a privately constructed and operated facility, transferring ownership to governments once construction loans have been paid off.

This is billed as a so-called "third crossing" to be built south of the Ambassador Bridge. In fact, after the Ambassador Bridge and the road tunnel, there is also the international rail tunnel which continues to be a key border connection.

7 - National air accessibility survey released

The Canadian Transportation Agency announced the results of its Air Travel Accessibility Survey Report. This was to assess how well the country's air industry serves passengers with disabilities.

While most of those surveyed felt the airlines were doing an acceptable job, a substantial problem remains with reserving acceptable seating areas on aircraft. Also, making information available at airports was another area in which improvements were needed.

A check list will be provided to the air industry, to help airlines ensure travellers have access to necessary facilities and services for a flight.

Details are available on the Canadian Transportation Agency website.

8 - Ontario government panned for not-so-smart growth plan

The Ontario provincial government was blasted for its misuse of the term "smart growth" to describe recently-announced planning initiatives. The Canadian wing of the environmental group Sierra Club has accused the Mike Harris government of trying to "green wash" such schemes as massive highway building and continuing defective land use patterns.

The Ontario government did announce a minor amount of transit funding this spring, but roads remain all the rage, including plans for a new superhighway through Niagara. Presently, there is only minimal intercity passenger transport through that corridor including a mere two trains per day each way, including the International service between Toronto and New York City.

9 - New freight facility for Ottawa Central

Ottawa Central, Rideau Bulk and Canadian Pacific Railway opened a new warehousing and distribution centre on 29th May. Ottawa Central has enjoyed significant traffic growth, from almost 9000 carloads in 1999 to an expected 21 000 carloads this year.

10 - NARP wants trains in Bush energy plan

In the U.S., the National Association of Railway Passengers called on the Bush government to improve passenger train service as part of the solution to the energy supply problem.

In an open letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, NARP Executive Director Ross Capon indicated the advantages of expanded rail service.

NARP made particular note of improvements to the Oregon-Vancouver Cascadia Corridor. There has been a ridership jump from 226 000 in 1993 to about 600 000 today.

11 - Transport Canada to develop Transportation Blueprint

The federal government is setting up a Transportation Blueprint to guide federal policy. This plan will follow from the Review of the Canada Transportation Act, the Transportation Climate Change Table and the views expressed during the 2000 Millennium Transportation Conference.

A consultation process is planned over the next year. Details are available through the Transport Canada website (www.tc.gc.ca).

12 - Toronto transit fares increase

TTC riders will be paying more as of the 3rd June. Adult tickets and tokens will cost 10 cents more (to $1.80 per trip), students and seniors will pay 7 cents more (to $1.20 per trip). Adult cash fare goes up from $2.00 to $2.25, matching Ottawa's cash rate. Each Day Pass goes from $7.00 to $7.50.

The monthly Metropass jumps up $5, from $88.50 to $93.50. This compares unfavourably to nearly every other Canadian transit system. For example, the price for a conventional Ottawa monthly pass will be $59.50 as of July, after its own fare increase.

13 - BC Transit strike lingers

Vancouver area residents continue to be without their bus service as the strike of Vancouver bus services drags on. Many businesses have seen sales drop substantially as customers cannot reach them easily. A survey indicated an average sales drop of 40% for downtown businesses due to the strike.

One line of business that is booming is the automobile co-op. One auto-share company alone has added eight new cars to its existing 46-car inventory during the strike.

On Thursday, about 60 stranded riders staged a protest in downtown Vancouver, halting the streets for about 10 minutes before police dragged protesters off the street. More such protests are planned during random rush hours until the strike ends.

Even when transit does return, there were already cuts in bus service planned. These cuts could become much deeper if the ridership levels after the strike are lower than expected, according to a recent news report.

14 - Western premiers pound for pavement

A conference of the Western provincial premiers last week called on the federal government to pave the country with $17 billion of road works.

Referring to this plan as a "national transportation strategy", the premiers want federal gas taxes to be dedicated to road building. There are no specifics on which federal programs would lose out in order to divert the federal gas tax monies from general revenues.

15 - Air Canada surcharge introduced

Air Canada has added a $15 surcharge to each one-way trip effective 31st May, with rising fuel costs cited as justification. The airline claims this will be a temporary measure, but did not say how long this would last.

In addition, Air Canada will be raising its Nav Canada surcharge per one-way trip from $7.50 to $9.00, also taking effect 31st May.

16 - Transport 2000 Calendar

Tue 5 June, Toronto - Rocket Riders transit user group at City Hall.

Thu 14 June, Ste-Foy, Quebec - Groupe TRAQ meeting at ARCNQ, 7pm. http://www.total.net/~yahwe/indextraq.htm

Sat 16 June, Toronto - Transport 2000 Ontario Board meeting, 1pm.

Thank you for calling the Transport 2000 Canada Hotline. For additional information, please contact our web site at:

www.transport2000.ca.