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I'm especially looking forward to the day when cellular service arrives, so that people can begin yammering on their phones too. Seriously, how long are people's underground commutes? Soon there will be no respite from the cellphone retards who can't function without the fucking thing in their hands, checking their Twitter and texting every few seconds, heyyy I'm at Dundas, now I'm at Queen lol ttyl k bye. What next, cellular service in elevators?

To look at things half full, texting was one of the best inventions of the last 10 years because it (anecdotally) reduced the number of people who yak on their phone in public places.
 
I like the tv screens that tell you when the next subway is coming but why did TTC ever think it would be sufficient to install one screen on a platform?

Not just that, but the numbers are small and a lousy font. Hard to tell a 2 and 3 (or 5) apart from any distance.
 
Dot matrix LED screen would be a far better alternative than a TV screen - which is of course chosen because of revenue generating possibilities offsetting installation costs.

AoD
 
Dot matrix LED screen would be a far better alternative than a TV screen - which is of course chosen because of revenue generating possibilities offsetting installation costs.

AoD
CP24 pays the TTC so much money to have their news (and advertising) on those screens. Ironically, I kept seeing Toyota commercials on it.
 
For the next TTC meeting, Karen Stintz has a motion proposing that management “report back in January on the relative costs and benefits of moving to a time based transfer policy and the best way to make such a change should it be adopted.”
 
For the next TTC meeting, Karen Stintz has a motion proposing that management “report back in January on the relative costs and benefits of moving to a time based transfer policy and the best way to make such a change should it be adopted.”

Wouldn't doing so decrease revenue for the TTC? Considering they're already struggling to fund current service levels with their fares, seems unlikely this would be a good idea without an increase in their subsidy. The number tossed around to implement it is $15 million. Stintz is basically saying, do more with less.
 
TTC subway ‘guards’ on the edge of obsolescence

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/12/19/ttc_subway_guards_on_the_edge_of_obsolescence.html

.....

Many of Toronto’s frontline transit workers are on the verge of a major job shift, now that a push to modernize the TTC is finally taking hold. A plan to begin testing single-operator subway trains next year marks the beginning of the end of the guard position. That’s the second operator, the one who pokes his or her head out to ensure that no one has been caught in a door before the subway moves on.

- Eliminating that job, which pays about $31 an hour, will be closely followed by a new role for subway collectors as the TTC begins a full-scale launch of the automated Presto fare card system. The collector position will be “re-engineered” into more mobile, direct customer-assistance roles, said TTC CEO Andy Byford.

- But there won’t be any layoffs on the TTC, Byford promised. Staff will be absorbed into other roles, and efficiencies will be achieved through attrition. All safety procedures and protocols will be developed in consultation with the union. --- “We’re not looking to have people lose their jobs, but jobs will change,” he stressed. Byford, who worked on the London Underground, plans to replace the subway guards with cameras on the platforms and monitors in the train cabs.

.....




subway_guard.jpg.size.xxlarge.letterbox.jpg
 
For the next TTC meeting, Karen Stintz has a motion proposing that management “report back in January on the relative costs and benefits of moving to a time based transfer policy and the best way to make such a change should it be adopted.â€

The TTC is really talking out of both sides of their mouth on this issue. When pressed on the topic, for example when questioned why St. Clair enjoys this because of the "pilot project," they say it is coming with Presto. Yet other times, including a Town Hall meeting I attended in Scarborough over the summer, Brad Ross said they cannot afford the revenue loss with such a setup. Seeing as Presto is less than 12 months away, they really need to get their shit together about how transfers will work next year.

To control costs with a new setup I think what they should do is stop gouging on the cost of a monthly pass, even if it means that tokens/Presto increase dramatically. A Metropass will be $133.75 next year, so make a pre-purchased fare $3.35 but allow 2 hour transfers and return trips included with the price.
 
Based in reality or not, this seems to be one of the things that keeps the perception of the TTC as being "wasteful" in the public mind. I think this should help correct that, at least a bit.

It is wasteful. Since the advent of CCTV there's been no reason to stick to two-man operation. We've seen literally decades of wasteful practices with these "guards."

Arguably there could be need for a second staff member on rush hour trains to provide assistance, but otherwise it's complete waste.
 
It is wasteful. Since the advent of CCTV there's been no reason to stick to two-man operation. We've seen literally decades of wasteful practices with these "guards."

Thanks to our brave politicians who never want to spend money on anything that doesn't involve them getting all the glory of cutting a ribbon for a new extension or new trains. Advanced fare collection, CCTV, ATO, all tested out by the TTC but the politicians always balked at spending money on these things. "The way it's done is good enough. We can't afford to spend money on frills like that". But dangle a shiny new subway extension in front of them and the billions start flowing. That's how we got to where we are today.

Guarding circa 1985. Photographer unknown. Originally posted in a Transit Forum in the US.

ttcguard001_5105.jpg
 

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It is wasteful. Since the advent of CCTV there's been no reason to stick to two-man operation. We've seen literally decades of wasteful practices with these "guards."

Arguably there could be need for a second staff member on rush hour trains to provide assistance, but otherwise it's complete waste.

Every time a train goes past a stop (happens at Rosedale regularly on icy days) we'll get to wait for the driver to go all the way to the other end in order to back up.

The use of the 2nd guard is limited but removing them will reduce capacity of the Yonge line by a bit. I expect we'll add half of them back at terminal stations to improve turnback times until trains are actually automated.
 
Every time a train goes past a stop (happens at Rosedale regularly on icy days) we'll get to wait for the driver to go all the way to the other end in order to back up.

Or, you know, the driver in the front could simply reverse the train 2 feet... This is such a non-issue.

The use of the 2nd guard is limited but removing them will reduce capacity of the Yonge line by a bit. I expect we'll add half of them back at terminal stations to improve turnback times until trains are actually automated.

No it wont. There are many single operator railways with identical or higher frequency. You could simply swap drivers at the terminals. At the terminal Driver 1 would exit Train1. Meanwhile D0 would enter T1 and begin turning back. By the time D1 is in position, T2 will arrive and D1 can enter and start turning back T2 while T2 exits and begins repositioning....
 
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Or, you know, the driver in the front could simply reverse the train 2 feet... This is such a non-issue.

Not sure you're allowed to operate a train without looking where you're going. Also not sure that a reverse-facing camera is a safe substitute.
 

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