HSR Announces Further Service Reductions Beginning June 28
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City Hall is reducing HSR service further beginning on June 28, with 14 bus routes seeing service reduced with many of the cuts focused upon evening and night service.
Council to Decide if Students Continue Paying For HSR UPasses During COVID Closures
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With student U-Passes representing approx. 17% of HSR’s annual revenue, Council faces a growing municipal deficit due to COVID-19.
Flamborough HSR Bus Service Cost Now Split Between Waterdown and Hamilton Ratepayers
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With the change, the $538,000 annual operating cost of the 18-Waterdown HSR bus route is funded 68.8% by Waterdown ratepayers and 31.2% by Hamilton ratepayers for approximately $370,000 and $168,000 respectively.
Coleman’s Notes: HSR Shortening the 34-Upper Paradise Routing Downtown
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This is not a rider-centric change, quite the opposite. Instead of providing needed bus service to Redeemer University College, Mayor Fred Eisenberger has once again shortchanged the HSR and its riders.
Provincial Student Fee Announcement Could Cost HSR over $7-Million in Revenue
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The HSR’s 2018 revenue forecast was $42.4-million, of which $7.1-million was from McMaster and Mohawk U-Passes, 16.7% of the HSR’s overall revenue.
Council Exploring Local Solutions to Metrolinx HSR-PRESTO Requirements
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Hamilton City Councillors are hesitant to accept terms imposed by Ontario’s Provincial transit oversight agency Metrolinx for the use of the electronic PRESTO fare system. Under new terms of use being imposed by Metrolinx’s on the 905-belt municipalities, local transit systems must generate a minimum amount of commission revenue to PRESTO or face clawbacks in their provincial gas tax funding. Gas tax revenues projected to double to $21-million by 2021-22
For Hamilton’s local public transit agency, this means going from paying $422,039 at a 2% commission rate to $4,098,005 at a 9% commission rate in 2027. Metrolinx is regarding that 80% of HSR revenue by from PRESTO media by 2021. To reach 80%, HSR must discontinue paper tickets and passes.
Joe Kipp, King of 1-King, Retires Friday after Nearly 40 Years Driving HSR Buses
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Whoever said everyone is replaceable never met HSR’s bubbles chocolate bus driver.
HSR Extending Driver Shifts, Putting Articulated Buses on 1-King at Night Starting December 31
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The HSR, struggling with a operator shortage caused by Council cuts is extending shifts for its drivers starting December 31 to increase its “spareboard” and cut cancellations.
Environment Hamilton Meeting on HSR Transit Crisis, November 14, 2017 [Video]
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Environment Hamilton hosted a meeting at Hamilton City Hall to discuss the ongoing Hamilton Street Railway Transit Crisis.
Hamilton City Council GIC for November 10, 2017
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Hamilton City Councillors debated the 2018 public transit HSR capital budget. Much of the debate centred around the ongoing transit crisis, the use of the late 1980s custom build transit garage at 330 Wentworth Street North as a public works yard and office, and if it be more cost effective to return to using this garage for transit than building another transit garage.
Full Video Replay