Ex-Montreal Girl
Active Member
Really, there is no other better way. But no politician has the stones to do both or either.
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Is Hume right?
- Thread starter King of Kensington
- Start date
Really, there is no other better way. But no politician has the stones to do both or either.
Electrify
Senior Member
Thinking about using York Region Transit, I am trying to put my finger on what it does right that the TTC does not. I mean, beyond the Yonge corridor service is deplorable. Frequencies on major arterials can be over 60 minutes even during the rush hour. Still, there is something that it does right that I cannot put my finger on...
I think one thing it does is that it doesn't feel as "cheap" as the TTC. standard YRT buses have much nicer seats than the TTC, and they are arranged to allow for more forward facing seating as well. Of course there is also the Viva which provides a limited stop service on top of busier routes with larger buses, off board payment, and some signal priority measures. They also go a long way to decongest the standard bus routes as well.
I think to start the TTC should follow YRT's lead and implement a Viva like service on some of their busier routes. The best candidates could be the 19X Rocket lines, use articulated buses exclusively along with off-board payment could go a long way to make the TTC more attractive along high use corridors.
I think one thing it does is that it doesn't feel as "cheap" as the TTC. standard YRT buses have much nicer seats than the TTC, and they are arranged to allow for more forward facing seating as well. Of course there is also the Viva which provides a limited stop service on top of busier routes with larger buses, off board payment, and some signal priority measures. They also go a long way to decongest the standard bus routes as well.
I think to start the TTC should follow YRT's lead and implement a Viva like service on some of their busier routes. The best candidates could be the 19X Rocket lines, use articulated buses exclusively along with off-board payment could go a long way to make the TTC more attractive along high use corridors.
denfromoakvillemilton
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Oakville, Burlington and Mississauga Transit are also very functional.
APTA-2048
Senior Member
Facebook and Twitter seems to indicate you do now. There doesn't appear to be markedly less major delays in Montreal.
Though at the same time, some people in York Region would prefer more frequent service over fancy buses. Also, the TTC's seating arrangement maximizes standing space and helps with flow. But I do agree that they should expand POP to busy bus routes.
I always like to hear an out-of-towner's impression of the TTC. Most people I know from other cities seem to agree:
1) It's great how many bus routes run really frequently and into the early morning.
2) It's unfortunate the subway doesn't hit a lot of the points of interest.
A relative from London remarked how linear our subway system is, and that it looked like it was just trying to touch as many (former) cities as possible instead of winding through the core and touching as many attractions as possible.
TrickyRicky
Senior Member
SgtBullmoose, I stand corrected. The distance between Hamstead and Trafalgar is almost the distance from Yonge-Eglington to City Hall. I don't feel however that that invalidates my point, namely that Toronto is geographically vast and spread-out.
P.S. I've been to Hamstead Heath and I walked back into central London as an exercise in randomness.
P.S. I've been to Hamstead Heath and I walked back into central London as an exercise in randomness.
King of Kensington
Senior Member
Hugh Mackenzie at the CCPA, who is very sobre and careful with analysis, is calling for a return to the corporate tax rate at 14% province-wide and for a regional GTHA sales tax, an increased gas tax and parking levies. Mackenzie is right to point out that multiple revenue streams are needed though I disagree with his belief that road tolls aren't politically feasible.
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/newsroom/news-releases/answer-torontos-25-billion-transit-question
I think the problem that Hume comes across as a bit of a "Rip Van Winkle" in that article.
ssiguy2
Senior Member
Toronto's transit system is still good but at the same time hopelessly inadequate. It's local service is frequent and night service is far superior to many cities it's size.
The TTC and City Hall have a very easy solution to much of their problems that they will not even consider and yet will do more to relieve it's transit woes than any proposal made so far....................fully integrate GO and the TTC. If Toronto finally ever comes to the realization that Queen's Park doesn't exist solely for them, they would raise taxes and give 100% of it to GO and absolutely none to the TTC.
Toronto should offer GO a cool $2 billion or so to entirely electrify all it's lines {except Barrie} and offer it a yearly subsidy so that a TTC ticket/pass would enable free transit on any GO bus or train within the city limits. The subsidy would equal the amount GO would lose in revenue due to no fares being raised in Toronto.
Everyone would be happy...........GO gets big bucks for electrification at no cost, the TTC would see much higher revenue as it becomes a viable alternative for people who would not consider using it, and Torontonians would get the service they need, deserve, and are paying for. A TTC ticket would get one on a GO bus/train or separate DMUs just for Toronto could be used to differentiate the systems.
The TTC and City Hall have a very easy solution to much of their problems that they will not even consider and yet will do more to relieve it's transit woes than any proposal made so far....................fully integrate GO and the TTC. If Toronto finally ever comes to the realization that Queen's Park doesn't exist solely for them, they would raise taxes and give 100% of it to GO and absolutely none to the TTC.
Toronto should offer GO a cool $2 billion or so to entirely electrify all it's lines {except Barrie} and offer it a yearly subsidy so that a TTC ticket/pass would enable free transit on any GO bus or train within the city limits. The subsidy would equal the amount GO would lose in revenue due to no fares being raised in Toronto.
Everyone would be happy...........GO gets big bucks for electrification at no cost, the TTC would see much higher revenue as it becomes a viable alternative for people who would not consider using it, and Torontonians would get the service they need, deserve, and are paying for. A TTC ticket would get one on a GO bus/train or separate DMUs just for Toronto could be used to differentiate the systems.
denfromoakvillemilton
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ttc dropped the ball
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
Actually, our politicians (and by extension, we) dropped the ball
AoD
AoD
taal
Senior Member
Really !? I've always thought TTCs busses were nicer (along with the seats) compared to YRT ... I guess its just a personal preference ... but anyway I frankly don't think anyone cares.
What I find YRT does right is ... on the Viva routes ... they seem to manage the headways well ... why in the world can the TTC not replicate this ! The viva blue frequencies in rush hour at 5-10 min, so on par with the average - above average bus routes in Toronto ... which generally all suffer from bunching.
Honestly, this is my one largest issue the the TTC, the rest comes down to funding, but managing headways !
kEiThZ
Superstar
I disagree with this entire line of thinking. They really don't seem to get that raising corporate taxes will cost us jobs in the long run. Something this province is already in short supply of. And this is being done simply because the politicians in the region and the province don't have the cojones to tell voters the truth: their taxes need to go up.
Perhaps we need a referendum with the following choices
We need to raise money for infrastructure. How should we do it:
a) Risk higher unemployment by raising corporate taxes
b) Impose user fees and tolls
c) Raise personal and consumption taxes
d) Let it detriorate and accept the 2 hour commutes.