W. K. Lis
Superstar
The fact that the TTC is trying to discourage people from buying transit passes is especially stupid. The TTC probably reasons that people with transit passes will put a burden on the system because they will take many more trips than they would if they had to pay out of pocket every time. I look at it the other way: people who are discouraged from buying a pass and end up buying tokens take transit far less than they would if they had a pre-paid pass, and end up using cars for more trips than they normally would have. This puts a burden on the TTC in other ways: through added congestion and reductions in service reliability.
Just thinking about myself, I don't know how many times my girlfriend and I would just end up driving within downtown to go out for dinner, because the cost of on-street parking was always lower (usually free after 9, anyway) than two people taking the TTC back and forth. The observation is anecdotal, but I'm sure I'm not alone on this.
Actually, I think that the TTC would prefer that everyone buy any pass, but then not use them. If you lose a pass, there is no quick free replacement. Customers can hope it gets turned in (see link), fat chance of that.
That's why I think that if city council members get a free MetroPass, but then don't use it, it costs the TTC almost nothing (except for the cost of the material). However, Rob Ford got rid of that "perk", which it would be only if they actually use it.