Calgary Public Transit - Discussion

[para transit fellow]

I'll make my point a different way.

The software costs money to develop and to operate. Scanners , cables, servers will have to be maintained. Finally customer service reps will have to handle complaints everytime the system coughs and doesn't provide the $1 refund taken by the passenger taking the shorter trip. Seems like creating an increasingly complicated system for small incremental gains.

Perhaps we instead try fare-capping or perhaps lowering transit fares system-wide to bring us better utilization?

Truthfully, we all know that occasional passenger is going to take their car anyway.

[Shazam]

Exactly.

Want more people to ride transit? Make the platforms gated.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Exactly.

Want more people to ride transit? Make the platforms gated.

We should get Dystopian. As you pay your Transit fare you're issued a billy-club and if a junkie gets in your way you're entitled to hack the bone!

Of course that would likely mean there has to be some sort of 'billy-club return receptacle' but I'm not made of answers here! We'll fight that battle when we come to it.

We don't have 'free billy-clubs for all' kind of money!

[Wormius]

Gating the platforms around downtown seems like an expensive and logistical nightmare when you start fleshing it out beyond, “turnstiles will make things better”.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Gating the platforms around downtown seems like an expensive and logistical nightmare when you start fleshing it out beyond, “turnstiles will make things better”.

Turnstiles are also pretty ineffective without human enforcement. So let's just skip the turnstile part.

Of course, general enforcement is easier said than done, too, but a bunch of rent-a-cops with radios to real peace officers couldn't hurt.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Gating the platforms around downtown seems like an expensive and logistical nightmare when you start fleshing it out beyond, “turnstiles will make things better”.

It's hard. Therefore it should not be done.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Shazam

It's hard. Therefore it should not be done.

“I cannot tell how this thing that would create enormous impediments during Stampede or Flames games or other major events would help anything, therefore we should do this thing”.

[Jimmy Stang]

Maybe I'm giving Calgary Transit too much credit, but I am guessing that the cost/benefit of turnstiles has been looked at numerous times over the years.

The cost of installation and maintenance is likely to far exceed anything "recovered" from fare evasion.

Of course there are other variables, like enforcement and security costs, but those things are going to be needed with or without turnstiles.

You could even make a security argument for encouraging transit use in off-peak times like evenings and weekends. More "good" people around is a crime deterrent in itself. Which brings me back to my original point - provide incentives for evenings, weekends, families, etc. (and yes, even short trips) and get more fare payers onto the system. The train is running anyway and is well below capacity. Take a reduced, incentivized fare vs. taking $0.

This is basically a software change. Seems like a good starting point vs. spending millions on turnstiles.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by BigThief

Going to start taking photos and videos to see what I see. Though I rarely take the train now because of the issues.

Was I talking about four cars?

Yes. It's right in your post that I responded to.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Wormius

“I cannot tell how this thing that would create enormous impediments during Stampede or Flames games or other major events would help anything, therefore we should do this thing”.

Does Montreal have an issue with Lucien-L'Allier and Bonaventure?

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Maybe I'm giving Calgary Transit too much credit, but I am guessing that the cost/benefit of turnstiles has been looked at numerous times over the years.

The cost of installation and maintenance is likely to far exceed anything "recovered" from fare evasion.

Of course there are other variables, like enforcement and security costs, but those things are going to be needed with or without turnstiles.

You could even make a security argument for encouraging transit use in off-peak times like evenings and weekends. More "good" people around is a crime deterrent in itself. Which brings me back to my original point - provide incentives for evenings, weekends, families, etc. (and yes, even short trips) and get more fare payers onto the system. The train is running anyway and is well below capacity. Take a reduced, incentivized fare vs. taking $0.

This is basically a software change. Seems like a good starting point vs. spending millions on turnstiles.

It's not about cost recovery. It's about safety, or at least the perception of safety.

Don't kid yourself. Virtually all transit systems don't generate enough revenue to cover their own expenses - last I checked only Toronto's came close.

[para transit fellow]

Calgary completed this report in fall 2023

https://www.calgarypolicecommission....y-Strategy.pdf

https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings....umentId=242121


there was media coverage
https://livewirecalgary.com/2023/05/...d-says-report/

https://globalnews.ca/news/9689678/c...system-report/

https://www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/artic...tomers-report/

[para transit fellow]

this link is probably better as it hass the docs from the agenda and also appears to have the relevant video from the Council mtg

https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings....ab=attachments

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Does Montreal have an issue with Lucien-L'Allier and Bonaventure?

And did it help Montreal’s situation at all?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montr...less-1.7465094

[Barnes]

Comparing the Victoria Park platform to a Metro station with 2 or 3 street entrances, connections to the underground and a huge mezzanine designed for multiple turnstyles from the various entrances, and 9 car platforms is crazy