Grand River Transit

[danbrotherston]

I can't help to think that our "leaders" are pre-occupied with costs of the GRT, and they have changed some routes, reducing services, like Sunday service, earlier and later service, and cutting route length.

In general, municipal and regional governments are preoccupied with keeping property tax increases as small as possible. As a result, you can't increase spending much in any given area, unless you are going to cut somewhere else.

The way to solve this would be to rework the funding of municipal governments, but I don't see this as being very likely, at least not in the near to medium term.

No, they really aren't. If they were pre-occupied with that they would be taking their engineering staff to task about the immense waste in our roads. They are only concerned about CERTAIN spending. And frankly, I'm furious about it.

[ijmorlan]

In general, municipal and regional governments are preoccupied with keeping property tax increases as small as possible. As a result, you can't increase spending much in any given area, unless you are going to cut somewhere else.

The way to solve this would be to rework the funding of municipal governments, but I don't see this as being very likely, at least not in the near to medium term.

No, they really aren't. If they were pre-occupied with that they would be taking their engineering staff to task about the immense waste in our roads. They are only concerned about CERTAIN spending. And frankly, I'm furious about it.

And I know you know this, but it bears repeating: a lot of the waste isn’t just waste to people who agree that we should be making it easier to use non-car modes of transportation: it’s waste even from the point of view of “cars must be provided roads”. Four lane roads with two lane traffic on them, lanes that are just much wider than they need to be even for transport trucks, etc.

[ijmorlan]

Yes, you can ask people to bring in paperwork and have someone go through it and validate it. It will take time, for both the passenger and the staff, and it's no fun for the passenger and it costs money for the region.

Ideally, the GRT staff would scan in an ID card or enter a SIN, and the GRT system would make a request to the CRA system for the family income, and then determine the discount level. The staff member would never see any personal documents or income information, the system would just indicate that this person qualifies for a 40% discount, for example -- and that would automatically be tied to the person's pass or EasyGo card.

Here is the catch: The region is looking for "household income". Revenue Canada can only give "Family Income".

Well, maybe the Region should be using the CRA’s definition. Who has put more thought into a fair way of assessing a person’s resources?

[danbrotherston]

Here is the catch: The region is looking for "household income". Revenue Canada can only give "Family Income".

Well, maybe the Region should be using the CRA’s definition. Who has put more thought into a fair way of assessing a person’s resources?

"Not invented here syndrome" is not just for tech companies.

[jeffster]

I don't think anyone is saying that $40K is rich. But it's above the cutoff, and if this is intended to support low-income families, there needs to be a cutoff somewhere. Same scenario would potentially apply whether the cutoff was $30K, $40K or $50K. And family/household income still does make more sense as a criterion than individual income. (They could have used the CRA definition but then the cutoff point might have needed to be lower in order to keep the expected costs same.)

Now, arguably a graduated reduction in discount would have been better, but that's a different argument.

In terms of dignity, an automated check would surely be better than having to show the GRT staff your pay stubs. At least in my opinion.

But the *Region* is saying you're rich if you're a family of 4 earning 40K.

As for transit support, it SHOULD be based on the CRA's definition, not their stupid made up definition. Who's the idiot that put that together? Hell, even OW and ODSP separates families living in the same household. You're 18, you are your own family now.

And to be frank, if they are THAT concerned about cutting costs, they can go f-themselves and stop giving those on the Sunshine list a discount! Why do those folks deserve a discount? That makes zero sense. In this region: you're living in poverty, but hey, we think you're rich (You're richer than you think®.) Meanwhile, if you're on the Sunshine list, you poor (literally) bastard, here's your discount, enjoy. Ass. Backwards. That is what it is.

And again, there is no way to do an automated check, not without consent and spreading your entire families SIN's to a group of strangers. SIN's only go to the CRA, your employer, your bank, and OW/ODSP. No one else, ever. Sorry, just not a good suggestion. I don't trust anyone else with my SIN, let alone clown organizations like the GRT & RoW. They really can't be trusted, at all.

I am sure people remember what KISS stands for: Keep it simple, silly (or stupid, as some say). Simple is: Your age is 65 or older, you get reduced rates. And a real reduced rate, $50. Wham. BAM! You're a high school student? $50. BOOM!

Another thing to consider: the low income cut-off in Ontario is $38,500 for a SINGLE PERSON. That's according to Doug Ford. He says it closer to $68,000 for a family. Nearly double according to the brainiacs in the region.

The "so-called poverty line for Canada" was roughly $37,500 (for a family of 4) in 2015. We're not even hitting that with this and in 6 years, prices have soared for everything.

All I am saying is the region is being petty, they broke a system that wasn't great and all that helpful to begin with, and they somehow made in substantially worse. And in the end, it might save them few thousand -- enough to ensure that the highest paid staff, councillors and regional chair get their raise without affecting the tax rate - and their own discounted transit pass (which is ridiculous).

Sorry...I still can't get over how they continue to give themselves a discount, that's why I keep brining it up. And I can't get over how low the cut-off is. At the very least, follow the rules of the CRA, or look at what the PC's did for Ontario regarding income tax. Follow one of those. It's like the intentionally made this to be a cash grab.

[ijmorlan]

But the *Region* is saying you're rich if you're a family of 4 earning 40K.

Well, they’re saying one is not poor, which isn’t the same thing as rich.

But it’s still wrong. One person earning $40k might not be poor (with some careful budgeting and choices) but I can’t imagine housing and feeding a family of 4 on that.

As for transit support, it SHOULD be based on the CRA's definition, not their stupid made up definition. Who's the idiot that put that together? Hell, even OW and ODSP separates families living in the same household. You're 18, you are your own family now.

And to be frank, if they are THAT concerned about cutting costs, they can go f-themselves and stop giving those on the Sunshine list a discount! Why do those folks deserve a discount? That makes zero sense. In this region: you're living in poverty, but hey, we think you're rich (You're richer than you think®.) Meanwhile, if you're on the Sunshine list, you poor (literally) bastard, here's your discount, enjoy. Ass. Backwards. That is what it is.

Just to be clear, I assume it is that people who work for the Region or other employers, including the University of Waterloo, can get a pass by payroll deduction, at a discount? And some of those people are on the Sunshine list which no longer makes one wealthy by any stretch but certainly puts one in the upper fraction of earners. So it’s not literally giving people who are on the Sunshine list a discount because they’re on the list.

But yeah, no real disagreement with what you said. Just have to get in my pedantry for the day.

[TMKM94]

The small building that was used for Grand River Transit employees on the Highland Hills Mall/Superstore property is finally being demolished. Fencing is around the building and a sign saying Sittler Demolition is on the fence. There is also equipment on the site.

[KevinL]

Is the new UW terminal set to open soon? Haven't been past lately, but I have to presume it's ready.

[timc]

I keep going past UW and see little to no progress being made.

[KevinL]

I was sure it would open this week for the fall term. Alas...

[bgb_ca]

Looks like a trial on demand service to Breslau and the airport coming soon

https://www.engagewr.ca/on-demand-transi...gn-breslau

[ac3r]

It would be a great idea. I'd fly all over the country for some fun if I had a way to get to the airport.

[danbrotherston]

It would be a great idea. I'd fly all over the country for some fun if I had a way to get to the airport.

Sarcasm? I hope? If not, you know we have taxis right?

[ac3r]

It would be a great idea. I'd fly all over the country for some fun if I had a way to get to the airport.

Sarcasm? I hope? If not, you know we have taxis right?

Why do you assume it's sarcasm? A taxi costs more than a bus. If there was a bus that could get me to the airport for the cost of a coffee and would let me take a cheap flight out to Halifax, I'm more inclined to travel for fun to waste a few days wandering the a city with no goal in mind.

I like to travel. Spontaneously and light. A bag and a few dollars in cash. In most countries, I need nothing more than a bag, a sleeping bag or few dollars if a hotel is necessary. This could let me hop on the GRT, get on a plane to somewhere in the country and then wander around for next to nothing. Taxis and hotels are frivolous in my mind, unless absolutely required. I'm more of a Vagrant Holiday kind of traveller: https://youtu.be/BVSJvfitmuQ

[danbrotherston]

Sarcasm? I hope? If not, you know we have taxis right?

Why do you assume it's sarcasm? A taxi costs more than a bus. If there was a bus that could get me to the airport for the cost of a coffee and would let me take a cheap flight out to Halifax, I'm more inclined to travel for fun to waste a few days wandering the a city with no goal in mind.

I like to travel. Spontaneously and light. A bag and a few dollars in cash. In most countries, I need nothing more than a bag, a sleeping bag or few dollars if a hotel is necessary. This could let me hop on the GRT, get on a plane to somewhere in the country and then wander around for next to nothing. Taxis and hotels are frivolous in my mind, unless absolutely required. I'm more of a Vagrant Holiday kind of traveller: https://youtu.be/BVSJvfitmuQ

And a plane ticket costs an order of magnitude more than either. A taxi ride to the airport is like 15 dollars. If you can afford a 200 dollar flight, it seems dubious that a 15 dollar taxi ride is what is stopping you.

A taxi is "frivolous" but at the same time it's the obstacle stopping your trip?

I'm sorry, our airport doesn't have anywhere near the passenger volume to justify regular transit service (even "flex" service). It is literally the archetypal example of elite projection (https://humantransit.org/2017/07/the-dan...ction.html).