Union Pearson Express

[Gil]

2 minutes ago, Articulated said:

There were probably no fares being charged. The loading location at Union Station (on Station Street) is not exactly close to the Presto machines in the UP concourse, and Ground Level at T1 is a very long distance from the UP platform on Level 3; so tapping on/off at the physical machines at either end is not really an option, and there's no way for Metrolinx staff to enforce every single passenger tapping on/off at both locations before and after riding the GO shuttle buses.

The Presto machines on buses are set up for individual trips; drivers need to log into a scheduled trip with a defined start/end point in order for fares to be calculated correctly. Given this was an unscheduled emergency closure, there was no way for staff to have preprogrammed in all the trips necessary to cover service, and therefore there would be nothing for drivers to log into in order to charge fares. I think Metrolinx would see the reduced fares as compensation to passengers for the longer trip time and reduced comfort that buses would provide compared to the train, and write off the lost revenue as part of the costs to fix the equipment.

Switching over to bus service happens often enough that you would think Metrolinx would have a contingency to collect fares.  Frozen track switches or work along the tracks necessitates having to use buses on occasion.  I can only imagine how many bustitutions will be involved when they get around to electrifying the corridor.  Though at the pace they're going the Eglinton Line may already be built out to Pearson (or maybe not given the delays in opening the Eglinton Line)!

Both Union and Pearson are fare zone settings on a GO bus, would they deduct a GO fare rather than a UP fare even if there isn't a route between the two?  It would be partial revenue for Metrolinx and a discount on the UP Express fare for passengers.  I've wondered how the fares are calculated if a bus detours off route and someone were to get off.

[Articulated]

Just now, Gil said:

Switching over to bus service happens often enough that you would think Metrolinx would have a contingency to collect fares.  Frozen track switches or work along the tracks necessitates having to use buses on occasion.  I can only imagine how many bustitutions will be involved when they get around to electrifying the corridor.  Though at the pace they're going the Eglinton Line may already be built out to Pearson (or maybe not given the delays in opening the Eglinton Line)!

Both Union and Pearson are fare zone settings on a GO bus, would they deduct a GO fare rather than a UP fare even if there isn't a route between the two?  It would be partial revenue for Metrolinx and a discount on the UP Express fare for passengers.  I've wondered how the fares are calculated if a bus detours off route and someone were to get off.

Emergency bustitutions do not typically enforce fares. Many riders will have default trips programmed in already, so they will just ask people to tap on (and off if necessary) at their end stations, but bus drivers do not check to see that all riders boarding have already validated their Presto cards.

For the weekend closures for construction, those typically are known in advance, and as such GO has scheduled runs set up in the system for those individual days. So the Presto machines on board will work normally, and riders tap on and off when boarding/disembarking as normal.

[Orion 1200]

In order for fares to be charged, trips with UP fares would have be included in the data, however they generally are not, hence the free rides. In the past, the operators have used route 31 trip IDs to get the fares to Malton, which they accepted as being close enough when those in charged cared enough to try.

[GTAmissions1]

Union Pearson Express will resume operating until 1 AM from Pearson International Airport Terminal 1 every day effective January 7th.

https://www.metrolinx.com/en/news/late-night-up-service-returns-and-more-go-updates?fbclid=IwAR1CJYK0cBS_igASpcyyH4GL4OkzirDvX5M5UgermasvyjtBmR0cSQTVMGU

Final comments:

I did hear the complaints that the final trip from Pearson International Airport ends at 11:30 PM which is a bit early depending on when the flight arrives. Since Union Pearson Express is based out of Terminal 1 which is for Air Canada/Star Alliance along with Lynx Airlines. Or those coming from Terminal 3 and needing to take the people mover to connect to Terminal 1 wanting a quick trip into downtown and willing to pay the premium fare. 

If coming from an international destination needing to clear customs, that takes a bit of time depending on passenger volume. Last two trips were in the early morning (7 AM) which would have lower passenger volume versus the afternoon or evening which would have more volume to process. 

TTC is always avalible at the lower rate around the clock. It may not be the quickest, but for $3.30 with Presto/credit card or $3.35 with cash or purchasing a one-way or two ride Presto ticket with two hour transfer, it all depends on the final end destination. 

[Kumiko Oumae]

Safety needs to come first after a UPX train claimed the lives of two teenagers near the site of Mount Dennis Station on Monday.

[Articulated]

16 minutes ago, Kumiko Oumae said:

Safety needs to come first after a UPX train claimed the lives of two teenagers near the site of Mount Dennis Station on Monday.

What exactly is the safety issue here? UP operates on a completely grade-separated corridor. Over the past decade, Metrolinx has made significant infrastructure upgrades along the corridor for the purpose of removing any potential points of conflict with pedestrians or other users, and even more specifically walling off the corridor to prevent any access from pedestrians attempting to cross. This seems like a pretty clear case of two kids intentionally trespassing and walking along tracks they shouldn't have been.

[Kumiko Oumae]

55 minutes ago, Articulated said:

What exactly is the safety issue here? UP operates on a completely grade-separated corridor. Over the past decade, Metrolinx has made significant infrastructure upgrades along the corridor for the purpose of removing any potential points of conflict with pedestrians or other users, and even more specifically walling off the corridor to prevent any access from pedestrians attempting to cross. This seems like a pretty clear case of two kids intentionally trespassing and walking along tracks they shouldn't have been.

Much of the GO/UPX outdoor stations lack platform screen doors (save for Union and Pearson) because that could be up for debate after a woman was shoved to her death at a subway platform in New York back in October.

Since Metrolinx installed the anti-trespass panels on the Lakeshore East and West lines back in 2020, they should at least do the same for the Union-Pearson line to prevent this horrific incident from ever happening again.

[Xtrazsteve]

27 minutes ago, Kumiko Oumae said:

Much of the GO/UPX outdoor stations lack platform screen doors (save for Union and Pearson) because that could be up for debate after a woman was shoved to her death at a subway platform in New York back in October.

Since Metrolinx installed the anti-trespass panels on the Lakeshore East and West lines back in 2020, they should at least do the same for the Union-Pearson line to prevent this horrific incident from ever happening again.

The UPX tracks aren't easy to access unlike the Lakeshore lines tracks with crossing and old illegal trails. The most likely place would be the temporary construction gate. No installation would work if people intentionally defeat it to gain access.

[GTAmissions1]

Starting on April 27th to coincide with the Go Transit service changes, Union Pearson Express will change the route format to account for more frequent service on the Kitchener Line between Bramalea Go Station and Union Station operating every 30 minutes. 

• Local: Current format where stops are made at Bloor and Weston Go Stations before reaching Pearson Airport Terminal 1/Union Station
• Express: Only stops at Pearson Airport Terminal 1 or Union Station with no local stops in-between

Reason for the two branch system is due to overcrowding between those who disembark at location stations and those going direct to the airport. 

Final comments:

I do prefer the express option getting directly to the airport/Union Station without needing to go through the local stations. Though it will be interesting how this format will workout.

EDIT: The proposed change between having the local and express setup is cancelled and the Ford government is working to have this amendment made. Info will still remain up for record keeping, but this change will not proceed as planned.