Ottawa City has identified defects in the Redor Transit Group The investigative commission heard Thursday about the LRT system, which determined whether the private consortium, which offered free rides, achieved a major construction milestone in 2019.
Testimony from the main LRT manager on Day 9 of the study is a less stringent way for the city to change test run requirements on the fly and assess reliability. I also confirmed that I agreed to return the system.
Richard Holder, recently appointed Director of Engineering Services at OC Transpo, oversaw some parts of the Stage 1 LRT project as manager of the city's railroad office.
Commission co-chief attorney Kate McGrand has approved a list of defects that the city has approved to postpone upon substantial completion (listed in another "Minor Defects" list). The unfinished item) that exceeds the above is shown in the holder. When asked if the flaws would affect the enjoyment of the city's LRT system, the holder replied, "They will."
On paper, these free passes were astounding, especially for Alstom Citadis Spirit vehicles.
For each of the 34 single-track vehicles, the shortage log stated that vehicle availability had to be checked.
The deferred defect list also included "non-compliance with service standards due to subsystem reliability" and "non-compliance with fleet requirements due to ongoing defects / defects".
Why does the city declare that LRT construction is "completed" with unresolved issues that affect the reliability of the system?
According to Holder's testimony, the city comfortably allowed the RTG to postpone the flaw, as the city believed that the company would fix the problem before the paying civilians boarded the train. did.
Train performance has also improved and the city has a new reduced service plan.
Holders said the city at the time needed 9-10 double-car trains to handle passenger numbers during peak hours, much less than the 15 trains required by the contract. He said he was thinking.
An independent certifier of the project declared substantial completion on July 26, 2019. The test run started 3 days later.
"There were still steps left before we entered passenger service," Holder testified Thursday.
However, there were significant changes to the criteria during the trials conducted as part of the agreement between the RTG and the city.
The Commissioner heard that the peak fleet was reduced to 13 cars as the RTG struggled to get 15 trains out of the yard during the morning test.
In addition, the performance measure "Average Total Vehicle Kilometer Ratio" passed at 96% instead of 98%, with a metric of 9 out of 12 days. Must be achieved in a day.
Holders testified that 98% of the percentage was "a very difficult goal to achieve."
The city and RTG have basically returned to the standards established in 2017, rather than sticking to the stricter benchmarks established in 2019.
Confirmation of "availability of revenue service" is the LRT system by the city on August 30, 2019. The confirmation included a large payment to the RTG under the contract to achieve a major milestone.
The LRT system was open to the public on September 14, 2019.
Commissioner Judge William Hooligan heard evidence from several expert witnesses who said they had asked. When the LRT system is considered safe for passengers while providing reliable service outside the gate. The
holder states that the RTG will undertake the additional work required within the first weeks and months of revenue services until the defect is addressed and reliability issues arise. I testified that I believed that there were additional personnel available for this. It was improved by the modifications of various mods that were being implemented. "
In fact , RTM was overwhelmed by maintenance requirements in the months following the system's launch.
In a question from city lawyer Jesse Gardner, Holder said he didn't feel the pressure to rush to declare substantial completion or to reach a conclusion in a test run. rice field.
Holders said city officials and city consultants at the time did not tell him that the system was unsuitable for use or had reliability issues that hindered launch.
The Commissioner has heard that there are still unresolved flaws almost three years after the RTG achieved substantial completion.
Transit customers will be very familiar with one of the flaws.
The city used RTG workers to trap customers in train doors because the camera system that helped train drivers monitor the edge of the station platform wasn't working. Allowed to confirm that it is not. When the train is safe to leave the station, the spotter is blowing a whistle.
Holders are in a position to ask questions during the investigation, Transport Action Canada's David Jeans, as the RTG validates the technical test, the spotter said, "Immediately. You don't need it anymore. "
The Commissioner was also scheduled to hear testimony from independent certifier Monica Sekiari on Thursday, but her appearance was rescheduled on July 4. You can watch it online at the Fauteux Hall at the University of Ottawa www.ottawalrtpublicinquiry.ca or on Rogers TV (channel 470 in English, channel 471 in French).
Witnesses scheduled for Friday are Matthew Slade, who did the best job with the OLRT constructor and RTM, and Yang Liu, an Alstom engineer involved in the test run and maintenance program.
jwilling@postmedia.com
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