An Oakville woman fed up with delays on GO Transit trains presented the company's board of directors with a petition signed by more than 10,000 frustrated riders on Friday.
Patricia Eales demanded GO commuters be given a 50 per cent fare rebate for service disruptions and for the company to improve its level of service.
"Take responsibility for the things that are within your control and fix them, or give us a refund when those problems cause us delays," Eales said during her presentation.
She also asked that riders be informed early if there are delays so they can decide if they have to drive to their destination.
Eales noted she had to drive to the downtown company headquarters on Friday morning because her GO train was more than 30 minutes late.
GO Transit chairman Peter Smith thanked Eales for her presentation, but said the refund initiative wouldn't be implemented because the money would be coming from the pockets of taxpayers.
Smith, however, said GO Transit will implement some changes.
"The first change is we're proceeding with the appointment of a new director," Smith told reporters.
"The second change is we've just established an advisory committee on customer service reporting directly to the board. Third, we've got a new director on staff who will proceed with a customer service action plan immediately."
Eales came out of the meeting unsatisfied, but thanked the board members for listening.
"My main goal when I started out was to bring awareness, and I think we've done that, and to (bring) some change, and I think that has started also," she told reporters.
"I still think that what we're asking for is not unreasonable. When service is delayed, any other business would give you your money back when they're not meeting it, regardless of who in the end has to pay for it."
Eales, who launched the online petition in mid-February, told CTV Toronto her concerns will be brought to Queen's Park next week when the Ontario legislature resumes sitting.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Matet Nebres
