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Posts Tagged ‘transport’

The Great Toronto Area Offers Amazing Variety To The Visitor

June 30th, 2010 No comments

Ontario is well known for several things; Niagara Falls, natural beauty and the city of Toronto. The Great Toronto area is a mixture of urban centers and unspoiled natural beauty so the opportunities for different experiences and activities are incredible. In just a short drive from the city you can be in the wilderness or enjoying the theme parks at Niagra. There are also small towns and cities with some unique charms.

Billed as the cultural center of Canada, Toronto is a city with a lot to offer the visitor. The shopping is world class with high end brands, massive malls and quality markets you can buy anything. The waterfront area is a good place to spend some leisure time. The city is easy to travel around as it has an excellent transport and information system. It is thought of as a cultural center as there are many theatres, art galleries and events for the culture vulture to enjoy. It is also the gateway for the other delights of Ontario.

Niagra Falls can be accessed easily from the city and is a must see for a lot of people. The iconic horseshoe falls are not the only attraction at Niagra as there are now many theme parks, shows, events and parks there. At Niagra on the Lake you will find beautiful countryside with gastronomic treats. There is an abundance of wineries nearby and many different wine tours to take.

One of the smaller towns near Toronto with lots to do is Burlington. It sits on the edge of Lake Ontario and has lots of parklands and trails as well as cultural places to visit. A particularly beautiful section of the Trans Canada Trail runs through the town along the lake shore, through parks and over cliff tops. There are companies providing boat tours or dinner cruises from the town to different sections of the lake. There are also art galleries, theatres, historical monuments and museums so you could spend your whole trip just in Burlington.

Port Hope is known as one of the best preserved historic towns in the region. It has an award winning high street and a large number of listed buildings. The center has a large number of exclusive boutiques and unique shops to spend hours browsing in. There are of course opportunities to get out into nature and the Ganaraska River which runs through the town is renowned for trout and salmon fishing.

Nature lovers will find heaven in the Great Toronto area. It is so varied and unspoiled even close to the cities. For hikers and cyclists there are many miles of trails through the different landscapes. Alternatively you could take a boat trip across the lakes or along the rivers. For adrenalin junkies there are a number of places for white water rafting and other adventure pursuits. In the winter the landscape changes completely and you can go skiing or sledding.

There is an incredible number of sporting, cultural and food festivals held throughout the area ever year. Toronto alone has something happening every week and is home to the International Toronto Film Festival.

Vacations should be a time for relaxation, adventure and new experiences. These are all easy to find in the Great Toronto area.

These luxurious Toronto Cruises offer boundless fun, adventure, and excitement for all ages. Whether you are a tourist, vacationer, or adventure seeker, you will enjoy the Halloween cruises for their enriching amenities and cozy accommodations.

Virgin Airlines

January 22nd, 2010 No comments

Owned by Virgin Group and Singapore Airlines, Virgin Airlines is well known for its decidedly British feel. Its main hubs are located at two London airports, Heathrow & Gatwick. It also has a secondary hub at Manchester. The airline provides service from the United Kingdom to North America, Africa, Caribbean, Australia, Asia and the Middle East.

Virgin Atlantic serves about 30 destinations worldwide with its fleet of more than 35 aircraft. It further extends its network through code-sharing relationships (agreements that allow airlines to sell tickets on each other’s flights) with other airlines including Air China, Continental Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and Australia-based sister company Virgin Blue.

Plans for two routes, one from London to the Falkland Islands in the aftermath of the Falkland War, and the other from London Gatwick to JFK Airport, were either scrapped or rejected. Plans were in the works for a route between London Gatwick and Newark Liberty International Airport, when it became necessary for the company to secure additional funding.Virgin Atlantic and its sister companies got their start in’82 when American Randolph Fields teamed up with pilot Alan Hellary to launch British Atlantic Airways.

Fields and Branson struck an agreement after tortuous discussions which led to the formation of the airline currently known as Virgin Atlantic starting its first flight between Londan and Newark in June’84. (Fields was later bought out.) A combination of funding from sister company Virgin Records and the timing of the agreement within the peak summer travel system allowed the company to make money in its first year of operation.

This move led to BA’s so-called “dirty tricks” campaign against Virgin Atlantic which included libel lawsuits, and an out-of-court settlement on BA’s part after lawyers found evidence of the extraordinary efforts BA was taking to “kill off” Virgin Atlantic.Virgin Atlantic and British Airways have been rivals since the company’s inception. The competition became even more intense when the UK government began allowing Virgin Atlantic to operate from London Heathrow airport in January’91.

Virgin has never been shy about taking on its competition through its advertising. Some examples: Mine’s Bigger Than Yours – painted on the back of the Airbus A340-600s because they are the longest passenger aircraft in the world

Avoid the Q – Advertised Virgin’s London to Hong Kong to Sydney route in opposition to Quantas which was operating the same route; also promoted Virgins online check-in literally allowing passengers to avoid the queues.

Upper class is the equivalent of business class since the airline does not offer a traditional first class cabin service. Virgin Atlantic claims its Upper Class seat is the largest fully flat bed when compared with any other airlines’ business class seating.No Way BA/AA – Expressed Branson’s displease with a proposed British Airways/American Airlines partnership.Virgin Atlantic currently offers three cabin classes: upper class, premium economy and economy.

Premium Economy passengers have their own check-in and get to board before Economy passengers. They enjoy greater seat width and legroom. Most planes have undergone upgrading to provide Premium Economy seats that come with power supplies for laptops. Economy class now includes free drinks and upgraded seats with adjustable back support in all aircraft.

Personal televisions mounted in the seat backs are available on all of the planes flown by Virgin Atlantic. Audio and video on demand systems are also installed on some of their aircraft. In addition, Virign Atlantic has various sister airlines. These are Virgin America, Virgin Blue, Virgin Express, Virgin Galactic, Virgin Nigeria Airways, Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer and V Australia.,

Tom Martens is the content syndication coordinator for South Arica’s leading Flight comparison portal, which includes Virgin Atlantic Airlines amongst others.

Overheated Engines: Process to Follow When Driving

August 1st, 2009 No comments
by Ethan Melandri

As your temperature gauge rises higher than normal, going closer to the red zone, you are given the first indicator that your engine is overheating. The second indication is the warning light your vehicle has to tell you the car is running hot. This light is typically found on the dashboard, and you may see steam rising from the bonnet. When any of these signs appear you need to stop driving the vehicle. To continue driving is asking for brutal and costly injury to the engine.

If your vehicle is overheating you need to pull off the street and turn the vehicle off immediately. You do not want to continue to a mechanic garage or station as this will result in irreparable damage to the engine. The cylinder head when it gets too hot will warp or crack, thus replacement is needed in that situation.

Once safely parked on the side of the road, switch on your hazard lights to warn any following drivers of your problem. Providing that there is no fire present you can open the bonnet, to give the engine a chance to cool down, however do not be tempted to touch any of the engine parts at this point, as it is very likely that you will be burnt.

It can take several minutes or hours for the engine to cool. If you have an overheated engine during the night you will want to keep your sidelights running, to help other drivers see your car. You can also turn on the headlights to help you see what you are doing.

Once the engine has cooled down you will probably need to top up the coolant level. In an emergency it is fine to use ordinary water but make sure it is not too cold or it could crack the plastic water reservoir. If you need to add a lot of water to your coolant it will significantly dilute the concentration of the antifreeze within it, and this will eventually need to be remedied by a qualified mechanic to prevent the coolant freezing during the winter.

The filler cap on the coolant can still be extremely hot even after the engine has cooled down. Underneath the cap is pressure which will cause steam to rise when it is released. This could burn your hand. It is imperative to make sure the radiator is cool to the touch, as well as to use a rag to cover your hand when you open the filler cap.

Reaching out at arms length to fill the container will help stop you from being hit with hot coolant. You will want to stop and check the levels of the reservoir to ensure you are not over filling it. There is a maximum and minimum line on the container. You will need to check that the temperature gauge is back to normal levels before driving again.

It is safe to drive if the coolant was the issue; however there could be another issue which has caused the engine to overheat. You will want to avoid long trips until you can get the car into the garage. If the engine gets hot shortly after you begin to drive again, pull over and call for roadside recovery to tow your vehicle to a garage.

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Foggy Conditions Guide to Driving Safely

June 15th, 2009 No comments
by Ethan Melandri

Care should be taken when driving in foggy weather. The potential for accidents is greater because no one can see with any clarity and some drivers may not change their driving habits for the inclement conditions.

When there is thick fog about, the best advice is to delay your journey until the weather improves, but if you have to travel what are the best tips and advice to help you make safe progress.

Having a vehicle that is in good working order will be invaluable to your journey. The windscreen should be clean and the lights must be functioning properly. This should include the fog lights on your car. If you have less than 100 metres visibility you will want to engage your fog lights. This not only enables you to see better, but other vehicles will be aware of your presence as well. The use of your regular lights will be of no benefit to you at this time. They actually reflect the fog and limit your visibility even more.

One of the main hazards that occurs when there is foggy weather is that cars tend to follow each other a little too close. It may be from a sense of security that they arent the only car on the road or they may just be driving too fast for the conditions. There is also the possibility that they think they can escape the fog sooner if they go faster. Any of these scenarios can contribute to major accidents. It is very important that you keep your speed under control so that in the event of a sudden stop you are able to have enough space between your car and the one in front of you.

Fog is a phenomenon that occurs due to a cooling of the air during its dew point. The depth of the fog and its height is determined by the environment and geography it appears in.

Typical times and places to expect fog are normally on cold winter mornings in low lying ground, valleys or significant dips. Because the fog can change thickness and in turn reduce visibility very quickly, you will constantly need to reassess the conditions and tailor your driving accordingly.

Once you have achieved more than 100 metres of visibility you must turn off your fog lights. The law states that this is a requirement and it is also unpleasant for oncoming cars. Dont forget to turn off the fog lights on the back of your car as they can disguise your brake lights which can be a hazard.

Driving in fog can be highly rough, yet you are capable of remaining safe while driving. You will need to drive in a style that meets the conditions you experience and afford space to others on the road.

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Passenger Surveys Deliver Real Benefits

May 14th, 2009 No comments

Even public transport operators who already use passenger surveys may not fully appreciate the multiple benefits that surveys can bring. Not only are surveys an efficient method of market research that will help identify areas of passenger dissatisfaction, they are also perfect for measuring the effects of improvements and can, at the same time, help promote new initiatives to customers using the service.

 

Establishing a Starting Point

When embarking on any change management programme it is always good practice to establish a base line before any changes are made. This baseline survey can serve four purposes, it will:-

  • allow the proper targeting of investment
  • allow measurement of the effect of change
  • assist in the moral of those implementing change
  • ensure that new issues are kept separate from the original plan and budget

 

Targeting Investment

There are many areas of any public transport system that can cause passenger dissatisfaction all of which need to be monitored to ensure that the service being provided meets, and where possible, exceeds, performance level targets.

Issues that can be of concern to passenger include:-

  • safety and security
  • punctuality
  • fares and ticket types
  • capacity and overcrowding
  • quality and design of vehicle
  • cleanliness
  • facilities at stations and terminals
  • facilities for passengers with disabilities

Often limited resources and budgets means that investment needs to be carefully planned and properly targeted.

Operators can use passenger surveys to confirm what their customers consider as the main issues. By analysing passenger feedback the operator can ensure that their improvement and investment plans are in line with passenger demands and concerns. Issues can be classified into low and high priority, as well as short and long term plans.

Major capital investment such as the building of infrastructure for example new terminals, runways, laying new track or upgrading air traffic control or rail signalling equipment may take many years to implement. However, significant problems can be identified by the initial survey that have a quick and simple solution and that can be immediately resolved for a minimal cost.

 

Measuring Change

From having established a comprehensive programme from an initial survey the objectives for running periodic surveys are twofold.

One aim will be to ascertain if any of the implemented changes and initiatives have been effective in addressing passenger concerns. A second objective will be to promote and advertise the initiatives that have been implemented and also inform and educate passengers of ongoing improvements and future plans.

Passengers need to know that their concerns have been understood and once that they know that the operators have acknowledged the problems and are taking steps to address them they can become more tolerant towards the outstanding problems.

 

Keeping Moral

Those implementing change can often develop a siege mentality. It can take time for any change to take effect and for the passengers to appreciate any improvement.

By canvassing passenger opinion and measuring the results against earlier surveys a successful change programme should see passenger issues change over time, some issues that were problems will no longer be raised.

Passengers can be slow to appreciate any progress and can be very negative demoralising those who are working hard to implementing change. It is essential that a team implementing change can see clearly the effects of their efforts.

 

Identifying New and Old

In any long term change management programme issues can change over time. The situation can change instantly so that due to an event what was important, is no longer important and what wasn’t an issue, is suddenly an issue.

A baseline survey will make sure that the passengers concerns are documented chronologically. Passengers are themselves an evolving group, individual travel arrangements change, fashion changes, life styles develop along with technology. Annual surveys will ensure that any changes in passenger attitudes are monitored.

 

Online Surveys Make It Easy

Online surveys can reach a broad cross section of any travelling public. They are quick to design and implement and they provide feedback in a format that is ready for detailed analysis. The low cost and flexibility of online surveys allows passenger concern to be targeted at specific groups and particular concerns.

Online passenger surveys will provide operators with essential market research data and will establish a platform to allow them to advertise and promote their commitment to high levels of passenger satisfaction.

Passengers benefit by having a forum to raise issues and through regular surveys will begin to appreciate that their concerns are acknowledged and the operator is committed to investing and improving the service. The following are links to samples of Passenger Surveys

Sample Passenger Survey for an Airline Carrier: Airline Passenger Survey

Passenger Survey for a Train Operator: Train Operator Passenger Survey

Sample Passenger Survey for a Bus Operator: Bus Operator Passenger Survey