News   Jul 29, 2024
Luxury Mid-Rise Proposed North of Spadina and St Clair West
 678     1 
News   Jul 29, 2024
Unlocking the Future: Digital Marketing Strategies Every Real Estate Agent Needs
 456     0 
News   Jul 29, 2024
Na-Me-Res Opens Non-Profit Housing Project in Cabbagetown
 634     0 

Why I don't take public transit anymore

theterribleone said:
True but why not work to improve.
Click to expand...
We are. She notes that she's near Steeles and Kennedy, and the Milliken GO station is near her house - however the train service doesn't run late enough for it to work. Plans are well advanced to increase service on the Stouffville line, which would drop her daily 1-way commute from from 90 minutes to 45 minutes, which compares much more favourably to the 30 minutes driving. Meanwhile driving times are only predicted to get worse. In many ways this is a dream commute, living near a GO station, and working very close to Union Station.

I used to find a 70 minute commute borderline compared to a 25-30 minute drive. I can see that when it gets to 90 minutes, especially in the evening, that driving makes more sense. Back then, I used to use TTC most of the time, but on days I knew I'd be staying later, and especially heading into work later, I was much more likely to drive.

So transit is improving ... another issue that could be addressed is living choices. One doesn't have to live 26 km from their workplace. I can see that one might have to do this for short-term. But in the long-term I'd strive to find a workplace closer to the office, or an office closer to the workplace. Though it is a dream GO commute ... 30 minutes with a bit of exercise thrown in!
 
I find these articles annoying ... they adjust the driving times by leaving earlier / or later, and the same applies when work is done. That makes a huge difference.
 
She's got her numbers wrong. Kennedy and Steeles is 27 km from the Star. Even if she has a pretty crappy old minivan, she's not paying more than 100$/month for gas at $1.25/L. She guessed 180$.

Wait a sec ... and she writes for the BUSINESS section?
 
The most obvious thing I can think of: Drive to Unionville station and park there, then at the end of the day one can take the GO bus home if one has to work late. It is ridiculous that there is no GO bus service to Agincourt or Milliken, these stops could really benefit from this, although if all day train service is planned soon then there is no need.

As for the idea of moving closer to work: given how outrageous Toronto real estate prices have gotten recently, it may be very difficult to afford anything other than a tiny condo closer to work. Forget it if you have kids and a limited budget.
 
I take either King or Queen streetcar to get to work and the overcrowding is annoying. So it takes me about 25 minutes to get to work (in rush hour) and about 50 minutes to get home (in rush hour). Weird, huh?

I might adjust my hours to either 10-6 or 8-4.
 
Unless you both live and work close to subway stations, it makes little sense to take ttc/go to work everyday. Remember unless you work really close to Union, your need to pay $121 a month for taking ttc on top of the Go fare. It is not realistic to walk from Union to College Park, for example.
Toronto's infrastructure is not set to encourage commuters to use public transit instead of driving anyway.
 
kkgg7 said:
Unless you both live and work close to subway stations, it makes little sense to take ttc/go to work everyday. Remember unless you work really close to Union, your need to pay $121 a month for taking ttc on top of the Go fare. It is not realistic to walk from Union to College Park, for example.
Toronto's infrastructure is not set to encourage commuters to use public transit instead of driving anyway.
Click to expand...

This is why Union's being expanded and RBC is building a building in Southcore.

I think an enormous number of people don't think about their commute when they buy a house, which I find mystifying. (Changing jobs once you've bought a house is another matter entirely.)

Who works at College Park? There's more offices at Y&E or Y & Sheppard than at Yonge & College. But, yeah, if I was working at College Park, I'd want to live on the Gerrard car rather than Oakville.
 
It is ridiculous that there is no GO bus service to Agincourt or Milliken, these stops could really benefit from this, although if all day train service is planned soon then there is no need.
Click to expand...
I would fully support GO upgrading to at least hourly bus service from Union Station to and from all GO stations, including the ones within the city.
 
I haven't ridden transit since I moved to Waterloo. However, I haven't driven a car either. It doesn't really make much sense to wait 15 min for a bus when I could bike to any of my destinations in less than that time.

kkgg7 said:
Unless you both live and work close to subway stations, it makes little sense to take ttc/go to work everyday. Remember unless you work really close to Union, your need to pay $121 a month for taking ttc on top of the Go fare. It is not realistic to walk from Union to College Park, for example.
Click to expand...

*cough* BIXI *cough*
$95/year = $7.92/month
 
BIXI seems like a good solution, at least for the half-year there isn't snow and slush everywhere. (Or even for the last couple of rainy, windy weeks for that matter).

It also depends on your job: taking BIXI to your job at the College Park food court is probably more sensible for most than taking it to a job at a law office there ...but it is one option.
 
TJ O'Pootertoot said:
BIXI seems like a good solution, at least for the half-year there isn't snow and slush everywhere. (Or even for the last couple of rainy, windy weeks for that matter).

It also depends on your job: taking BIXI to your job at the College Park food court is probably more sensible for most than taking it to a job at a law office there ...but it is one option.
Click to expand...

Why would slush be an issue? Bixi bikes have fat tires with good traction, as well as good fenders. And last I checked, it isn't winter 6 months a year. There are only 2 or 3 months where it gets really bad. Last year I was biking in February, although it's not the norm.

And why not Bixi to a law office? Are people actually going to get sweaty cycling a miserly 2km?
 
This is exactly what I keep harping on. Transit improvements should be first focused on improving the speed of long-haul commutes. Do that and transit usage will skyrocket, congestion will drop, and it will rain gummy bears in Toronto.

Focusing on an LRT network, or even a subway network that shaves minutes off a commute, won't get many people out of their cars.

She's not an exception. She's the norm. There's hundreds of thousands of outer 416 residents doing similar calculations everyday. And if you don't work in the core, the car comes out even further ahead.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top