the jimmymac attack!

In Taipei the subway system is known in English as the MRT. It is fairly new, only about five years old. While cities such as New York, London, Toronto have had subways for a long time many other cities are just building them. Last year Bangkok opened a subway. One advantage the late comers have is access to new, modern technology and planning that is better than the old styles. The Taipei MRT is marvelous. It is very clean, efficient and reliable. It was built with the help of the German company Siemens. Everything in the system is bilingual. All maps, signs, annoucements and tickets are done in Chinese and English. The whole system is also automated. I used the system for one or two months before I ever spoke to an employee. In fact as an English speaking person I can be served in English by the Taipei MRT better than by the subway system in the English speaking city Toronto, Canada. There are many, many ways the MRT is better than the Toronto system known as the TTC. Of course the TTC subway is 50 years old and feeling its age but they could learn a lot from Taipei's MRT. Automation really helps improve everything. I believe Toronto's TTC could not handle the volume the MRT handles due to automation. I also think a big reason the TTC does not have automation is the employees' union fears it would cost jobs. I don't think it cost any jobs in Taipei. Automation just makes everything better and more efficient. In Toronto you must go to a man in a booth to buy tickets just like fifty years ago. It is so outdated and inefficient it is unbelievable. Many Toronto riders would agree with me that buying tickets from the guy in the booth is a pain. In Taipei you go to a machine. I bought an "easy card" from a machine and use it regularly. To add value I just go to the machine and add money to my card. I use the card to swipe my way into the subway and also on buses. I only get charged for what I use. Hong Kong has a similar system they call the Octopus card. And the MRT machines are totally bilingual. They even talk to you in Chinese or English. So I can be served in English much easier in Taipei than in Toronto. In Toronto I must line up to be served by a grumpy guy in a booth who cannot hear what I say which leads to a lot of aggravation for the customer and the employee. So does Taipei have any employees besides drivers? They sure do. They still have booths but they are large, modern centers used to serve special needs. If you are lost or need some special assistance they are there to help. They also have men and women on the platforms to make sure everyone gets on and off the trains safely. And they have wonderful washrooms. Toronto has about 6 restrooms in their whole system. And they are the dirtiest, ugliest restrooms you ever saw. They do not have mirrors for example. There is a piece of metal on the wall which I guess is supposed to be a mirror. Taipei has beautiful and clean restrooms in every single station. They even have pictures on the walls and plants on the floor! And there is an army of ladies working every day in every station to make sure they are clean and properly stocked with supplies. What a difference from Toronto! I think a problem in Toronto is undesirable people loitering in the washrooms. So what do they do? No washrooms! Just put a bunch of ladies cleaning the washrooms and stations all the time and they will chase away the undesirables. There's a lady in the men's' room! It's ok, she is cleaning it. And we all know cleaning people get minimum wage. Cannot afford it? Just lay off a few executives. That will cover the cleaning staff's salaries.

Even annoucements on the public address system are better in English in Taipei than in Toronto. Why are English annoucements better in Chinese speaking Taiwan than in English speaking Toronto? Good question! In Taipei they recorded every station annoucement with a very well spoken annoucer and a good PA system. Every station is announced as you approach it in English and Chinese. It is easy to hear and understand. In Toronto again they are operating like the speakers and microphone were constructed by Thomas Edison. Each station is annouced 'live' by the conductor if he feels like doing it. It seems they often don't feel like it and there is no annoucement. No worries. When they do announce stations the PA system is so bad you often cannot understand what they are saying anyway. What a way to run a railroad! The MRT is wonderful. Toronto you could learn a lot. But please don't send politicians over to look at taxpayers' expense. Just ask Siemens and other companies to show you how automation could improve the TTC. And think about putting in some washrooms and hiring some ladies to keep them clean. And maybe the TTC ridership will increase. Maybe serving people decently would pay off and pay for itself with increased ridership and revenues.