BACKGROUND

At the special meeting of Transit Committee on 9 February 2009, direction was given to staff to “provide an update on the capital upgrading process of elevators at transit stations as well as a review of operating procedures”.  The following responds to that direction.

DISCUSSION

Update on the Capital Upgrading of Elevators at Transit Stations

An independent engineering firm conducted a comprehensive review of all elevators at OC Transpo stations in 2007.  The resulting report, produced in May 2007, outlined a number of recommendations including a prioritized list of elevators requiring rehabilitation.  Elevator rehabilitation is continuing as recommended in that report.

The following major work was completed recently.  Complete rehabilitation refers to the replacement of the control unit and car/cab, as well as bringing the elevators up to the current design code.

• Lees, Westboro, and Tunney’s Pasture Stations:  All elevators underwent complete rehabilitation beginning in late 2008.  The work was completed earlier this year.
• Place d’Orléans Station:  Both elevators underwent complete rehabilitation earlier this year.
• St. Laurent Station:  The north elevator underwent complete rehabilitation earlier this year.

The mechanical reliability of these elevators has increased following completion of the rehabilitation work.  For example, the percent of days when all elevators at Tunney’s Pasture Station were operational increased from 83 per cent to 99 per cent following rehabilitation, with a similar increase at Westboro Station, from 69 per cent to 88 per cent.  The increase at Westboro Station would have been higher if not for water damage that occurred, which resulted in the need for additional downtime to restore the elevators to working condition.

Rehabilitation of the following elevators is already underway or scheduled to begin later this year or in early 2010:

• St. Laurent Station:  The south elevator is currently undergoing complete rehabilitation.  It is anticipated that this work will be completed by the end of November.
• Lincoln Fields Station:  All elevators are currently operational but will need to be removed from service for approximately six to eight weeks to allow for their complete rehabilitation due to frequent breakdowns.  A contract has been awarded for this work and contract drawings are currently being prepared by the contractor.  Once the drawings are reviewed and the equipment has been ordered and received, work will begin.  It is anticipated that rehabilitation of two of the elevators will begin in late 2009 or early 2010.  Rehabilitation of the third elevator is planned to begin in April 2010.

In 2010, all elevators at Blair Station are slated for complete rehabilitation.  Funds in the amount of $500,000 for this work are included in the draft budget estimates for 2010.

All remaining transit station elevators are scheduled to undergo complete rehabilitation in future years (see table below).  The amount of funding required will be determined at a later date.

Current Operating Procedures

Elevators must be temporarily removed from service in the case of vandalism, mechanical problems, or health and safety concerns, such as the presence of bodily substances.  The status of all elevators is checked by Transit Facility Maintenance staff every day and any deficiencies are reported immediately to the Transit Facility Maintenance Supervisor and Transit Law Enforcement. In the case of mechanical problems, Transit Law Enforcement places a call with the elevator maintenance contractor and sends a report by e-mail to Transit Facility Maintenance confirming the call-in.  In the case of janitorial services being required, Transit Facility Maintenance takes appropriate action.  Transit Facility Maintenance, Transit Operations, or Transit Law Enforcement staff places out of order signage on all elevator levels to inform customers about the elevator status.

If an elevator deficiency is reported by a customer, for example through use of an emergency call box, Integrated Control Centre staff liaise with and dispatch mobile staff (Transit Supervisor and/or Special Constable) to verify the elevator status on-site.  In the case of mechanical problems, once the elevator deficiency has been confirmed, Integrated Control Centre staff immediately report the failure to the elevator maintenance contractor and notify Transit Facility Maintenance by phone and by e-mail.  In the case of janitorial services being required, Transit Facility Maintenance takes appropriate action.  The responding Transit Supervisor or Special Constable places out of order signage on all elevator levels to inform customers about the elevator status.

Transit Supervisors manage customer impacts resulting from the elevator failure until the elevator is restored to normal service.  This includes:

• Informing bus operators so they can provide assistance such as re-routing customers who may be affected.
• Providing on-site customer assistance if and when required by routing service from a lower level to an upper level or vice-versa, having an Extra assist (Extras are buses that are generally not assigned to specific trips and are used to cover gaps in service due to unexpected breakdowns or overloaded conditions; they are located at strategic locations throughout the city), or any other suitable means of transporting the customer such as using a Para Transpo vehicle, the Supervisor’s car, or a taxi.  This is done in consultation with the customer who requires assistance.
• Notifying Customer Service and ensuring that a notice about the closure is posted on the OC Transpo website through a link on the front page and that the Accessible Specialist is notified.

Once the elevator is repaired and operational:

• The contractor or Transit Facility Maintenance staff advises Integrated Control Centre staff that the elevator is operational.
• Integrated Control Centre staff notify Customer Service staff who ensure that the information is updated on the OC Transpo website and that the Accessible Specialist is notified.

Review of Operating Procedures

As part of the recent integration of former Real Property Asset Management staff (now Transit Projects and Facilities Management staff) into Transit Services, new integrated operating procedures will be put into place by the end of March 2010.

For more information on these procedures and rehabilitation plans, please contact Stéphane Carbonneau, Manager, Transit Projects and Facilities Management.  Customers with inquiries about specific elevators should contact Customer Service (613-842-3600 or ocserve@octranspo.com) or Transit Information (613-741-4390).  To report a defective elevator, customers at transit stations should use the nearest emergency call box which provides a direct line to the Integrated Control Centre.

Original signed by

Alain Mercier

AM:ps