Last week, the City of Guelph released a tender. It’s a regular occurrence, City Hall releases tenders all the time for various projects. But for local transit nerds, this is a big deal because it means the beginning of the end of a five year odyssey to create an inter-modal transit hub downtown. Yes, the City has released a tender to find a general contractor to renovate Guelph’s historic train station. Continue reading “City Sends Out Tender to Finally Finish Guelph Central Station”
Back in December during budget deliberations, city council passed a motion to make stat holiday service run on a one-hour schedule for the 2016 calendar year. That schedule will go into effect for the first time on Family Day, February 15, and Guelph Transit is hustling to get the word out so that everyone can make the transition in time for the holiday a week from Monday. Continue reading “Family Day Will Mark Beginning of One Hour Holiday Transit Service”
It was on this day last year that the tensions between the City and Guelph Transit workers was finally resolved after a protracted and antagonistic negotiation that culminated in a lockout of the bus drivers and mass disruption to the lives of bus users. One of the problems with the way transit is run in this city, from both the point of view of management and the point of view that those that have the option to not use transit, is that taking the bus is only a grueling, uncomfortable experience. Well, at least the City of Edmonton is looking to change that opinion.
Guelph Transit is working very hard to get its act together. It’s put together a pretty comprehensive remodel of the transit system and schedule that should go into effect later this year, but Transit wants more. Continue reading “PRESS RELEASE – City Wants Feedback About Rapid Transit and Other Issues”
Four years ago when the City of Guelph revamped the entire Guelph Tranist route and schedule system it did not go exactly according to plan. Adjustments were made, Transit tried to address the whole new set of problems created by the change with some degree of success, but a lot of transit riders will agree that it’s far from smooth sailing riding the bus in the Royal City. Now, Tranist thinks they may have found some answers via a ridership survey taken earlier this year. Will these new routes and new schedules be the answer to Guelph’s transit woes? Continue reading “City Planning More Changes to Transit; Looking for Feedback”
This story broke just before Christmas, an inordinately busy time under the best of circumstances, but it’s an important story just the same given the events of 2014. Following up to the agreement reached last summer between the City of Guelph and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1189, Guelph Transit workers now have their lunchroom at Guelph Central Station, and continuous access to washrooms at the University Centre (even when it’s closed). Not for nothing, but was that so hard, City of Guelph? Continue reading “PRESS RELEASE – Guelph Transit Gets Their Concessions”
Some good news from Guelph Transit for a change! It looks like 33 per cent more people took advantage of free, late night rides on Royal City’s buses this New Year’s over last, according to numbers released by the City of Guelph and the Downtown Guelph Business Association. With nearly 4,300 free rides given, more than 1,200 over the 2013/14 New Year’s celebrations, this program seems an assured success and one likely to continue to run. Continue reading “PRESS RELEASE – Transit Moved More People on New Year’s Eve”
August 8 has always been a politically significant day, in 1942 it was the start of the Quiet India movement, in 1974 it was the day that Richard Nixon announced he was stepping down from the presidency, and in 1990 it was the day that Iraq invaded Kuwait, setting off a series of events that would lead to the Gulf War.
Now August 8 is the date when the Guelph Transit lockout ended and the buses will start rolling out onto city roads once more. The City of Guelph and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1189 have both ratified a new contract and service will be restored once schedules are made and the bus fleet is inspected, which should be Friday at the earliest. What’s in the agreement, and what’s next for riders? Read on… Continue reading “Guelph Transit Back Friday; ATU & City Both Ratify Agreement”
As the lockout of Guelph Transit nears the end of its second week, there’s a sign of hope that this time next week we may be able to get back on the buses again. Word came in late last night that the City of Guelph and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1189 have reached a tentative agreement.
The key point is that this means there’s no immediate end to the lockout. The ATU members will vote this coming Thursday, August 7, and if they vote to ratify, council will hold a special meeting to vote it through on their end. Meeting day and time to confirmed soon. Now the question is, for the union, will the third time be the charm? Continue reading “City & ATU Reach Tentative Agreement; Bus Service to be Restored After Ratification”
Coming perilously close to being taken out with the trash, came word late Thursday afternoon that the City of Guelph was seeking conciliation from the province as contract negotiations with the employees of Guelph Transit, represented by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1189, appear to have come to an impasse. Continue reading “City Seeking Provincial Conciliator for Transit Contractor”
Guelph Politico 