Before moving to Toronto in the fall, I told myself I wouldn’t become one of those downtown whiners that complained about the TTC all the time.
That lasted a solid two weeks.
I live right next to Union Station, which is among the best places to be for commuting purposes. The immediate access to the heart of the subway system is a massive convenience, and streetcar, bus and GO train services are also just a few steps away.
It’s a big reason why I chose to move into my condo.
Coming from Sault Ste. Marie, our transit system only involves city buses, which on a great day would be described as “adequate.” I had greater hopes for the provincial capital.
Toronto’s transit system fascinated me before I even got here, particularly the city’s lack of subway lines. Other major cities like New York, London and Paris have countless lines that spiderweb to virtually every significant point of their respective hubs. But here? Not so much.
I knew that riding to bustling neighbourhoods like Liberty Village, Roncesvalles and West Queen West would be a bit of a hike since the city’s subway lines don’t stretch anywhere near those areas.
Still, I wasn’t too worried because I thought, “Well, if the TTC only has three subway lines, I’m sure they’re well-maintained and will work efficiently when I do need them.”
I was wrong — so wrong.
Regular readers of Newbie Notebook will know I’ve had welcome surprises in Toronto, like buying reasonably-priced groceries downtown or being examined quickly at the emergency room. This, however, is not one of those times.
After living in the city for two months, I’ve already counted eight occasions — about once a week — where I had to exit a subway or streetcar due to maintenance, early closures or emergencies. Whether that’s considered normal or not, I do know the automated voice announcing that “shuttle buses are on the way” is a message that’s buried into the darkest parts of my brain.
The shuttle buses would be great if they were on time and not packed shoulder-to-shoulder with all the other disgruntled transit users who were unexpectedly kicked off their commute.
Of course, this is all before I mention the delays, rerouting and lack of cleanliness that make up a “normal day” of travel without disruption.
Sometimes after getting booted from the subway, I find I just end up paying for an Uber to get to my destination — a double whammy since I already paid for the incomplete transit ride.
There should be a way the TTC can offer automatic refunds when portions of their system shut down. Considering the transit commission hired undercover fare inspectors to catch more evasion, the agency should have some extra cash laying around for the responsible users who, at no fault of their own, were inconvenienced.
Surprisingly to me, the only thing that’s been more frustrating than unexpected closures are the anticipated ones.
For a second straight weekend, a major stretch of the Yonge-University subway line is closed for track-level work, impacting 11 stations between St. Clair West and King.
Maintenance is maintenance, I get it — and we need it. But it’s December. The holidays are less than three weeks away and now thousands of shoppers have a hurdle if they want to go out to purchase gifts on their days off.
Ask any business located near one of the impacted stations how they feel about the disruption and you can probably imagine their response. I picture a word that starts with “F,” and it’s not “festive.”
The financial costs of using the TTC itself, while reasonable when compared to other major cities, leaves me with mixed opinions.
TTC tickets are $3.35, but a monthly pass is $156, meaning you would have to ride 46 times to make the purchase worth it. Considering we’re now living in a hybrid society where working from home is the norm in many industries, I’d have expected the pass to be cheaper.
Even in my case, I’m usually on the subway three to four days a week but I’m finding the monthly pass still hasn’t been cost effective. It’s great for those using it twice a day, every day — but I’d imagine those people are a much smaller slice of the demographic compared to five years ago.
When the TTC is working well, the system is great. Realistically, it’s been efficient about 80 per cent of the time I’ve used it. Subways and streetcars generally arrive when they’re supposed to and the rides themselves are relatively smooth, and only smell bad some of the time.
But if I’m in a rush or have an important function to attend, those are the moments the system lets me down. At least it’s predictable.
Now, if the Ontario Line is completed before I have grandchildren, then I’ll genuinely be impressed with the TTC. However, I suspect my grandkids will still be riding those pesky shuttle buses regardless. Some things just don’t seem to change.
