CDL.TO
Moderator
I see that route 39E (Finch Express) is switching to all-day Monday to Saturday.
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- Thread starter drum118
- Start date
JasonParis
Moderator
TTC plans to add more buses
METRO
Jan. 31, 2008.
Relief from crowding is finally getting close. TTC patrons have not only become used to riding overloaded buses in peak hours but sometimes have to endure it during the day, in the evening and on weekends. Packed conditions have contributed to delays and a few shortened tempers.
While we won’t suddenly be able to dance along empty aisles or sit where we please, this time next month some of Toronto’s busiest bus lines should be noticeably better. More vehicles will be put into service along many routes — although the streetcar network won’t see much increased service. Buses will run more often and night bus frequency is set to double at certain times. It’s all overdue.
TTC chair Adam Giambrone says the agency will announce specific changes in coming weeks, calling them “dramatic.” Riders are going to want to see if schedules for their “favourite” routes will change.
As part of the 2008 budget process, the city of Toronto has also proposed adding 100 more buses during peak periods by November, and all bus routes would run continuously from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekdays. If city council approves, this would reverse deep cuts made to lesser-used routes 12 years ago when the provincial government slashed transit funding.
The February boost is merely to reduce crowding for existing riders, but the planned November changes could actually attract new customers. The TTC has been constrained by tight budgets and conservative thinking for so long that the idea of actually going after new business has been off the radar.
The pent-up demand is there — despite marginal additions to service in recent years, the agency is poised to achieve record ridership in 2008. Although Giambrone cautions the economy strongly affects patronage, this year the TTC should surpass the previous highest-ever total of 463 million rides, set in 1988.
It appears the commission would have broken the all-time record last year, but revised its count after overestimating the number of rides being taken by new Metropass holders.
Now that the TTC has finally regained a level of popularity last seen 20 years ago, how can we ensure it continues to grow? Economic trouble in the city kicked off that two-decade decline, followed by a series of fare hikes and the painful service cuts.
We need to protect the transit system from repeating this cycle and unless a deep recession arrives, the number of potential GTA transit customers justifies adding even more buses in 2009. And that’s not to mention streetcars. Even without taking into account the new light rail lines that are being planned, we need extra trams as soon as possible. However, patience is still required — along with additional subway trains, which are still a few years away.
Ed Drass
transit@eddrass.com
Ed Drass has been covering transportation issues in Toronto since 1998. He has a degree in urban studies from York University and regularly rides transit in the GTA and elsewhere.
METRO
Jan. 31, 2008.
Relief from crowding is finally getting close. TTC patrons have not only become used to riding overloaded buses in peak hours but sometimes have to endure it during the day, in the evening and on weekends. Packed conditions have contributed to delays and a few shortened tempers.
While we won’t suddenly be able to dance along empty aisles or sit where we please, this time next month some of Toronto’s busiest bus lines should be noticeably better. More vehicles will be put into service along many routes — although the streetcar network won’t see much increased service. Buses will run more often and night bus frequency is set to double at certain times. It’s all overdue.
TTC chair Adam Giambrone says the agency will announce specific changes in coming weeks, calling them “dramatic.” Riders are going to want to see if schedules for their “favourite” routes will change.
As part of the 2008 budget process, the city of Toronto has also proposed adding 100 more buses during peak periods by November, and all bus routes would run continuously from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekdays. If city council approves, this would reverse deep cuts made to lesser-used routes 12 years ago when the provincial government slashed transit funding.
The February boost is merely to reduce crowding for existing riders, but the planned November changes could actually attract new customers. The TTC has been constrained by tight budgets and conservative thinking for so long that the idea of actually going after new business has been off the radar.
The pent-up demand is there — despite marginal additions to service in recent years, the agency is poised to achieve record ridership in 2008. Although Giambrone cautions the economy strongly affects patronage, this year the TTC should surpass the previous highest-ever total of 463 million rides, set in 1988.
It appears the commission would have broken the all-time record last year, but revised its count after overestimating the number of rides being taken by new Metropass holders.
Now that the TTC has finally regained a level of popularity last seen 20 years ago, how can we ensure it continues to grow? Economic trouble in the city kicked off that two-decade decline, followed by a series of fare hikes and the painful service cuts.
We need to protect the transit system from repeating this cycle and unless a deep recession arrives, the number of potential GTA transit customers justifies adding even more buses in 2009. And that’s not to mention streetcars. Even without taking into account the new light rail lines that are being planned, we need extra trams as soon as possible. However, patience is still required — along with additional subway trains, which are still a few years away.
Ed Drass
transit@eddrass.com
Ed Drass has been covering transportation issues in Toronto since 1998. He has a degree in urban studies from York University and regularly rides transit in the GTA and elsewhere.
Kitsune
Senior Member
I can never make sense of it, but is it true the 39E will be operating mid day and early evenings now? That will be really nice for this college student!
ShonTron
Moderator
Kitsune
Senior Member
There is now a sproadic posting of Service Changes on various bus stop posts on Finch, seems like they randomly picked poles to put them up, and there is still nothing at the subway station ..........
CDL.TO
Moderator
doady
Senior Member
Steve Munro suggests that the TTC may need to bring streetcars back to Yonge to replace the Blue night bus service, and of course makes no mention of the possibility of 24-hour subway service.
JasonParis
Moderator
What's his reasoning dare I ask?
Kitsune
Senior Member
There no longer forcing people to take the sheppard stubway for a quicker route to finch it seems with the addition of express stops at leslie and bayview for the 39E ...
CDL.TO
Moderator
It seems that the 39E is now less of a regular "express" and more of a "limited-stop" service.
Service levels are so high that it might be worth considering splitting the route in two. Say, one route from Yonge to Vic Park (local), and another express from Yonge to Vic Park (perhaps stopping only at Don Mills) and local from there on. Dare I say "Finch Hydro Corridor Busway"?
Service levels are so high that it might be worth considering splitting the route in two. Say, one route from Yonge to Vic Park (local), and another express from Yonge to Vic Park (perhaps stopping only at Don Mills) and local from there on. Dare I say "Finch Hydro Corridor Busway"?
scarberiankhatru
Senior Member
I'll have to ride and time the revamped 39E to see how Rocket-like it is. 79 second frequency is absurd...looks like Finch will have real bus convoys once again because it's impossible to keep a steady 79 second headway in a the middle of a long route. Like, dude, where's my articulated bus?
cdl: They should split Finch East into two routes once the Don Mills branch of the DRL is complete
No one was forced to transfer from Finch to the stubway...few people ever did because the subway isn't finished and doesn't go far enough. I'd say half - or more - of the people that took the Finch-Don Mills express route were going to Fairview, anyway.
cdl: They should split Finch East into two routes once the Don Mills branch of the DRL is complete
No one was forced to transfer from Finch to the stubway...few people ever did because the subway isn't finished and doesn't go far enough. I'd say half - or more - of the people that took the Finch-Don Mills express route were going to Fairview, anyway.
Kitsune
Senior Member
What I ment by that was for the longest time the 39E went from Finch Station to Don Mills with no stops inbetween, seemingly forcing people if they want express service to hop the stubway and take a route north from leslie or bayview station.
scarberiankhatru
Senior Member
I really doubt anyone at Bayview & Finch ever takes the Bayview bus (or the same with Leslie & Finch and the Leslie bus) to the stubway to Yonge rather than the Finch bus to Yonge.
ShonTron
Moderator
I think that comment was in jest, and perhaps a nod to people who criticise him for his streetcar fixation.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
I remember when I moved to Fredericton, I asked my future employer if the city bus passed nearby. I was quickly informed that the city buses were for the young, the old, and the poor, and not for working blokes.