I got a chance to speak a little truth to power today in voicing a summary disappointment at how unmotivated Halifax Transit was in their proposed budget ask, for all the things they didn’t do, the shenanigans they engaged in, and the horrible “goal setting” that was intended to be easy targets for them to meet and look good next year, without people remembering how easy the targets were. The targets were a drop from the status quo when it should be an increase, basically. Since I wrote out what I was going to say, and that it’s part of the public record now, I figured I might as well share it for a post.

Good morning everyone,

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on Halifax Transit’s proposed Budget and Business Plan. My name is Minh Tan, and I’m from downtown Halifax. Before you approve the request, I would like to ask you to consider challenging Halifax Transit to be more transparent with its information for better public engagement, context, and accountability, and to be more aspirational with its goal setting to use its resources better.

Keeping its performance information to itself is a great way to minimize debate, deflect or eliminate criticism, and skirt accountability. Halifax Transit has a lot of data it uses for its key performance indicators that is neither private nor confidential, but which it does not share, share in a meaningful format, and/or share in a timely manner. For example:

1. It shares daily ridership totals, but not peak hour breakdowns necessary for overcrowding analysis that it has and reports on. 
2. It shares reports on boardings, but sets ridership targets in passenger trips on page 8, without explaining what passenger trips are. 
3. It requests FTE changes on page 2, but provides no current totals like with other indicators to show how meaningful the changes might be, especially for operators, despite frequently blaming a severe operator shortage for various forms of poor service. The Province lists the name and salaries of every employee by Department. Is it too much to ask for just some subtotals as base context here?

If Halifax Transit is truly sincere about public consultation, it needs to rectify the situations described, among others, to engage in more meaningful dialogue. So before approving this Budget, my first request for Council is to consider requesting Halifax Transit commit to being more transparent with its data that could be publicly provided, in a timely manner, and supplement the examples I have specified in the report.

With regards to more aspirational goal setting, Halifax Transit is rather tolerant of what little it gets for its efforts and resources, and seems very unmotivated to do better. This is true from its quarterly KPIs, to targets in this Budget I will focus on for lack of time. For example, on page 8

1. Halifax Transit has planned for a measly increase of 1.6% in bus passenger trips. Population increase would likely exceed 1.6%, meaning it expects people to use the bus less, despite its buses currently being less full than in 2019, on average!
2. Indeed, it expects everyone to use regular bus service 2.8% less (Passenger Trips per Capita), and passengers it serves per hour to decrease by 6.1%!
3. A similar set of unmotivating targets exists for ferry usage.

Is this Halifax Transit’s idea of excellence? Is this how it sees its role to mitigate climate change? Are there public service values to expect people to use a service less, or to do less with more, that I don’t know about? Or perhaps a Moving Forward Together Plan for Automobiles? Of course, asking people to take the bus less would alleviate overcrowding! Sarcasm intended, for the record. But did their leadership really think these targets would impress anyone?

So my second request of Council would be to consider challenging, or perhaps demanding, Halifax Transit to provide more aspirational ridership, service, and other targets, along with details for how it will meet them, before approving this 10.7% Budget increase request.

I thank you for your time and I am open to take any questions.