Not long ago, I asked readers to send questions for GO Transit’s Managing Director Gary McNeil. Long-time rider Des O’Callaghan of Georgetown wrote that GO keeps adjusting departure times so trains leave earlier:

"When I started riding the Georgetown train in 1986, the journey was scheduled at 48 minutes. Granted, the trains are more crowded and there is one extra station, but now the journey is 63 minutes — an increase of 31 per cent. It boggles my mind that the solution to their inability to run trains on time is to lengthen the schedule."

McNeil responds: “Your reader’s comment on service scheduling and reliability reflects the reality of what happens in a mixed use rail corridor that operates at capacity in the rush hours. Most of the delays are beyond GO’s control, but we are constantly striving to improve our reliability across our network.

“The recent schedule adjustments on the Georgetown line reflected the fact that dwell times have increased due to increased passenger volumes. Our schedules reflect the increase in loading time that is necessary for customers to safely, and effectively, board the trains.

“As well, the major construction at the West Toronto Diamond has introduced construction slow orders that will last for a number of years. A slow order is a local speed restriction — below the track’s normal speed limit — that can be imposed while construction work is being performed. Wherever possible, we attempt to minimize construction delays for our customers.

“The Georgetown South Corridor track improvements will be very extensive, involving outreach to the community to explain the project. Our goal is to minimize the construction impacts, keeping in mind the need to maintain service for existing GO, VIA and CN/CPR freight services.

“We now have federal and provincial environmental assessment (EA) approval and are proceeding with the design and assessing various construction staging options.

“Service [on the Georgetown line] will be expanded as ridership demand and the budget allows.

“Our construction plans anticipate significant construction to start in early 2010. The majority will be complete in early 2015 so service will be available for the Pan Am Games.”

See McNeil’s full response plus my view at metronews.ca/eddrass:

Toronto-based transport writer Ed Drass covers transit issues every Monday; transit@eddrass.com.