The PenOpticon

Simon South is maintaining an interesting blog about the current YRT/VIVA transit strike.  Just wanted to add my 4-cents:

You are right, Simon — its all about density. Many of us want the Toronto subway to extend up Yonge St to Richmond Hill Centre — and possibly beyond, but until Yonge St is completely lined with condos, the low densities will not justify it. But there are many pressures at play. Veolia and other companies have brought some valuable expertise that has helped York Region get serious about transit, but should that be a forever cost? Shouldn’t our elected officials and staff be able to learn how to run an efficient public system?

1 It was only a few years ago that York Region moved to amalgamate all of the separate transit systems (Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markahm, Newmarket, etc). So, I suppose you could make a case that the Region is still learning how to run a larger single transit operation — within the context of a rapidly (too rapid, I think) growing region.  There are probably still many efficiencies to be had.

2) As long as population densities remain low, transit will always be more expensive in York Region. Don’t forget, the TTC used to have a zoned fare system so riders in outlying suburbs paid more to travel downtown.  The TTC only began running deficits when they were forced to bring in a one-fare system.  We currently run two zones on VIVA — perhaps we need 3 and/or a zone system for YRT.  At least with a public system, any higher worker wages would be plowed back into the local economy.

3) Veolia profits are currently sucked out of the community and I don’t know if we can even discover what those profits are. Contracting out still requires considerable resources on the part of the Region. Do we know the real cost of VIVA transit enforcement system? It involves 60+ enforcers, additional police time as well as court time for some offenders. How much does this cost us?

4) No one likes to hear about Peak Oil, but it will almost certainly start to affect us more in the coming decades. Here is an excellent overview of Peak Oil from a physicist’s perspective.  As Tom Murpyhy says:

So how can I look at the total hydrocarbons figure and still have concerns? Most simply, peak oil is about rates, not amounts. It’s also about economics, the speed with which we could scale, energy returned on energy invested (EROEI), carbon caps, and other practical matters. The fact that oil prices recently rose by a factor of three while no relief arrived from other hydrocarbons can be taken as empirical evidence that the vast amount of hydrocarbons in the ground is not immediately useful in a pinch. The market did not cradle us and take care of business, as the perennial promise goes.

Perhaps even [much] higher-priced transit will likely be viewed as an absolute bargain in the coming years.

As we look for efficiencies in York Region we will soon have to address the fact that we currently support 9 local councils and dozens of duplicate departments, multiple fire fighting services, library systems, etc. We will have to do better.