W. K. Lis
Superstar
One of the reasons the TTC has the lowest subsidy of all the major transit systems in North America is because of the streetcar.
The operating and maintenance costs are lower than buses (my 20+ year old electric lawn mover only needed its blades sharped). The capital costs (tracks and wiring) are higher. However, the streetcars last longer (30 vs. 12) and carry more passengers per vehicle (the Spadina bus carried less people than the Spadina streetcar, but used more buses). And most important, people like them better.
In the United States, crowds come out to new streetcar lines opening up. Nobody gives a ceremony when a new bus opens up.
The operating and maintenance costs are lower than buses (my 20+ year old electric lawn mover only needed its blades sharped). The capital costs (tracks and wiring) are higher. However, the streetcars last longer (30 vs. 12) and carry more passengers per vehicle (the Spadina bus carried less people than the Spadina streetcar, but used more buses). And most important, people like them better.
In the United States, crowds come out to new streetcar lines opening up. Nobody gives a ceremony when a new bus opens up.