Do be careful when comparing route specific numbers across agencies. They do not take measure cash splits for transfers in the same way.
You can just take the farebox count and ignore transfers.
You can assign one portion per vehicle used (Finch/Yonge to Bay/Queen [transfer to 501] could be 50% for subway and 50% for 501)
You can assign a portion per distance covered (majority for Yonge above, little for Queen).
Issues occur with all of the above. Ideally you pick a number based on importance to the end user (would they continue to use other service if one leg disappeared).
It is even more difficult to split a transit pass effectively. User might buy the metropass entirely because of their daily streetcar commute but they use the subway to go to lunch regularly as a result of having it. The subway is a value-add but not really selling the pass itself.
Most businesses have this difficulty. Did you win the big contract because George the salesman sold it or because product development put out a particularly good release or because excellent technical support for another customer got George the referral? How do you weight the contribution for their annual bonus?
Based on my years of data for the MT, MT 19 does make money. I use a cost of $1.32 to $1.62 per rider over the years that factor in the different fare rate as well transfers. Hour rate range between $85 to $100/hr over those years to put a bus on the road.
I have see the cost being as low as $.15 for a rider to ride 19.
Then I have some routes costing $17.50 to $35.66 per rider to ride the route in the first place. At various times of the day, some routes carry no one. I have been the only rider on the bus for those routes that have a runtime of 25 to 35 minutes and I never include my cost for those routes.
As for a subway making a profit, it will only happen in a small section of the Yonge Line and that between Union and Eglinton.
You need to look at 1 to 3 transfer per rider using the subway to figure out what the real cost revenue is. Transfer from BD to YUS is a transfer live YUS to Sheppard. Person going to STC to Downtown is a 3 transfer person, if not 4.
I think TTC is using $1.70 per rider as a revenue to a route and this takes into consideration the various fares rates and transfer these days.
If TTC or the province every gets the Real SMART Card, they will have a true picture as to ridership travel patterns and numbers to say what the real cost ratio is per route. This Tap Tap system Presto is not going to do it.
I have got my GTA pass cost down to $1.25 per trip and that is based on TTC standards.