ION - Waterloo Region's Light Rail Transit

[schooner77]

Not really a comparable analogy with regards to the condo/apartment/house argument. You're going to the lengths that would eliminate all advertising right down to billboards, bus shelters or sandwich boards. And in fact, there are often "for rent" or "lease" signs on many apartments and, I'm guessing, municipal bylaws against advertising in residential areas. I think the only argument that has credence, is not allowing it to impede sightless for the riders. Any coaches that I've been on, that have been painted in some theme or another, and where the windows are painted over, have been done so in a way that the covering acts more like tinted windows on a car.

[Pheidippides]

According to page 186 of http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/region...4-0304.pdf the region is expecting $.25milion in advertising revenue from LRT in 2018.

Also I noticed in today's Planning & Works agenda (page 51 of http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/region...5-0115.pdf) that the general engineering consultant (GEC) for LRT was up for renewal. The report states that the GEC, which part of the non-DFBOM LRT buget category of "project office & consulting" with a $51.8 milllion budget, is $2.73 million under budget for March 2012-March 2015 (budget 16.58, final estimate 13.85) and projected to be another $2.5 million under for March-2015 to March-2018 (budget 14.0, revised estimate 11.5). I guess that $5.23 million will go in to the contingency?

[mpd618]

The problem with "those are my tax dollars, dammit" attitudes is that it comes at the dignity of riders. Apparently it's OK for a public service to be degrading because it's public.

Degrading?  Hyperbole much?  

I'm fine with saying ads shouldn't impede the view (for safety/usability reasons) but the idea that having to look at ads is a degrading experience is absolutely absurd.

I was responding to discussion of a bus wrap that incorporated the passengers - that I do consider potentially degrading.

And no, it isn't having to look at ads that is degrading, it's being forced to ride in a moving billboard. The ads on the inside of the bus don't bother me as much, because they are not affecting the externally-perceived image of the bus.

I think people will still know its a bus. 

Knowing that it's a bus is nowhere near as useful as knowing (whether you're interested or not) that it's a Grand River Transit bus. There's lots of buses out there, but it's a whole lot more apparent when you see a distinctive GO Transit bus go by than when you see a Grand River Transit bus. That adds up to better awareness of the brand and the service.

School buses are yellow for safety reasons for kids but I'd be quite happy to see ads on the ION as well.

School buses can be yellow for safety reasons (and also consistent branding reasons) while still having ads. How about it?

[Canard]

Well said! Can you imagine how confusing buses in Toronto would be if they had wraps, with all the different regional operators? Occasional passengers would be totally confused.

Also, let's think about something else... How many hundred busses does the region have? They pull in 800k, right? We're getting *fourteen* trains. Is the fractional income from destroying the visage of those trains worth it?!

I'm tempted to start a Kickstarter to raise the cash that would offset the ads to give to the region if they promise to keep the trains clean.

[SammyOES]

I would totally support a Kickstarter campaign like that purely because I love the idea of something cosmetic like that being funded only by the people that care about it.

You wouldn't even need to make the region promise - you could just buy the ad space!

[jamincan]

Well said! Can you imagine how confusing buses in Toronto would be if they had wraps, with all the different regional operators? Occasional passengers would be totally confused.

The TTC does full wraps of buses, streetcars, subways and even entire stations. It's really not a big deal and I have never found it confusing personally.

[nms]

I guess that $5.23 million will go in to the contingency?

Let's hope that GrandLinq is similarly thrifty.  Since the Region reduced the contingency significantly during its tender process, yet kept the overall LRT budget the same, it effectively handed GrandLinq a bonus before they even started.

[mpd618]

Well said! Can you imagine how confusing buses in Toronto would be if they had wraps, with all the different regional operators? Occasional passengers would be totally confused.

The TTC does full wraps of buses, streetcars, subways and even entire stations. It's really not a big deal and I have never found it confusing personally.

The TTC can't handle the demand they already have, let alone worry about competing with the private automobile to get more people taking transit. We've got a bit of a different problem here in Waterloo Region, and part of it has to do with the image of transit.

[MacBerry]

A vintage postcard from Waterloo Region. The "original LRT". 

#BackToOurRoots one hundred years later

In today's Waterloo Region Record (January 17, 2015)  

http://www.therecord.com/living-story/52...wild-park/

[MacBerry]

A taxi driver I had the other day said his friend is one of the construction people working on Caroline, he told me they will be digging up Caroline again in Mid January.

Your information was correct:

"Beginning January 13 along Caroline from Allen to William, and continuing into early February, GrandLinq Contractors will install the infrastructure needed to relocate existing or provide new third-party services.  These services include communication (e.g., phone, intranet), gas and electrical services. Each installation will require a trench to be dug across Caroline (close by the Allen, Freemont, Norman and William intersections), and will take approximately one week to complete. Local access to businesses and residents will be maintained, along with access for fire, police and EMS. GrandLinq Contractors work crews will be on-site to help facilitate the movement of local traffic and construction vehicles."

http://rideion.ca/construction-updates.html#update16  - January 13th update

[Canard]

Lots of work going on at Dutton yesterday - impressive that they're working weekends, I think.

I know it's still a ways off, but this scares me: TTC boss Byford 'not happy' about new streetcar delivery delays

Summary: Toronto was supposed to have 40 trains by now, but they only have 3, Bombardier is anticipating a 4th coming online in February, a 5th in March, and then an unknown schedule. They've committed to having all 204 sets delivered by 2019.

As our FLEXITY Freedom LFLRV's will be built in the same facility that is doing Toronto's Outlook vehicles, I really hope that this doesn't cause any headaches for us. Toronto can limp along without their new vehicles - we cannot!

[BuildingScout]

We should be OK if they are not sourcing parts from Mexico like they are for the Outlook vehicles. They are supposed to start delivering our vehicles next year.

Erh, the delay is due to a strike in the Thunder Bay plant, nothing to do with sourcing from abroad.

[jamincan]

Bombardier recently released a statement that blamed the delays, in part, on parts arriving from Mexico not being to spec.

[Canard]

Another article, lots of goodies here:

http://business.financialpost.com/2015/0...hain-woes/

[Canard]

Streetcar Procurement and Implementation
There are currently three (3) TTC owned revenue service LFLRVs operating well on the 510 Spadina line.
Transfer of technology and manufacturing from Europe to North America, including Mexico, has led to quality, design and process issues that have caused significant delays in new car shipments from the Carbuilder. Delay impacts have led to layoffs in the Bombardier Thunder Bay plant due to part shortages from Mexico and from external suppliers.
TTC continue to work with Bombardier to expedite deliveries while ensuring that all quality and safety objectives are met. Shipment of the next car (4405) from Thunder Bay is anticipated before the end of January, 2015, with commissioning and entry into service occurring before the end of February, 2015. The fifth revenue service car (4406) is anticipated to ship before the end of February, 2015 with commissioning and entry into service expected before the end of March, 2015. Production in Thunder Bay is currently impacted beyond car 4406 due to the supply chain issues.
TTC is anticipating a detailed schedule commitment from Bombardier before the end of February, 2015. Bombardier has stated through the media that it remains committed to delivering all 204 vehicles of the base LFLRV contract order to the TTC before the end of 2019.

From TTC January CEO Report