Latest news with #paratransit
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Montreal bus drivers and metro operators vote in favour of strike
Bus drivers and metro operators at the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) voted in favour of pressure tactics including an unlimited general strike on Saturday evening. Members of the local Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) section voted 99 per cent in favour of the strike mandate at a general meeting, the union reported on Sunday. On top of bus drivers and metro operators, the union represents station agents and paratransit drivers for the STM, for a total of 4,500 members. CUPE says the STM administration continues to make 'significant demands on unionized staff,' particularly with regard to work schedules, work-life balance and job security. The issue of wage increases and the privatization of paratransit services is also among the points of contention between union members and the employer. 'This is not a decision we take lightly, but our members have spoken with one voice. They demand to be treated with respect, to be able to do their jobs in humane conditions and to receive compensation that reflects their essential role in the daily lives of Montrealers,' said Frédéric Therrien, president of CUPE Local 1983, in a press release. Their collective agreement has been expired since Jan. 5. The STM Maintenance Employees Union announced last week it would go on strike starting June 9, which would coincide in part with the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Montreal. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French June 1, 2025.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
RTD adds 27,000 hours to bus, rail services, hosts Denver career fair
Riders who use the Regional Transportation District's, also known as RTD, public transportation services now have an easier way of traveling around the Denver metro area. RTD just added more than 27,000 service hours to their bus and rail services starting now until the end of 2025. This change will get riders around faster and more often. Some of the changes include: Rail services The N Line will add a northbound trip from Union Station Friday evenings The D, E, H, R and W lines will receive minor schedule adjustments to increase on-time performance and service reliability Bus services Routes that will receive minor schedule adjustments to improve on-time performance and service reliability or to improve connections with other RTD services include 1, 9, 11, 12, 20, 38, 121, 153, 169L, 205, 206, 208, 483, BOLT, DASH, and P. The P route will be renamed PD effective May 25, 2025. Routes that will experience increased service include 16, 44, 73, 153, NB2 and the Free MetroRide. Routes that will undergo seasonal adjustments include 11, 20, 24, 42, 45, 65, 73, 225, 225D, JUMP, NB1, NB2, DASH and SKIP. The Free MetroRide will provide additional service during peak travel periods on weekdays. Access-a-Ride Customers who use Access-a-Ride should be aware that any reductions or improvements to regular bus and rail routes may also impact paratransit service availability. RTD is committed to ensuring that paratransit services remain accessible and will communicate any changes that may affect these services. The Metro Bus Ride will run on 16th Street and 9th Street in downtown Denver between Civic Center Park and Denver Union Station from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday CBS RTD has also added new security measures to its services. The agency has almost 100 officers in its police force and is budgeted to add 50 more. The agency also has video cameras on all of its buses and is now aiming to add them to all of its rail systems. This provides officers with live looks on all services and makes it easier to patrol the areas. The agency has also implemented 24 hours a day, seven days of week patrolling. RTD said public transit is essential when you have a metro area with millions of people. "Public transit is so important for people," Tara Broghammer, Senior Specialist of Public Relations with RTD. "This is for educational opportunities, job opportunities and anyone making those trips downtown. They can lead the driving to RTD. They don't have to pay for parking. It's very convenient." CBS Now, with more services, RTD needs to hire more staff. The agency is hosting a career fair on Friday, May 30, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at their Platte Division office, located at 3333 Ringsby Court in Denver. The agency is looking to hire at least 85 bus operators, tech and supervisor roles, with pay starting at $25.95. Applicants could also receive a $4,000 signing bonus. The agency will also host listening and feedback sessions to allow riders to voice their opinions on the new service changes. The meetings will be virtual on Monday, June 16, at noon and 5:30 p.m. and on Tuesday, June 17, at 5:30 p.m. A service planner will be available for questions.
CBC
27-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
London Transit launches online paratransit booking, but not soon enough for some users
Social Sharing London Transit Commission (LTC) has started rolling out its long-awaited online booking system for paratransit users. After months of delay, at least 70 paratransit riders have received access to test out the online portal as weekly letters go out to more users to sign up, according to a staff report from May 9. "I think it's been helpful. There's definitely room for improvement, but it's a big step that we've waited a very, very long time to get, and this system is well overdue," said Londoner Natalie Judges, who is one of the testers for the system and has used it daily since April. "This kind of eases the pressure of not having to call in, as I know from personal experience of redialing multiple times to get through because the line drops and you get disconnected or just too many people trying to use the system." The May 9 staff report said the organization anticipates "all letters will be mailed to existing registrants by the end of May," but the LTC's general manager Kelly Paleczny wasn't available to provide comment on Monday or share how close the transit service is to meeting the goal. The online program was supposed to launch in February but was delayed due to technical issues, which led LTC to open it up to users in batches while it continues testing out any glitches. There are more than 7,000 people registered with paratransit as of last fall. The email-based portal allows users to submit and modify booking requests, receiving a confirmation within 15 minutes if a ride is available or not. The new system also aims to accommodate more trips and passengers, allowing riders to check the status of their trips or make cancellations even if they booked over the phone. Similar to the telephone booking line, online paratransit rides are also booked up to three days in advance, including the day of. Judges said this is a "big flaw" and is disappointed that a three-day window doesn't allow users to plan ahead. "I thought they would bring priority to medical appointments that are booked months or years ahead," she said. "It would be nice to be able to book that trip in advance, just to ensure that you're not left without a ride or stranded." Judges acknowledged it's a brand new system which will likely have issues that can be resolved over time, and she appreciates the ability to access it from anywhere through various devices. 'We haven't been told anything,' other riders say However, some other paratransit riders said they haven't received any communication from LTC about when the online system will be ready to use. "We haven't been told anything. I haven't gotten any information on it," said Penny Moore, 61, who uses an electric wheelchair. "There's a lot of delays, a lot of communication breakdowns and confusion. Other users don't know anything about it either and they're not sure how it's going to work." Although LTC has sent out an instruction package to riders signed up for the online system, Moore said there should also be information sessions where users who need additional face-to-face support understand the portal can ask questions. Valerie Hembruff has been waiting for months with no update on the online portal and said the current system is time consuming. She said LTC needs to honour the deadlines they commit to, especially with this virtual service which has been in the works for years. "It's difficult because in the meantime, the only option for us riders is to phone in and sometimes that can be really quick, but sometimes you'll be on hold for a while. It's like I need to put aside time just to see if I can request a ride for three days from now," said Hembruff. "[The online system] would eliminate that time commitment of calling in and waiting through a queue to get an employee to pick up the phone." LTC said data from other transit system indicates that approximately 10 per cent of users prefer online bookings compared to over the phone and the organization will provide regular updates as to how many paratransit users are booking trips online and via telephone.
