Time for the TTC to get smart cards

http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/GAM.20091128.GEE28ART1710/TPStory/TPComment

Marcus Gee
28 November 2009
The Globe and Mail

Time for the TTC to get smart cards

To pay your fare on a Toronto subway is to step into a bygone era. You approach the grumpy guy in his little glass cubicle and drop some coins into a little glass box, just as your father or grandfather once did. Or you put a little metal token into a slot in a turnstile. The sole concession to the 21st century is a slide reader for the Metropass. The basic system has remained the same since the Beatles were playing Hamburg.

There has to be a better way - and there is. Cities from Shanghai to Atlanta use a microchipped miracle called the smart card that does everything from getting you on the subway to paying for your fried-chicken takeout. While Toronto ponders the idea, it is already old hat in many places.

Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway introduced its Octopus smart card in 1997. Riders simply wave it past an electronic reader at the turnstile. A computer deducts the cost of the ride from the monetary value in the card's microchip. Riders can recharge their cards at an easy-to-use machine. They can even use them to pay for groceries or movies.

In North America alone, at least 17 cities have smart-card systems in operation or in the works. Chicago discontinued tokens and took sales agents out of their booths a decade ago. Today riders can reload their Chicago Card Plus online. Seoul transit's T-money can be embedded in stuffed animals, key chains or cell phones. Four out of five riders on London transit use the blue Oyster card, allowing the system to redeploy many ticket takers to other jobs.

The TTC swears we are going to get smart cards too - in a few years, if it can find the money. But, like so many things in this city, the idea has been kicked around and around and nothing ever seems to happen. The TTC has shrugged off the Ontario government's PRESTO smart-card system, which is rolling out for GO Transit and other systems but will appear in the TTC only as a pilot project.

Why the hesitation? Cost is one answer. The estimated price tag has risen from about $140-million a decade back to $450-million today. That's a lot of money for a network that has just raised fares to help cover a $100-million budget shortfall. On the other hand, it pales beside the $10-billion budgeted for new light-transit lines to the suburbs.

The TTC also claims it already has a functioning fare-collection system that does not cry out for immediate replacement - the turnstiles turn, the tokens come out of the machines. Functioning, perhaps, but hardly consistent with a modern transit network. Look at the mess over token hoarding in advance of the fare increase. It wouldn't happen with a smart card.

Smart cards have many other advantages. Riders no longer have to line up for tickets or tokens. And they can board buses or streetcars through several exits, waving their card past a reader as they enter. Bus and streetcar drivers no longer have to check every rider, which reduces dangerous disputes with suspected fare dodgers. Transit systems can track how many people travel, where and when, allowing planners to add more buses to overcrowded routes and stop sending empty buses past deserted stops. They can also bring in new pricing systems, charging riders for how far they travel or when they travel. New York is looking at a smart-card system that would charge riders less in off-peak hours, easing the rush-hour crush.

The former head of the Chicago Transit Authority, Frank Kruesi, once said that to succeed, transit systems have to overcome defeatist attitudes that lead to stagnation and decay - just the sort of decay that has afflicted our own system in recent decades. The best way to do that, he said, is to embrace innovations that make the transit experience easier and more enjoyable, changing people from mere riders into valued customers. The smart card is the ideal way to kick start that change. Bring it on.

walk don't talk

No walk in the park TheSpec.com - healthfitness - No walk in the park

A hands-free cellphone makes crossing street riskier: studies

Andrea Gordon
Toronto Star

(Nov 19, 2009)

It may be the modern version of walking and chewing gum at the same time.

But walking and talking on a hands-free cellphone is a lot riskier, according to researchers at the University of Illinois.

Two new studies found that pedestrians engaged in hands-free cellphone conversations had more difficulty navigating traffic and ran a higher risk of getting hit by a vehicle.

"We assume that walking is very automatic, and it is," said lead researcher Art Kramer, a professor of psychology and neuroscience.

"But walking while scanning for pedestrians and cyclists and other vehicles is less automatic."

Add a Bluetooth-style earpiece and it makes too many distractions to manage safely.

Listening to iPods, however, did not increase danger, Kramer said.

The first study, published in the current edition of the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention, involved 36 young adults walking on a treadmill in a virtual streetscape.

Those walking while they talked on a hands-free cellphone took 25 per cent longer to cross the street than peers without phones. They were also more likely to take longer than the 30 seconds designated for crossing.

The second study, involving adults aged 60 and older walking in the simulator, showed more striking differences.

Those on phones were hit by virtual vehicles 15 per cent more often and fell more frequently, Kramer said in an interview.

That study has not yet been published.

Neither group showed increased safety risks while listening to music, even though many members of the older group didn't use iPods regularly.

Kramer, an expert on driver distraction, says that's because listening to familiar music doesn't demand the same attention and concentration as engaging in a conversation.

He said the studies provide more evidence in the quest to understand the real-world impact of humans multitasking using technology.

Kramer's bottom line: Pedestrians should think twice about when and where they use their cellphones.

"I wouldn't if I was walking across a busy street in Manhattan."

rapid talk

LRT route needs more debate, councillors say

Emma Reilly, The Hamilton Spectator
(Nov 11, 2009)

City councillors whose wards surround a proposed rapid transit route say there needs to be more debate and public education about the plans.

Preliminary plans for the rapid transit route include a two-way line running down the centre of King Street, a pedestrian-only area downtown, and restrictions on parking and left turns along the entire Eastgate-to-McMaster line.

The city predicts businesses will flourish along the RT route and foot traffic will increase.

Metrolinx is expected to announce if it will fund a rapid transit line for Hamilton early next year.

Councillor Bob Bratina, whose downtown ward includes a proposed pedestrian-only stretch along King Street, said he's worried about the tolerance for change of this magnitude in Hamilton.

"I'll support what needs to be done, but we don't want to lose the public enthusiasm on this," he said.

Councillor Bernie Morelli said he's "not so sure the final solution is on the table."

Councillor Sam Merulla said he's a "strong proponent" of RT, but called for "a thorough and complete public consultation process to examine the concerns of both business and residents prior to finalizing the design."

Councillor Brian McHattie said Hamiltonians will adjust to any traffic constraints created by the RT line.

"You have to make these kinds of choices. If people think we're going to get LRT and it's going to be business as usual, they're wrong."

Jill Stephen, the city's director of strategic and environmental planning, said there will be public information sessions and open houses after the Metrolinx decision. In the meantime, she's happy to make presentations to community groups.

Councillor Chad Collins said initial reactions from many businesses in his ward were negative.

Dave Serwatuk, who owns a car wash, a tanning salon and a Little Caesar's restaurant on King Street and Queenston Road, is an example.

"I don't serve people in my immediate area," he said. "People stop by because it's on their regular route. They'll see there's no access and they'll drive by."

Nicholas Kevlahan, co-founder of the citizens' group Hamilton Light Rail, said though LRT will cause some initial headaches, the long-term benefits and economic gains far outweigh the costs.

"It's a bit the same as when people complain about potholes on the road, then complain about the construction that arises," he said.

ereilly@thespec.com

905-526-2452



http://thespec.com/News/Local/article/670379

transit expansion report

CATCH Articles:

Study says HSR should be expanded

Nov 09, 2009

A comprehensive operational review says the HSR needs to add ten to fifteen buses a year to achieve the city’s transit goals. It also suggests ways to improve Hamilton’s transit system and offers ideas on modifying existing bus routes and service frequencies.

The year long study by IBI Group was commissioned by the city and tracked ridership at all 2264 stops on the HSR’s 32 routes and compared the results to other communities. A summary was given verbally to councillors in a slide presentation on October 29, but the full document has not yet been made public.

The slides say that the HSR is “performing well … given financial and other constraints” but warn councillors that “there are no magic bullets to grow transit ridership without incurring increased costs”. The consultants argue strongly that more spending is what is required.

“A paradigm shift is needed in city thinking and decision making to make transit a priority,” said IBI presenter Brian Hollingsworth. “The HSR is at a crossroads. All policies and plans call for continued growth, but continued financial constraints are a barrier.”

Hollingsworth pointed to the Vision 2020 goal of 100 rides per person per annum by 2020, and the target of the city transportation master plan to reduce vehicle use by 20 percent by 2030. The provincial and federal governments are also supporting transit improvements with gas tax monies.

He noted that HSR ridership is currently at 45 rides per capita per year, down from 47 in 2008. To achieve the 100 target “would require a doubling of service hours and associated funding increases”.

“HSR should be adding 10-15 buses per year to meet this target by 2021,” says the summary, but notes that “concentrating future population and employment in existing transit corridors and other transit supportive policies can reduce the need for service expansion” in meeting city targets. These policies include promoting infill and higher density, reducing parking requirements, and “controlling sprawl of commercial (i.e. big-box) development”.

The study also contends there are good reasons to improve transit services including the “high cost of owning and operating private automobiles” and the fact that gas tax funding for the city “is tied to demonstrated progress on ridership growth.” It also notes that transit promotes economic development because “increasingly companies are seeking to locate in cities that have high levels of transit accessibility.”

While praising the overall efficiency of the HSR, IBI notes that average fares are low because of the large number of riders getting discounted or free trips. They calculate that “44 percent of all passengers have a discounted fare other than an adult monthly pass” and note that “free boardings for persons with personal mobility devices are potentially subject to abuse.”

Reducing this fare “leakage,” IBI suggests, could be an alternative to fare increases. And they urge “discounts for social programs should be treated as such and not funded entirely from the HSR budget.”

Other ideas for savings include “implementing transit priority in the King-Main corridor” which IBI calculates could significantly reduce the number of required buses – each of which costs the HSR $300,000 a year to operate.
Maps in the presentation show possible changes to bus routes and service frequencies as “for discussion”. At the request of city staff the IBI findings have been referred to the transit department for review and a future report to committee of the whole.

Gridlock costs GTA billions a year: OECD

Gridlock costs GTA billions a year: OECD TheSpec.com - CanadaWorld - Gridlock costs GTA billions a year: OECD

Lost productivity putting brakes on growth

TORONTO — Traffic congestion in the Toronto region costs Canada $3.3 billion in lost productivity a year, the result of urban sprawl, decades of underinvestment in public transit by Ottawa and a disjointed system, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development says.

In a first-of-its-kind review of the region’s economy, the OECD said transit service in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area has not kept pace with population growth, with 71 per cent of commuters still dependent on the automobile — one of the highest rates of car use among cities in the organization’s 30 member countries.

The result is air pollution, some of the longest commutes among OECD countries, and “a direct hit on productivity,” especially in economic sectors that depend on rapid delivery such as retail, logistics and food.

A pair of minor accidents on Hwy 403 east in Hamilton brought the morning commute to a near standstill for more than an hour today. A fender-bender near the Hwy 6 exit and a rollover between King Street and York Boulevard backed up eastbound traffic as far as Fiddler's Green. It was a perfect example of how even minor problems have major effects.

To curb traffic jams, the Toronto region should consider measures such as toll lanes, local fuel and parking taxes, and a Singapore-style congestion charge in which roads in the city centre and major routes such as the 400-series highways would be subject to fees that vary according to peak hours, the OECD says.

Although the Toronto region is one of Canada’s “chief economic powerhouses,” the report says the area’s gross domestic product per capita is middling compared to other OECD countries, while its rate of labour productivity is lower than most U.S. and European cities with comparable income levels, the report says.

That’s due in part to the decline in manufacturing jobs, weak investment in innovation, a failure to capitalize on the skills of its immigrant population and a lagging regional transport network, the 200-page report notes.

Toronto Mayor David Miller said the OECD identified several concerns long expressed by Canada’s mayors, including the need for a national transit strategy and revenues that grow with the economy.

“The OECD report makes it clear that if Ontario and Canada are to thrive, its largest urban centre a must not be taken for granted,” he said.

http://thespec.com/News/CanadaWorld/article/669904

The Rapid Transit Squeeze - The Spec, 10 Nov 09

http://thespec.com/News/Local/article/669682

Emma Reilly
The Hamilton Spectator

(Nov 10, 2009)

Rapid transit and traffic are competing for limited space on city streets. The city is beginning to map out how rapid transit will operate in Hamilton, revealing dramatic impacts on the way traffic moves along the entire east-west corridor.

Potential changes include the creation of a pedestrian mall in the downtown core and conversion of King Street to two-way traffic with restrictions on left turns from Eastgate to McMaster.

According to a new report, Hamilton will see two rapid transit (RT) lines running along the centre of King Street -- one eastbound, one westbound. These plans are in place whether the city receives light rail or buses. That decision is expected from transportation authority Metrolinx in January.

The heaviest impact will be downtown, where the proposal sees the International Village area of King Street closed to traffic. Vehicles will be routed away from King Street at Wellington Street to either Main, Cannon or Wilson streets, then merge back onto King in a proposed "transition zone" between Mary and John streets.

Drivers could lose on-street parking and loading zones from Eastgate Square to McMaster University, and face restrictions on left turns along the entire route.

Cars won't be allowed to cross the centre lanes in order to maintain the speed of RT and to ensure the safety of motorists.

That means residents and owners and employees of businesses along King Street will only be able to make right turns in and out of their driveways. Left turns and U-turns will only be permitted at traffic lights.

The city chose median RT lines because they ultimately offer traffic more freedom than curbside RT, said Jill Stephen, director of strategic and environmental planning. Since there would be the same restrictions on cars crossing the RT tracks or lanes, curbside RT would mean side streets and driveways would have to be dead-ended.

Stephen says she's aware city residents will need time to adjust to the proposed plan.

"Change can be difficult, but there are lots of good reasons for this change," she said.

News of the traffic restrictions came as a surprise to Councillor Chad Collins. He first heard of the plan at an information update for council members in late October.

Since then, he says, he's been discussing the plans with businesses in his ward and reactions haven't been positive. Few businesses he spoke to were even aware of the direction of the RT plans.

"I'd like to see a system that the community can support," he said. "I'd hate to see a design that turns people off of LRT to the point that they don't want it."

Manny Rebelo, the general manager and soon-to-be owner of Swiss Chalet on Queenston Road, says he's worried about how the traffic restrictions will affect his business.

"It could slow down our service, certainly to delivery guests, and of course our patrons will suffer as well because it will be very inconvenient for them."

Denninger's spokesperson Norm Legault said he's very concerned about plans to close King Street -- the eatery and food store is in the middle of the proposed pedestrian zone.

"I would say this worries us," he said after hearing of the plans for the first time yesterday.

"I don't think that would be in the best business interest for this location."

ereilly@thespec.com

905-526-2452