Northern Light
Superstar
Comments on the above:
1) I'm broadly supportive of the various service-related initiatives. ie. Reducing crowding, restoring Miller-era crowding standards, the 10 minute network, beefing up early Sunday morning service, launching a 15-minute service network and adding additional overnight service.
2) On the payment related initiatives:
Yes to one cash fare, IF cash fares are retained. (I would rather they were not)
Some form of Convention Passes? Sure.
No to machine-readable transfers, just abolish them. You get free transfers with Presto, and any open payment system (debit, apple pay etc.) where you used the same method. No transfers for cash fares.
3) On wayfinding/information
This bit is good'ish....but
72 stops out of 9,000 and no follow-up or roll out in 2027 or 2028? No, ditch some of the more peripheral nonsense like 'better connecting riders to public art' and instead, begin a system rollout of modern, digital, real-time information at every stop in 2027. We would mostly agree here that there should be fewer than 9,000 stops in a few years........ So let's budget for 6,000 stops, rolled out at 2,000 per year.
4) On seamlessness:
In 2027/2028 respectively:
Finally! ^^^
5) On safety/security:
We do not need a 'pilot' on security cameras, we know their utility, they allow staff to spot incidents in real time, in locations where they are not physically present, they have some {limited) deterrent value, and they provide evidence for investigations and trials where applicable.
On this one, study less, implement more.
6) On speed/reliability/service:
Fine, as far as it goes, but for FIFA, we delivered two in one year, more or less, with good sized segments of Bathurst and Dufferin. Plus additional improvements for the 505 Dundas.
Why can't we commit to complete the original Rapid TO route list over 3 years, at 2-3 routes annually?
****
On TSP, swell, but this should be done by route, in a complete packages with RapidTO and similar so that you can get a 'big bang' service improvement from the rider's perspective (ie, cut travel time by 15% or greater, increase frequency by 2M or greater) as opposed to random drips of one intersection here or there.
On Queue Jump lanes, not a fan. A road widening by any other name is just as stroad-ish. All you need to do to achieve the same effect, at lower cost, is make a right turn mandatory at a given intersection for any non-TTC vehicle (these will all be on 4 or 6 lane roads).
Spending hundreds of thousands (or more) to remove street trees and add an additional lane to a road way is an inefficient use of time and money.
******
7) Items not mentioned:
A) Curbside Parking/Use strategy implementation, where street parking is systematically removed from major roads with transit, beginning with streetcar routes in the downtown (Broadview to Bathurst)
B) Adding key amenities such as additional washrooms at high volume stations
C) Adding additional escalator options over time (up or down escalator paths where these are not currently present, where this can be done cost effectively)
D) Expanded use of vending machines in stations where no retail is present.
E) Greater resilience to delays (additional crossovers on line 2, isolating station/tunnel electrical to deliver more turning points, adding back missing turns to streetcar tracks, implementing Broadview/Queen loop, and expanded Broadview Station.
F) Zero tolerance on open drug use/illegal activities on transit.
G) Defensive design changes which would reduce socially undesirable behavior. (on subways, all accessible benches replaced with flip-down seats, and arm rests added, space permitting, between most seats, particularly any seat configuration of 3 or greater.
H) Greater flexibility for front-line staff (to assist customers and each other, including provision of tablets, and the ability to do other people's jobs where urgent, w/o penalty.
I ) Greater accountability from management.
1) I'm broadly supportive of the various service-related initiatives. ie. Reducing crowding, restoring Miller-era crowding standards, the 10 minute network, beefing up early Sunday morning service, launching a 15-minute service network and adding additional overnight service.
2) On the payment related initiatives:
Yes to one cash fare, IF cash fares are retained. (I would rather they were not)
Some form of Convention Passes? Sure.
No to machine-readable transfers, just abolish them. You get free transfers with Presto, and any open payment system (debit, apple pay etc.) where you used the same method. No transfers for cash fares.
3) On wayfinding/information
This bit is good'ish....but
72 stops out of 9,000 and no follow-up or roll out in 2027 or 2028? No, ditch some of the more peripheral nonsense like 'better connecting riders to public art' and instead, begin a system rollout of modern, digital, real-time information at every stop in 2027. We would mostly agree here that there should be fewer than 9,000 stops in a few years........ So let's budget for 6,000 stops, rolled out at 2,000 per year.
4) On seamlessness:
In 2027/2028 respectively:
Finally! ^^^
5) On safety/security:
We do not need a 'pilot' on security cameras, we know their utility, they allow staff to spot incidents in real time, in locations where they are not physically present, they have some {limited) deterrent value, and they provide evidence for investigations and trials where applicable.
On this one, study less, implement more.
6) On speed/reliability/service:
Fine, as far as it goes, but for FIFA, we delivered two in one year, more or less, with good sized segments of Bathurst and Dufferin. Plus additional improvements for the 505 Dundas.
Why can't we commit to complete the original Rapid TO route list over 3 years, at 2-3 routes annually?
****
On TSP, swell, but this should be done by route, in a complete packages with RapidTO and similar so that you can get a 'big bang' service improvement from the rider's perspective (ie, cut travel time by 15% or greater, increase frequency by 2M or greater) as opposed to random drips of one intersection here or there.
On Queue Jump lanes, not a fan. A road widening by any other name is just as stroad-ish. All you need to do to achieve the same effect, at lower cost, is make a right turn mandatory at a given intersection for any non-TTC vehicle (these will all be on 4 or 6 lane roads).
Spending hundreds of thousands (or more) to remove street trees and add an additional lane to a road way is an inefficient use of time and money.
******
7) Items not mentioned:
A) Curbside Parking/Use strategy implementation, where street parking is systematically removed from major roads with transit, beginning with streetcar routes in the downtown (Broadview to Bathurst)
B) Adding key amenities such as additional washrooms at high volume stations
C) Adding additional escalator options over time (up or down escalator paths where these are not currently present, where this can be done cost effectively)
D) Expanded use of vending machines in stations where no retail is present.
E) Greater resilience to delays (additional crossovers on line 2, isolating station/tunnel electrical to deliver more turning points, adding back missing turns to streetcar tracks, implementing Broadview/Queen loop, and expanded Broadview Station.
F) Zero tolerance on open drug use/illegal activities on transit.
G) Defensive design changes which would reduce socially undesirable behavior. (on subways, all accessible benches replaced with flip-down seats, and arm rests added, space permitting, between most seats, particularly any seat configuration of 3 or greater.
H) Greater flexibility for front-line staff (to assist customers and each other, including provision of tablets, and the ability to do other people's jobs where urgent, w/o penalty.
I ) Greater accountability from management.
