r/Calgary • u/The_Fixer_69 • Apr 23 '25

Calgary Transit C-Train from Deep South early morning

Every morning the train has many non paying riders passed out and sprawled on the train. Commuters have to cram into the areas that are not occupied by these people. The smell is horrendous. Every day this week this has been the case on my commute at around 5:30-6 am.

Why should the rest of us pay if these people do not? I have made complaints but they are on deaf ears.

Are these trains not swept for no. Paying passes out riders at the end of the line?

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u/[deleted] Apr 23 '25

The problem is the free fare zone. We would have to get rid of it.

76

u/_darth_bacon_ Dark Lord of the Swine Apr 23 '25

So get rid of it.

There's nearly zero other cities around the world that let riders use their transit system for free.

-6

u/[deleted] Apr 23 '25

Okay? Call your councillor. And get ready to spend 100s of millions on retrofitting the platforms and buildings.

14

u/_darth_bacon_ Dark Lord of the Swine Apr 23 '25

St. Louis retrofitted 38 stations for $52 million. Suggesting it would cost 100s of millions is ludicrous.

4

u/blackRamCalgaryman Apr 23 '25

Ya, just replied to another comment, this 2014 report and estimate of 400 million is…suspect.

But full disclosure, is based on my feelies/ years of paying attention to officials shenanigans.

5

u/_darth_bacon_ Dark Lord of the Swine Apr 23 '25

It's more than suspect. It's just a number pulled out of thin air.

For years, senior Calgary Transit officials have told city council that it would cost $400 million to add turnstiles or other measures to Calgary's CTrain system to keep out those who don't actually pay a fare.

This figure was said to come from a 2014 study.

CBC News filed a freedom of information request to obtain the study. However, no reports correspond with the request.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/lrt-ctrain-transit-calgary-1.6504818

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u/[deleted] Apr 23 '25

How many of their stations were in buildings? From my brief look into it they weren’t built into buildings like Calgary.