The Public Record | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site (https://thepublicrecord.ca/topics/hamilton-street-railway/page/2/)
The new policy was implemented in the past few weeks, surprising developers and City planning staff. The policy is not on the City website, and no staff in the Development Industry Liaison Group meeting were able to explain it.
Farr calls on Metrolinx to resume pre-COVID service levels. Farr has not made a similar call for Council to resume full HSR service.
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.
With student U-Passes representing approx. 17% of HSR’s annual revenue, Council faces a growing municipal deficit due to COVID-19.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Whoever said everyone is replaceable never met HSR’s bubbles chocolate bus driver.
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.