Why would anyone trust HSR to run LRT?

Hamilton’s HSR wants to operate and maintain Light Rail Transit once it is up and running. City council supports and idea and went as far as to ask the province to give the job to HSR.

Knowing what we now know about what an absolute mess the transit department is, you have to wonder what council was thinking. How bad are things in Hamilton’s transit department?

Last month about 23 buses a day were no-shows, leaving potential riders stranded until the next bus. Driver absenteeism is at a record high — 19 per cent. And that doesn’t include planned absences such as vacations. The average for comparable services is about 12 per cent. The local transit union has sent an open letter to council, calling HSR management ‘incompetent’. The culture and morale are terrible by most accounts.

And yet the Amalgamated Transit Union and council seriously think the province should trust HSR with maintaining and operating LRT? Forgive us, but it sounds like some people are getting ahead of the legalized marijuana curve.

How the HSR got to be in its current condition is a matter of opinion and who you believe. The problems are not new, and have been well-documented by The Spectator and other sources. In 2015, a workplace survey identified low morale, allegations of cronyism and the need for a complete culture overhaul. In 2013 a consultant found similar problems in the wake of a highprofile sexual harassment complaint.

There were the typical expressions of concern and contrition, and vows from city management that ‘we can and will do better.’ Apparently, those promises remain unfulfilled, or else there was temporary improvement but the department has slipped back into its previous dysfunctional state.

So far, council has been quiet on this issue. Too quiet. When it was before them, councillors were quick to move in camera, using the justification they were dealing with personnel and labour issues. That is defensible, but eventually the state of the HSR needs to be addressed publicly in the interest of taxpayer confidence, such as it is. We’re talking about a multimillion dollar budget and essential transit services. If the department is as dysfunctional as it sounds, council must reassure citizens appropriate remedial action will be undertaken as soon as possible.

And LRT? The head of the ATU actually argues the highly public problems and scrutiny are an example of “why you want transit to be publicly operated and maintained.” To understate the point, that’s a charitable interpretation.

Here’s another, admittedly less charitable: In its current state, the HSR has no business running Hamilton’s LRT system, and council needs to acknowledge that unfortunate reality.