[adma]

The upshot is that the TTC -- particularly the subway -- seems increasingly the preserve of immigrants and the working poor. Its image seems to me less middle class than 20 or more years ago. And the more it is seen to be a service for the poor, the less outrage there will be from voters (who are disproportionately better-off) when service gets slashed or fares go up.

I wouldn't say, "particularly the subway"; I'd put more onus on the bus routes, esp. the suburban ones...

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Anyone who's ever taken the Yonge line knows that it is very far from the preserve of immigrants and the working poor...aside from middle-class-and-up immigrants, of course.

 

[Blovertis]

I'm talking about a long-term trend -- based only on my personal impressions, mind you -- fewer suits on the subway, fewer people who look like they're going to or coming from white collar jobs.

 

[adma]

But it's even more marked on bus routes.

Besides, there's also the matter of the rise of "work casual", etc...

 

[scarberiankhatru]

It mainly depends on the time of day...pretty much every bus route will have lots of suits and secretaries and the like during rush hour.

 

[BUGEYEDBRIT]

for the money, I personally don't use the TTC anymore, I would rather get the exercise cycling and walking, I used to live in London and the weekly/monthly tube fares always meant that you broke even if you did 2 daily trips(effectively weekend travel was free), was a bit of a wake up call moving here, I still don't get the token versus cash price difference either, why not one flat rate price, is that so hard to accomplish ?

 

[JasonParis]

I feel like Toronto's been having this same debate about the TTC regarding fares, service and cuts forever now. Make it end!

 

[Admiral Beez]

Fear stalks the forum!

I think the Metroass was about $24, when I first bought one in 1980.

You should have bought about 10,000 tokens back then.

 

[Admiral Beez]

for the money, I personally don't use the TTC anymore,

I think the TTC is dangerous close to the Tipping Point where any additional fare hike will push people to the point where they say this is just not worth it, and I'm going to find other means of getting around. $0.15 increase might not seem like much, but you can't keep on increasing fares without improving service.

 

[CDL.TO]

Done by me. Sources: Mike's Transit Stop and Bank of Canada Inflation Calculator.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Can you do another chart showing rise or decline in ridership over the same period?

 

[lordmandeep]

I know the relationship. When fare were stable ridership fell after 1991 but grew again after 1999.

however strangely there is a positive relationship with fare hikes and ridership.


When those fares got hiked after 2000, ridership grew quite a bit and i think its at record levels now.


really i use the TTC 3-4 times a week really.

 

[Blovertis]

What have the City and the TTC been thinking to allow fare increases to outstrip inflation to that extent? I'm convinced that the rising cost (not to mention inconvenience) of the TTC is just one more factor pushing people into the suburbs. If it's almost as economical to own a car as use transit, then why not move to terrain that is specifically designed for cars?

 

[scarberiankhatru]

TTC fares rising faster than inflation are not driving people to the 905.

 

[cassius]

Can you do another chart showing rise or decline in ridership over the same period?

You'll probably want to put in 416 population increase as well... If there's been one