I am vexed

[CountDC]

On a comical note - did you see the T-shirts at the kiosk at St Laurent Centre?   There's one that has the OCTranspo logo but says

"NOCTranspo"
NOT serving the community since December 10, 2008

Haven't been out there lately but heard about the shirt - some people were debating the date though  ;D

 

[CountDC]

All depends on what part of the city you look at. I know that the city contracts out some portions. I know someone that operates grader doing snow removal, and is out as soon as the snow hits a certain height (as set out in the contract). Consider yourself lucky that Ottawa plows, because they sure don't do it here in Edmonton. As for the OCTranspo bit, the union should realize that the world doesn't revolve around them (you'd think it was the TTC after all) and that maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be the end of the world if they had to work the odd weekend.

With the job I have seen them do I sure don't feel lucky.  Went home one day and there was a pile of snow about 4 feet high with sods on it.  Another day my neighbour saw the plow driver come up the street and cross over to deposit the snow into my side of the driveway.  I passed the plow one day and noticed that as he plowed his blade was about 4 inches off the ground - and yes he was plowing the area. Some areas do get better treatment than others.  I have driven down a street 3 nights in a row that was left untouched but every night they were clearing the sidewalk - turn the corner and the street there would be perfectly cleared to the pavement. I have turned down one way streets only to find they were totally blocked by plows coming up the other way (and they do keep coming).  Watched one plow driver almost take out a car by switching lanes without signaling . The car was just starting to pass when the plow drifted over - luckily he noticed and was able to brake (and luckily I left him lots of room so he could brake).  Like most places they supposedly do the main roads first yet I have seen little side streets cleared while the main street was still covered. At least by not plowing you know what you are getting instead of every street being different.

 

[Lil_T]

holy crap.  well, that tells you how much I venture outside my little pocket out in the east end.

Haven't been out there lately but heard about the shirt - some people were debating the date though  ;D

;D  hahahaha

 

[CountDC]

holy crap.  well, that tells you how much I venture outside my little pocket out in the east end.

;D  hahahaha

the boss likes to travel sometimes when she shops - regular range from Barrhaven - Bayshore - St Laurent - Super Walmart on Innes and any Walmart/Costco/Toys R us or other mall located in that range.  Occassionally she will drift across the little pond to Gatineau or hear of somewhere that most people don't know exist (one I couldn't find in the map book of Ottawa and area I have so she went on to Google map and got the directions.

 

[Lil_T]

aren't you the lucky one.... I usually like staying within my zone of knowledge when it comes to the shopping.  And I despise going over to Gatineau.  had to drive Hubby to work there every day after we got posted here and still had just the one car.

 

[danchapps]

CountDC, were they city owned plows that were plowing like crap,or were they the private contractors? All Ottawa owned plows have the city logo on them, and the private ones have company names on them. If a plow operator is operating in an unsafe manner (multiple lane changes without signal, actually hitting vehicles, swerving constantly, etc) then call the city about it, report where and when it happened, and the driver will be dealt with. It could have been the one time on their shift they might have forgotten. Remember, some of the plow ops have been up all night plowing trying to keep the roads clean. There are also different rules in contracts for different streets, snow depth and so on. Obviously they want sidewalks done everywhere very fast so pedestrians can walk safely. Plows can't be everywhere at once, and it takes time to clear the roads all over. Also, keeping a safe distance from behind a plow is law if I'm not mistaken, something like 15 meters. It's a blind spot thing. Hope the bus drivers smarten up soon though, that'll make Ottawa that much better to visit.

 

[CountDC]

CountDC, were they city owned plows that were plowing like crap,or were they the private contractors? All Ottawa owned plows have the city logo on them, and the private ones have company names on them. If a plow operator is operating in an unsafe manner (multiple lane changes without signal, actually hitting vehicles, swerving constantly, etc) then call the city about it, report where and when it happened, and the driver will be dealt with. It could have been the one time on their shift they might have forgotten. Remember, some of the plow ops have been up all night plowing trying to keep the roads clean. There are also different rules in contracts for different streets, snow depth and so on. Obviously they want sidewalks done everywhere very fast so pedestrians can walk safely. Plows can't be everywhere at once, and it takes time to clear the roads all over. Also, keeping a safe distance from behind a plow is law if I'm not mistaken, something like 15 meters. It's a blind spot thing. Hope the bus drivers smarten up soon though, that'll make Ottawa that much better to visit.

I have reported plows last year and could tell by the response that nothing would really by done.  Being up all night is not an excuse for hazardous driving - get in an accident and try it as a defence.  I have doubts that the contract would read to a depth of 4 inches the day after a snowfall.  Plows can't be everywhere but after 3 days you would expect the street to be touched at least once, especially if they can do the sidewalks every night (and why would you have to do the sidewalk every night - it hasn't snowed since the first one??). By the way, even though the sidewalks are cleared people still walk on the street, It always amazes me.  Keeping a safe distance is law - passing on a multi-lane road though is not illegal.  I took time to talk to one of the dumpers parked on the side street one night and the biggest problem with the street clearing is the management.  As he pointed out there were six trucks sitting there waiting to be filled by back-hoe meanwhile a couple streets over one of the fast-feeders was waiting for trucks. According to him it would be about  1.5 to 2 hours before his truck was filled - in that time he could go to the other location, fill up, dump and be back at his original spot.  Wasn't allowed to do it - instead they paid him and the fast-feeder to sit there and do nothing.

Bus drivers will never smarten up - either they will get what they want, be ordered back to work or cave in when enough of them run out of money and the mortage is due.  This has become a matter of whether the city has the balls to stand up to them or not.  The cracks are already showing at city hall and I have the feeling we will see again that the only balls on the city are the Mayors.  Another stupid thing this city did - elect a new Mayor and then handicap him with all the same yo-yos that were there before. They mentioned on the radio how last vote it was only something like 75% voted to stay out.  They thought this was a crack in the drivers resolve - I am guessing that the lower number is due to non-drivers such as mechanics that stand to gain nothing from the current fight voting yes.

 

[TN2IC]

It takes the blower to load us within 30-45 seconds. The loader/backhoe can take up to 10 minutes to load us. Just FYI for any person wondering about snow removal questions.

Regards,
Mr Plow

 

[kratz]

It appears the strike is over. Now to see how long it takes to get the transit system up to speed.

National Post

After 51 days, Ottawa transit strike finally ends
Mohammed Adam, Canwest News Service 
Published: Thursday, January 29, 2009


OTTAWA -- Seven weeks into a bus strike that at times, caused winter-road chaos in the nation's capital, the City of Ottawa and workers with its striking transit union reached an agreement Thursday afternoon to send all the outstanding issues in the 51-day-old OC Transpo strike to binding arbitration.

The strike by 2,300 drivers, mechanics and dispatchers of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 279 is over immediately.

At a news conference in Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien's office, Mr. O'Brien and union officials Andre Cornellier and Randy Graham came together to announce that with federal back-to-work legislation seeming inevitable, they decided it was in the interests of Ottawa residents to come to an agreement to get the buses rolling again.

"It has been a difficult and acrimonious dispute to be involved in," said federal Labour Minister Rona Ambrose, who on Wednesday signalled she would introduce back-to-work legislation in the House of Commons.

"Once pressure was applied ... the parties came together," she said. "I think this is a very positive outcome for the City of Ottawa."

Asked why Ottawa residents had to go through 51 days of suffering before this, representatives from both sides of the dispute said an agreement simply couldn't be reached without the threat of legislation.

A note on the OC Transpo website, posted earlier this month, says when the strike ends, many buses in the fleet will not be ready to return to service. Mechanical repairs and inspections are required before buses can be put back on the road, but approximately half the fleet of 1,000 buses will be ready on the first day of service. Still, media reports suggested it would take a week to get the first round of buses road-ready.

OC Transpo says transit routes will operate at a reduced level while the fleet is getting readied to return to full operation.

Ottawa Citizen, with files from Canwest News Service

 

[Lil_T]

probably take at least 2 months to get back to normal.  I'll save the expletives for myself.

 

[George Wallace]

So what does the "POOL" say is the day that all the bus Routes are back in operation?    51 day Strike, and another 51 days to get all the buses running? 

I say Victoria Day Weekend may be a good guess.

 

[Lil_T]

they're saying it'll be well into April.  Lovely.  I'd wager that your guess is closer George.

 

[PMedMoe]

Looks like full service is not expected until April 6th, however, there is light on the horizon.

Buses Back on Saturday

 

[CountDC]

I come out good - only a 10 minute walk to the stop I will have to take to get to work.  Not as good as the 1 minute it normally is and I will get to work shortly after 6 but better than a lot of others.  Going home is about a 20 minute walk from the stop as it doesn't travel down the same route.

 

[kratz]

The binding arbitration results have hit the news stands. The city gains some important areas of financial control namely schedualing, OT and no signing bonuses.

Ottawa Citizen

Arbitrator gives city control of OC Transpo scheduling: lawyer's memo
  By Patrick Dare, The Ottawa CitizenOctober 9, 2009 1:02 PM

OTTAWA — The City of Ottawa, which went through a painful 53-day public transit strike last winter, has won a favourable settlement through arbitration.

A memo from city solicitor Rick O’Connor says that the arbitrator has ruled that OC Transpo management can set drivers’ schedules, that wage increases are to be kept at what the city’s other major unions are getting and there is to be no signing bonus.

O’Connor writes that it would appear that the arbitration panel, chaired by Brian Keller, has agreed with the city about the need to recognize the economics faced by the municipality in setting working conditions.

The wage increases are 3.25 per cent for 2008, 2.5 per cent for 2009 and 2.5 per cent for 2010.

Having greater control of drivers’ schedules, to save money and reduce excessive overtime by some drivers, was the major issue in the strike. Both sides agreed to send the entire dispute to arbitration.

Watch ottawacitizen.com for updates as the story develops.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

 

[CountDC]

Finally some common sense.