They're getting desperate as the train so far, nice as it is, is a total failure and waste of 456 million dollars. So, a promotion with free rides all weekend. Think I'll take it from Dundas West near where I live and go to Union. Have to go shopping anyway. Wonder what the catch is. At $27.50 for a one-way ride that isn't as convenient or as cheap as four people in a Town Car, it's just too much money. But politicians don't like to admit mistakes so where is this going to wind up?
Just got home after riding it. Never rode that rail line before and it sure is strange getting a new view of the city. Trying to figure out where I am after many years of riding streetcars on the streets it passes above. At least the graffiti at Queen and Dufferin streets is interesting. Still, it's a nice ride, but not worth what they charge. It doesn't even really go to Union Station but to a place across York Street on the west, attached to the walkway to the ball park.
In a nutshell, what's the story on the Union-Pearson Express? I've never heard of it.
I've heard of "Pearson's Pennant," but that's another story.
In a nutshell, fares are priced too high.
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/toronto/programs/metromorning/union-pearson-express-1.3441658
Maybe they should try the "Wal-Mart" approach, i.e. keep the prices WAY down and go for volume sales.
Worked for Mister Sam.
Politicians are talking about changing the service, but we all know what politicians do. Just talk and don't say anything. Taxpayers funded this thing and it was always aimed at business travelers who have other options like Lincoln Town Cars, not the average working person who needs to get somewhere. Lots of people work at the airport but they can't afford to ride it. Your tax dollars in action!
Could it be merged into the Go-Transit system and serve a useful commuter purpose in addition, with just a few key stops along its separate rigiht-of-way? Perhaps one where interchange with a rapid transit line or even several bus lines would make sense? Must it be a stand-along operation? Compare with Philly's airport line.
There is talk of merging it with Metrolinx which is the overseeing agency looking at various options for transit with the GO system and the TTC. It needs to be electrified and more stops added to be anything viable as transit. Money is coming federally and from the province finally after years of Stephen Harper giving nothing.
The plan I've always heard about is at Dundas West, the east end of the subway platform is almost directly under the GO train line and a direct connection would be made. When, I don't know. Also, at Weston UPX/GO station, the Eglinton LRT would connect there as well.
54light15There is talk of merging it with Metrolinx which is the overseeing agency looking at various options for transit with the GO system and the TTC.
My understanding was that Metrolinx took it over long ago, and has only 'spun it out' into a separate entity for administrative reasons. I had the impression that the service was still intended to run with rebuilt (although how much would be an interesting question!) war-weary RDCs at the time of the takeover. I'd have enjoyed watching them make those RDCs Tier 4 compliant.
The high cost is attributable to the large amount of physical improvement put in under Government auspices, most notably that elevated airport connecting line and the Tier 4 compliant railcars. Part of this is also associated with the need to run the service 'frequently' at all hours, regardless of actual ridership patterns, with only the restricted clientele that can travel cost-effectively between one of the limited stops and the airport terminal.
An airport service that makes a large number of intermediate stops and carries substantial amounts of 'transit' traffic, particularly at rush times, is a poor alternative to a fast and dedicated train just for the high-dollar flyers. We had this whole discussion in Memphis, with the upshot that the only 'politically-justifiable' airport rapid-transit alternative needed about $4 billion (!!) of capital investment to give little speed increase, or comfort increase, over the existing bus service, while still requiring a very substantial number of lower-income airport workers to travel long distances or use transfers to get on the trains. Personally, neither I nor most other people needing to get to the airport, usually with luggage, in time to clear security would ride a 40-minute train on a circuitous route with multiple stops, particularly if paying a substantial premium over the dedicated airport buses (there is an 'intermodal' bus transfer facility near the airport that facilitates easy transfer to frequent 'shuttles' to the terminals)
The Canadians decided it was more important to facilitate traveler access than 'use of the system by local residents'. It does remain to be seen how many additional stops can be tolerated -- and what Metrolinx will provide by way of enhanced 'feeders' to those stops -- but I have to suspect that 15-minute turns all day for those long expensive cars is always going to absorb so much Government money that the rate will stay high...
I don't know the politics involved, but I also suspect there is a 'soak the rich' vibe here, since we all know that people with enough money to fly into and out of Pearson certainly have surplus cash to burn to pay the cost of their new fancy rapid transit. That the alternative given -- four in what used to be considered a 'luxury car' -- is cheaper and more direct ... and will only become more so as Uber and autonomous vehicles reach their ominous synergistic capacities ... may be something the Government experts did not consider, or underrated as a functional choice.
Why not have a discount ( weekly / monthly ) pass for airline and airport employees ?
blue streak 1Why not have a discount (weekly/monthly) pass for airline and airport employees?
And better yet, set it up quietly within the GTAA or the Pearson International authority so that it's a perk for good performance, and make the pass look like a normal ticket or whatever so the marks don't realize there's a discount in play. I'd be tempted to discount all the way down to comparable fare on the Kitchener line ... for the right people. (Then demand they do their best at their airport work in order to merit that level of discounting...why give the marginal revenue away 'free'? ...)
There is no reason why a double-track line with frequent high-speed crossovers and reverse signalling on both tracks and four tracks at key stations cannot handle both an all-stops commuter service and a non-stop or limited-stop express service. But the airport worker problem can be solved just with a single very discocunted monthly pass. Few airline passengers travel frequently enough each month so that they would use, and those that do, well all well and good. The occasional user would still pay a high, but not as high to be uncompetetive, single or round-trip fare.T
After this past weekend when there was a two-hour wait to ride it for free, I think they might actually be serious about lowering the fare. The general take from the public was, it's great, but I can't afford it. So we'll see.
Used to travel very frequently between New York and downtown Toronto. Flew to Pearson and then took a Lincoln Town Car direct to the door of my hotel. Don't think an all stops local to a point west of Union Station and then a walk in the winter wind , cold and snow or the summer heat and humidity would tempt me to change my mode of transport.
How far is the door of your hotel from a subway entrance? Suppose there was a direct train from the airport to that subway station?
When I flew to Toronto on business, I used the TTC connecting bus to the subway and then the subway to my hotel. But I did not have to do this in snow. And I did not need to be in a hurry.
daveklepperHow far is the door of your hotel from a subway entrance? Suppose there was a direct train from the airport to that subway station?
That's not the important issue. Which is that he saved a significant part of $27.50 and didn't need a faster service.
I suspect that a great many potential travelers fall in either his category or the 'price bracket' where they use some form of car service to avoid buses, trains, waiting and weather almost completely. The history of ridership of the Union-Pearson boondoggle would appear to be bearing this out. The problem I see is that no 'lesser' alternative combination of train service with more stops but still amortizing the cost of that airport extension and fancy cars is going to make the price come down far enough to 'make the trick work'.
Good news, today in the Toronto Star it was announced that as of March 9, the fare will be $9.00 from Union to Pearson with a Presto card, $12.00 without a Presto card. Also, a single stop ride will be $4.71 and a two-stop ride will be $5.02, bringing it in line with the GO train. So now I will ride it to the airport as it's a lot faster than the TTC bus from Kipling subway and it's not much more money. Maybe they can get things right.
Today it was announced that there will be an airport worker's transit pass that costs about $90.00. I think with the lower fares it's going to be very crowded. It's worth the extra fare from Weston to Union for example, as the UPX takes 20 minutes, the TTC takes an hour if you're lucky.
They do have discounts for employees/frequent users, but most still drive. Part of problem is only 17% of air passengers want to go downtown, taxi is competitive when 2 travel together and Uber even cheaper. (This is not Heathrow nor Gatwick) The cut in fares just announced should make a big difference.
The Pearson and Union Stations/UP are short dedicated stubs. There are only 2 intermediate stops at Rexdale and Dundas West that eventually could get long electrified GO trains.
The latest news shows that ridership has more than doubled since the fare was lowered.
54light15 The latest news shows that ridership has more than doubled since the fare was lowered.
There you go! As the man said, "If I've got an apple pie I can't sell for a dollar, I'm sure not going to raise the price to two!"
And today I bought a Presto card so it's even cheaper than the cash fare. I'll probably use it to go from Dundas West to Union from time to time. Eventually the TTC will only use the Presto card and will eliminate the monthly passes. Not sure when that's going to happen.
2 weeks after lowering the fare, the ridership is staying up. It's a nice ride, no question about it. It may be rolled into the GO transit system, I've heard.
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