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OC Transpo had to figure out where to get $4.8 million for teaching bus operators how drive LRT trains because apparently the transit department forgot to budget the money.
That’s what the transit commission learned on Wednesday during a quick meeting at City Hall.
Transit management needed the commission’s approval to shift money between internal accounts, including $4.8 million from a bus refurbishment fund to an LRT account.
As we reported this week, Transpo is getting ready to train about 100 workers on running the Alstom Citadis Spirit vehicles and controlling the LRT system. First the Rideau Transit Group will hand over the training materials, then the trainers will share their knowledge with the future train operators and controllers. The training will last right up until Confederation Line LRT opens in 2018.
Alta Vista Coun. Jean Cloutier stepped up to ask questions about the money transfers proposed by management, including the $4.8 million for LRT training, which the commission approved.
John Manconi, the city’s head of transportation, was candid in his response, saying the money was an “oversight” in budgeting for the year.
“It should have been included,” Manconi said.
What do you do when you realize you forgot to budget nearly $5 million? You ask the finance department for help.
Transpo and finance staff went over a few options to find the money.
They could have earmarked a projected transit surplus for the training, but there’s still half of a budget year left and locking in a surplus now is pretty risky.
Transpo could have set aside the money in the 2018 budget, but it can’t wait that long. The department needs the money right now.
Fortunately for the department, there was money available in the bus refurbishment account.
In an interview earlier this week, transit operations director Troy Charter said the money could be transferred because the hybrid bus fleet is being retired next year. Maintenance money won’t be needed for those buses.
The $4.8 million falls outside the $2.1-billion contract to build the Confederation Line.
Cloutier wanted to know if Transpo anticipated other surprise funding requests associated with the first phase of LRT.
After all, council has already learned about millions of dollars in extra work added to the cost of launching the electrified rail service.
“We have scrubbed all the projects very, very deeply. We do a monthly review of those things. There’s no other surprises we’re aware of right now,” Manconi said. “You can never predict everything 100 per cent, but this one is one that needed to be brought forward and it’s before you accordingly.”
Added Manconi: “For Stage 1, we believe this is the last major tranche that was not funded.”
More lessons learned, perhaps, for Stage 2.
jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling
查看原文...
That’s what the transit commission learned on Wednesday during a quick meeting at City Hall.
Transit management needed the commission’s approval to shift money between internal accounts, including $4.8 million from a bus refurbishment fund to an LRT account.
As we reported this week, Transpo is getting ready to train about 100 workers on running the Alstom Citadis Spirit vehicles and controlling the LRT system. First the Rideau Transit Group will hand over the training materials, then the trainers will share their knowledge with the future train operators and controllers. The training will last right up until Confederation Line LRT opens in 2018.
Alta Vista Coun. Jean Cloutier stepped up to ask questions about the money transfers proposed by management, including the $4.8 million for LRT training, which the commission approved.
John Manconi, the city’s head of transportation, was candid in his response, saying the money was an “oversight” in budgeting for the year.
“It should have been included,” Manconi said.
What do you do when you realize you forgot to budget nearly $5 million? You ask the finance department for help.
Transpo and finance staff went over a few options to find the money.
They could have earmarked a projected transit surplus for the training, but there’s still half of a budget year left and locking in a surplus now is pretty risky.
Transpo could have set aside the money in the 2018 budget, but it can’t wait that long. The department needs the money right now.
Fortunately for the department, there was money available in the bus refurbishment account.
In an interview earlier this week, transit operations director Troy Charter said the money could be transferred because the hybrid bus fleet is being retired next year. Maintenance money won’t be needed for those buses.
The $4.8 million falls outside the $2.1-billion contract to build the Confederation Line.
Cloutier wanted to know if Transpo anticipated other surprise funding requests associated with the first phase of LRT.
After all, council has already learned about millions of dollars in extra work added to the cost of launching the electrified rail service.
“We have scrubbed all the projects very, very deeply. We do a monthly review of those things. There’s no other surprises we’re aware of right now,” Manconi said. “You can never predict everything 100 per cent, but this one is one that needed to be brought forward and it’s before you accordingly.”
Added Manconi: “For Stage 1, we believe this is the last major tranche that was not funded.”
More lessons learned, perhaps, for Stage 2.
jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling
查看原文...
