Another OC Transpo Screw-Up

Wonder why OC Transpo can't meet its operating costs through farebox revenues ?
Turns out the new electronic fareboxes aren't working half the time -- so those wishing to use tickets or pay cash get to ride for free !
Taxpayers screwed again ! And judging from OC Transpo boss Alain Mercier's smirking interview with CTV Ottawa's Norm Fetterly last night (Thursday, January 7)
it's nothing to be concerned about. In fact, Boss Mercier gave every appearance that it was a laughing matter. Well it ain't no laughing matter to Ottawa ratepayers -- who are subsidizing this transit "service" through their property taxes.
Thank goodness for Councillor Bob Monette. He's demanding answers. Where is the chairman of the city's Transit Committee on this issue ? Guess he's just too busy out on the stump promising that if elected mayor next October 25, Ottawans need not worry about another bus strike. There won't be one on his watch, he says.
Now this is one of the finest pieces of political prevarication Citizen Ellie has come across in a long time. Puts one in mind of similar promises made in Toronto during the last municipal election campaign four years ago -- when David Miller and a half-dozen others promised a new era of labor peace if they were elected. Torontonians fell for this garbage -- and what did they get in return ? Garbage ! Great mounds of it ! During the hottest period of the summer ! During the height of tourist season ! That's when Toronto's garbage workers went on strike !
It's interesting to note that David Miller is not seeking another term as mayor. It's also interesting to note that Toronto's council has now prohibited both corporate and union donations to municipal election campaigns so there won't be any in the upcoming campaign. Obviously somebody learned something down there in the "big smoke".
Mayor wannabe Cullen is the very same person who last year trumpeted good news on the transit front -- a deal had been reached between the city and the Amalgamated Transit Union to the effect that all future contract disputes would be settled by binding arbitration. Too bad he didn't have a good pipeline into the union rank and file. We all know what happened to this one. Firstly, union president Andre Corneillier (who apparently committed himself to this binding arbitration deal without consulting his membership) narrowly escaped defeat in last summer's union election. In September, Brother Andre was slapped down again when ATU members voted to retain the conciliation/strike option.
But back to the fare box issue. Presumably Boss Mercier recommended installation of these devices to the city's Transit Committee, which, as we all know, is chaired by Councillor Cullen who is all set to spare no expense on building a light rail tunnel on the fault line which runs beneath the city.
On Wednesday past, the Ottawa Taxpayer Advocacy Group (Ottawa TAG) sent a letter to City Council demanding Auditor General Alain Lalonde be empowered to undertake an audit of all activities related to transit.
Their concerns: cancellation of routes and service levels due to maintenance problems; purchase of articulated buses which can't handle Ottawa winters (who was the great genius who chose these ?); doubling costs of capital projects such as the garage-mahal currently under construction; doubling costs of projected projects such as LRT; doubling costs of automated bus announcement system(a cost made necessary by refusal of operators to call out bus stops and the apparent inability of OC Transpo management to discipline operators who refuse to do this part of their job ); expenditure on fines due to OC Transpo management's failure to enforce human rights tribunal decisions re announcing bus stops; questionable fuel purchase contracts; failure to properly monitor sick leave usage; failure to take steps to prevent scheduling operators to ensure maximum overtime; failure to take steps to prevent scheduling of operators when there are no buses to drive; and procurement of fare boxes that don't work -- among other things.
Ottawa TAG's request for a thorough audit has merit, especially since the city is ready to embark on a huge LRT project. Are those in charge at OC Transpo ready to manage a multi-billion dollar LRT system ? And what about the city's Transit Committee ? C'mon, councillors -- let's have a thorough examination of this operation. You want our property taxes to subsidize OC Transpo's operating costs ? Then prove to us with a thorough audit, as Ottawa TAG is requesting, that our tax dollars are being wisely spent by a tough, effective management team.
When citizens are left stranded at bus stops in January because buses aren't running -- allegedly due to maintenance problems; when fareboxes don't work -- resulting in free rides for those who don't use passes; when operators can still get away with refusing to call out stops despite Human Rights tribunal decisions and subsequent fines; when sick leave and ovetime costs are through the roof -- the average taxpayer gags at the thought of what will happen to his/her property taxes when this lot have electric trains to play with.

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