I received the following response from Customer Relations late yesterday afternoon (I had advised that any response would be posted to update petitioners):
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Dear Mr. Arnold,
Thank you for your email regarding our upcoming service changes for Route 66, which travels from Newmarket to Yorkdale.
I'm sorry to learn that the upcoming changes will have a negative impact on your commuting needs.
On November 4, there will be service changes on the GO bus network. We’re discontinuing, reducing and adjusting service on some low-performing routes to find operational savings and make more effective use of the equipment and resources we have available.
Please be assured that we don’t make these decisions lightly and have based them on our actual recorded ridership numbers. I’ve made sure that your comments are noted as part of our normal review that takes place after any service change.
To plan your future trips, please visit: https://www.gotransit.com/en/trip-planning/getting-to-go and see if there is any alternative route with York Region Transit. They operate Route 165 from Major Mackenzie Drive & Hwy 400 Park & Ride to Pioneer Village subway.
Thank you for your feedback.
Sincerely,
Esther Hamilton | Customer Relations Representative
GO Transit, A Division of Metrolinx
20 Bay Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2W3
customerrelations@gotransit.com
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I would surmise that we're down, but not out. The mayors of Georgina and Newmarket have both responded that they would contact their MPP to raise these concerns on our behalf as well. Please refer to the PRIOR update for more information on who to contact at this point, and KEEP the signatures coming.
Further updates to the status of this petition will be posted as (if?) they unfold.
I understand that there will be GO representatives at the Eagle Street terminal to redirect riders appropriately on Monday November 4th, and the hearsay suggests that the pickup point for morning buses will be on Davis Drive, Westbound side, at an existing shelter that has yet to be labeled as a GO Transit stop. I have not personally heard where the dropoff point will be, but I anticipate it will be different since it will be coming from the opposite direction.
I would like to personally extend a thank you to everyone who chimed in and added their voice to this cause. Our work/life balance should not be hampered by unilateral cuts to a public service that we pay for.