TORONTO, Dec. 12, 2008 /CNW/ - GO Transit unveiled its Strategic Plan -
GO 2020 - at today's monthly GO Board of Directors meeting in Toronto. GO 2020
is the most comprehensive blueprint of GO Transit's future that has ever been
developed and will be used to guide the organization as it continues to
deliver fast, convenient, and reliable transit services.
The plan provides strategic direction to the year 2020, and is guided by
an ambitious vision for the future - to be the preferred choice for
interregional travel in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, home to eight million
Ontarians, and growing.
"This is a big step forward for GO Transit and its customers," said GO
Transit Chairman Peter Smith. "We're committed to creating more responsive and
sustainable transit service for customers. GO 2020 is proof of that commitment
and represents a clear step in the right direction for the future of transit."
GO 2020 synchronizes with both the Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan
and the MoveOntario 2020 Provincial investment, and provides a framework for
developing GO's capital and operating plans and budgets. The plan is founded
on six main goals aimed at improving access to better, more efficient transit
systems:1. Deliver high-quality transit services throughout the Greater Golden
Horseshoe
2. Be a leader in customer service
3. Continue to enhance quality through organizational excellence
4. Be a model for environmental initiatives while reducing GO's carbon
footprint with every passenger
5. Maintain strong partnerships that create seamless transitions between
municipal transit systems and improve access to regional transit
services
6. Remain economically sustainableBy 2020, GO ridership to the Toronto core will more than double, and GO
ridership outside the Toronto core will triple. GO 2020 establishes concrete
plans for managing this growth while improving service overall, including:
doubling the proportion of passengers accessing GO stations (other than Union
Station) by walking, cycling, or taking transit; improving service reliability
so that 92% of train trips arrive within five minutes of their scheduled time;
making seats available for every passenger on 95% of train and bus trips;
focusing on best practices in environmental sustainability; greater ownership
and control of rail corridors; 100% accessibility on bus and rail services by
2016; and well-integrated public transportation, including a common fare card,
with provincial, regional, and municipal partners.
Major service improvements outlined in GO 2020 include:- Two-way, all-day service within GO's core service area by 2020
- A train or bus departure at least every 15 minutes during peak
periods and at least every 30 minutes in the off-peak periods (on
primary corridors)
- New peak-period train service along rail lines not currently being
used, between Bolton, Seaton, east Markham, and the Yonge and
Summerhill area
- Extending existing GO rail lines, including Bowmanville on the
Lakeshore East line, Uxbridge on the Stouffville line, Aurora Road on
the Richmond Hill line, and Guelph on the Georgetown lineFor more information about GO 2020, or to receive a copy of the
publication, please contact GO Transit Media Relations below.
GO Transit is the Province of Ontario's interregional public transit
system linking Toronto with the surrounding regions of the Greater Toronto
Area (GTA). GO carries nearly 55 million passengers a year in an extensive
network of train and bus services that spans over 8,000 square kilometres.
Disponible en français
For further information: Media enquiries - Vanessa Thomas, (416)
869-3600 ext. 5264, or Jessica Kosmack, (416) 869-3600 ext. 5231
