Saturday November 4, 2017
Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday November 4, 2017
Will Hamilton miss the bus on LRT operation?
Will unreliable HSR bus service kill the city’s bid to operate light rail transit?
October 18, 2017
It’s a popular question in the face of a dramatic spike in no-show buses — about 23 a day last month — unprecedented driver absenteeism and escalating tensions between the transit union and management.
Two months ago, city council got on board with a vocal local union campaign to ask the province to reconsider its plan to contract out operations and maintenance of a $1-billion, 14-kilometre LRT line proposed for Hamilton.
The province and transit agency Metrolinx, which had planned to solicit private bids to design, build and operate the LRT, say they are mulling the request.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger said Thursday he expects an answer “in the next week or so,” but added he didn’t know if AWOL buses would factor into the provincial decision.
Coun. Arlene Vanderbeek, however, publicly pointed out the especially poor timing of the no-show bus crisis. “We’ve asked the province to let us run the LRT … all of a sudden, we can’t run the HSR,” she said during a meeting on the issue at City Hall.
April 28, 2017
Residents were quick to weigh in online, too.
“Wonder how this debacle is playing down at Metrolinx HQ as they ponder council request to have @hsr operate the #LRT,” tweeted Ward 8 resident Paul Seczek.
Brad Clark, the former Ward 9 councillor and a Tory transportation minister, also pointed to a “very problematic” open letter from the transit union that labels HSR management “incompetent.” “Province could seize on this letter as a reason to reject local operation or even stall LRT,” he said on Twitter.
Hamilton Liberal MPP Ted McMeekin acknowledged in a brief message he has spoken to the mayor about the HSR. “No doubt their current situation does not reflect well. Let’s hope it’s an anomaly.” (Source: Hamilton Spectator)