Ontario Premier to give GO riders refund if train is 15 mins late

Toronto - Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty may not be late electioneering, but his provincial government has promised to give GO Transit riders a full refund if their train is at least 15 minutes late. There are some conditions, though.

Earlier this summer, it was reported that Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty wanted to place a money-back guarantee for GO Transit customers if their train was at least 20 minutes late or cancelled. On Wednesday, McGuinty officially announced in Etobicoke, alongside Minister of Transportation Kathleen Wynne and Metrolinx chairman Rob Prichard, that GO train riders will receive a full refund if their train is at least 15 minutes, according to a Government of Ontario news release. Customers would receive their one-way fare refunds automatically through their PRESTO cards or from a GO customer service representative. “We're introducing the GO 15-minute guarantee to make travel easier for Ontario families,” said McGuinty at a GO train yard. “Ontario is moving forward, and this is about getting commuters to where they need to be, with on-time, dependable service.” Although many GO riders are excited by this announcement, there are several conditions already in place. A refund is not valid if the train is delayed due to accidents, medical emergencies, weather and/or police investigation(s). According to the province of Ontario, GO Transit has been on schedule more than 94 percent of the time in the last year. Furthermore, GO runs 180 train trips on an average weekday. “The new GO 15-minute guarantee is about getting people to work or school and back home on time,” said Don Valley West Member of Provincial Parliament, Kathleen Wynne, reports CTV News. “Making public transit more convenient and easier to use will encourage people to leave their cars at home and choose transit instead.” The money-back policy will officially be instated next year. It is estimated to cost the province between $6 million and $7 million.