Guelph Transit Has Gone Too Far...AGAIN!!!
@danishcanadian (28954)
Canada
August 27, 2012 9:13pm CST
When I moved into this apartment, it was because of the location. it's not the nicest apartment in the city, but it's in a prime location for someone who has no private transportation. Hubby and I are both legally blind, so we rely on the buses. We are both members of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, so we both ride free.
ANYWAY, there is a new detour up the street, and four the next four days, there will be no in-bound or out-bound buses going by our house, so if we want to go anywhere, we have to take a damn taxi! We are on a low income, and would much rather get our free bus service of which we are entitled, than have to pay money for a cab, because of some stupid construction.
What's more, Guelph Central Station SUCKS!!! Buses used to be at St. George's Square, where there was one of every bank branch in Ontario, a mall, numerous cafes, and a number of other things. Now GCS is in the middle of nowhere!! So I used to get the one bus that went to the square, go into the bank, get on the next bus, and by the time it gets to GCS, the transfers have left, and I'm stuck there!! Now the square is under construction, so I can't even get to the bank on a friggen bus. You want to talk about bank fees? If I am going to go to thebank, I have to take a TAXI!!! It's crazy!!!
5 people like this
8 responses
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
28 Aug 12
You might try contacting the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and see if the city can't be forced to pay for the taxi fares for the duration and see if they (the Canadian National Institute for the Blind) will sue to get the Central Station returned to a more CENTRAL location!
5 people like this
@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
28 Aug 12
Of course it's not just blind people who are annoyed by the whole situatio, but a blind person or two would be grea to get the ball rolling. The station is only a few blocks from the square, but it's considered "middle of nowhere" for those with physical challenges who really can't walk that far, my husband and I being two such people.
3 people like this
@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
28 Aug 12
I spent a few days in Hamilton once, going home at night. Good system. Brantford was good too.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51819)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
28 Aug 12
And Hamilton's transit system is one of the reasons I moved here...
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
28 Aug 12
if the construction is necessary it has to be done. Construction goes on every year in Montreal all over the city and if you think you have troubles imagine all the bridges closed at the same time for some kind of construction. That means cars and buses can't pass. That is a major problem of living in Montreal, these things happen all the time. And the people suck it up, which is what you have to do too.
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
28 Aug 12
There's such thing as reasonable construction, but this goes on for years at a time, and they make promises they can't keep. They need to keep their promises and stick to their goals. People downtown are going out of business every day because no one can get to their shops.
2 people like this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
29 Aug 12
it is exactly the same thing here, and the shops, have complained as well nothing changes, they do what they do when they want to do it. The shops on St. Laurence have lots thousands of dollars of business and some went bankrupt because of the construction and the length of time it takes.
And they put up a fight and lost, city construction work takes priority.
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Aug 12
hidanishcanadian oh and taxis can be so expensive and the bank is one of the places most people have to go to. hope they get the Guelph transit back so you can again ride free as you are legally blind.I got so fed up with the fees my bank of America started charging us so I bypass the tellers and use the atm and have an
e account on the net with out any charges.using my online
account and seeing my statements
has really been a money saver for me.
has really been a money saver for me.@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
28 Aug 12
I have two bank accounts. One with Bank of Montreal here in Canada, and Bank of America in the USA. I use PayPal and wire-transfers to get money between the two institutions. I like having cash in B of A when I go into the States so I don't have to bother with travelers checks.
Hubby has his money in the Arizona Credit Union, and that's where SocSec deposits it. Problem is, we can only take out $500 a day, and want to get all his cash into Canada, so that we can use what we need, and save it up here. We don't want to mess with SocSec though. If we can only get $500 out at a time, it means FOUR friggen trips to the bank on FOUR DIFFERENT DAYS, and FOUR friggen cab fares!!! Nuts!!!
1 person likes this
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
28 Aug 12
At least, it is only for a few days. However, I do agree that it would be a good idea to contact the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, since this is denying you and your husband a free service upon which you have come to depend.
2 people like this
@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
28 Aug 12
Thank you. I've also contacted an old buddy of mine, and if this $hit continues, I think we'll organize a protest, or something!
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
4 Sep 12
Personally I think many times when they do construction somewhere they forget about the bus system and people who might need more assistance getting around. I unfortunately have to take a taxi a lot of tomes myself so I can relate with costs and it is sad. Would be nice if there would be ways that they could remember the disabled first and then decide how they need to work things.
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
29 Aug 12
Is it possible for you to do your banking over the internet? I think most banks have that service. You ought to check your bank and see if they do.
