IMO, the reason behind the argument against departing from flat fare is because TTC and its riders are still stuck in 1980. If you look at any other major system in the world
with comparable size they are virtually all fare by distance or hybrid. There is no way that TTC can continue to expand and charge everyone 3.25 to ride from end to end, especially if the subsidisation is low.
I think you nail it. I think, in general, they're just a very conservative organization and they can't see past themselves and they sincerely don't really care if someone has to take YRT to the GO station to Union and then take a subway up to their job at College, or whatever.
I've said it here and on other threads but none of the "world class cities" we aspire to be run things this way. They don't have flat fares, they don't have 20 warring local agencies; it just doesn't happen. This is about responding to the new reality vs. 1980 (or 73, when they started doing it), which is people going in different directions and crossing borders.
I mean this, from the article, is just B.S.:
TTC officials are reluctant to abandon that flat fare model. “To be able to travel right across Toronto with one fare is a huge benefit,” said Chris Upfold, the TTC’s chief customer officer, “and I think very, very clearly, is one of the reasons why Toronto has such high proportional ridership compared to transit systems across North America.”
Very clearly? Very VERY clearly?
Prove it. New York City has different fares for subway and bus and do tell, Mr. Upfold, how's their ridership?
More straight-up B.S:
And there is no reliable way to measure the length of bus and streetcar trips, Upfold said.
Because you can't tap on and off with Presto? What's he even talking about here? And finally, I agree with Colle's point here that the TTC should be made whole but then he goes off about their subsidy when everyone knows that TTC's insanely low subsidy is something they love trumpeting.
No matter what, Colle is adamant that the TTC, which carries 85 per cent of transit riders in the GTHA, not take on additional costs. He notes that as it stands, each TTC trip is subsidized by Toronto taxpayers at a rate of 89 cents per ride. That means that the 12 per cent of the TTC passengers who live in the outlying regions and take Toronto transit have their trips subsidized by Toronto residents.
That's fine, but then realize how it undermines your argument about the overall network. If Toronto was paying more than half the fare, as happens in most of the 905, it would be a lot easier for them to complain but by putting so much on the farebox, it's less of an issue where the riders come from.
Talking about those subsidies without looking at origins and destinations is also disingenuous. If someone from North York goes from Fairview Mall to North York Centre, the fact they're in an "outlying region" is meaningless. Especially compared to someone who lives downtown and treks out to the far end of the Danforth.
I think those quotes demonstrate, quite clearly, how hard it is for TTC to think outside the box. They literally don't understand how tapping on and off works, even though the tech has been around in World Class Cities for over a decade. It's kinda sad, really.
