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GO Transit
(04-08-2017, 10:41 PM)KevinL Wrote:
(04-08-2017, 09:56 PM)Canard Wrote: Is there generally a "rush" to get the best seat up there?  If one were to board at the Charles St. Terminal on a run headed to Toronto, is it already full from the previous stops?

Your best chance at a choice of seat is when there are fewer university passengers aboard. Choose a time when fewer of them would be travelling (not on evenings, Fridays, weekends generally). Alternately, board at the first stop at UW.

^ what he said. The front row seats fill up early (even if the rest of the bus is empty) - the best bet is to go catch it at UW.

Route 30 running out of Kitchener GO and Charles Terminal is also a good idea, and it's also the fastest way to Union (via train from Bramalea GO). However not all trips are done by double deckers. 

Best way to check which trips have double deckers is via the GTFS feed: https://transitfeeds.com/p/go-transit/32/latest/routes

Select a route and then select a date to travel. Then, click on a certain trip and check the Block ID. ID numbers starting with DDL (double decker low) or DDS (double decker SuperLo) are designated double decker trips.
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Not on the Kitchener line, but...

Today in Bureaucracy!

The Minister of Transportation announced a pilot project to install a Tim's at 4 GO Transit stations.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/TimHortons">@TimHortons</a> kiosks are coming to a select number of GO stations as part of a pilot project with The Kilmer Group: <a href="https://t.co/OQWfjvqwUJ">https://t.co/OQWfjvqwUJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/iGwdf088gP">pic.twitter.com/iGwdf088gP</a></p>&mdash; Metrolinx (@Metrolinx) <a href="https://twitter.com/Metrolinx/status/852512442743754752">April 13, 2017</a></blockquote>

My take:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The state of rail transit in Ontario:<br>The Minister of Transportation<br>had a press conference<br>for a pilot project<br>at 4 stations<br>to sell coffee</p>&mdash; Mark Jackson-Brown (@Markster3000) <a href="https://twitter.com/Markster3000/status/852555599082655744">April 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I've got an idea for <a href="https://twitter.com/Metrolinx">@Metrolinx</a><br>Build 1 retail unit at every <a href="https://twitter.com/GOtransit">@GOtransit</a> station, put up a &quot;For Lease&quot; sign, and don't be picky. It will work</p>&mdash; Mark Jackson-Brown (@Markster3000) <a href="https://twitter.com/Markster3000/status/852560997818802177">April 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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"Will commuters be interested in coffee?" Markster, what a card!
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They may well have requested proposals from multiple vendors. Regardless, I do expect they are looking for a single vendor across the whole GO system rather than contracting with a different one at each station.
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Yeah, its totally reasonable for the Government to look for one vendor that handles everything.

It's not reasonable for that vendor to be appointed (I have no idea if they were or weren't).

Edit: Although I certainly agree with the sentiment about the "trial run".  I'd think lots of companies would be comfortable taking the risk.
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The reason for the trial may be to test the revenue generated (either for Kilmer or GO, or both). I suspect Metrolinx wants to know its ROI on doing station renos for coffee kiosks. I have nothing to back up that suspicion, though.
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It is kind of unfortunate switching to the shorter buses. I'm assuming they're shorter inside, and given the larger ones were just barely tall enough for me to stand.... but if it's necessary.
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(04-13-2017, 04:45 PM)tomh009 Wrote: They may well have requested proposals from multiple vendors.  Regardless, I do expect they are looking for a single vendor across the whole GO system rather than contracting with a different one at each station.

Will I be able to use my Presto Card at every government sanctioned coffee shop and get points on one of my frequent spender cards?   Huh
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(04-17-2017, 10:47 PM)MacBerry Wrote:
(04-13-2017, 04:45 PM)tomh009 Wrote: They may well have requested proposals from multiple vendors.  Regardless, I do expect they are looking for a single vendor across the whole GO system rather than contracting with a different one at each station.

Will I be able to use my Presto Card at every government sanctioned coffee shop and get points on one of my frequent spender cards?   Huh

Not yet, but if it goes the route of Hong Kong's Octopus card (which can be used for such purposes), then maybe...
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My goodness the ceilings are low in the super low height double decker buses. I'm slightly above average height but I am bending down quite a bit on both floors.
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(04-17-2017, 11:47 PM)KevinL Wrote:
(04-17-2017, 10:47 PM)MacBerry Wrote: Will I be able to use my Presto Card at every government sanctioned coffee shop and get points on one of my frequent spender cards?   Huh

Not yet, but if it goes the route of Hong Kong's Octopus card (which can be used for such purposes), then maybe...

I loved Suica in Japan! Top up as much as you like, as often as you like - works on virtually every single transit system there, and I could even buy my breakfast every day at Lawsons or 7-Eleven with it. Vending machines even accepted Suica!

Since Credit isn't really a thing there in Japan, Suica kind of fills the need for having something "like cash" but much more easy to manage (just tap).
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(04-24-2017, 09:40 PM)Canard Wrote: I loved Suica in Japan!  Top up as much as you like, as often as you like - works on virtually every single transit system there, and I could even buy my breakfast every day at Lawsons or 7-Eleven with it.  Vending machines even accepted Suica!

Since Credit isn't really a thing there in Japan, Suica kind of fills the need for having something "like cash" but much more easy to manage (just tap).

Luggage lockers, too ...

But grocery stores and restaurants typically don't accept Suica/Pasmo.  Fortunately credit card acceptance is steadily creeping up in Japan, too.
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How can you tell there's an election next year?

Mayor unhappy Cambridge’s GO train hopes seem stalled
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On the CBC yesterday morning, Mayor Craig said ""I'm getting very discouraged by the fact that over a 15-year period, we have been advocating for GO train service to Cambridge and right now, we're on nobody's radar."

When I heard him say that, my initial reaction was that he should try to advocate in a different way than he is. Or possibly Cambridge should find a different advocate.
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(05-12-2017, 08:27 AM)MidTowner Wrote: On the CBC yesterday morning, Mayor Craig said ""I'm getting very discouraged by the fact that over a 15-year period, we have been advocating for GO train service to Cambridge and right now, we're on nobody's radar."

When I heard him say that, my initial reaction was that he should try to advocate in a different way than he is. Or possibly Cambridge should find a different advocate.

Me too!  My first (nasty) thought was that he seems pretty ineffectual.
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