Toronto commuters have become increasingly disenchanted with the TTC due to massive overcrowding, constantly changing routes, and equipment failures. Help is on the way! The Toronto Transit Commission has announced that starting this week they will begin implementing 21 million dollars worth of service improvements for buses and streetcars.
• Beginning next week 30 new buses will be added to the morning rush hour
• Beginning next week 40 new buses will be added to the afternoon rush hour
• The bus fleet will be increased by 125
• 500 new buses will be added over the next year
• 400 new drivers will be added over the next year

The magnitude of these changes is widespread – 77 routes will be affected. Although the entire GTA should notice the improvements, the increase in buses should have the greatest impact on the northwest and northeast routes which traditionally have been the most under serviced. At the moment, buses carry as many as 65 passengers during rush hour, and in some cases it is reported that 80 people are actually squashed like sardines on a bus. The goal is to reduce that number to 54. There are also major improvements planned for the fall when rush hour routes will be extended to all day service and there is a plan in place to match the bus service route hours to the subway schedule.

The money for the improvements came from 2 sources – increased Toronto Transit ticket prices and increased municipal taxes. Even so, for every fare the TTC requires a $0.62 subsidy. The TTC believes that the planned changes are enough to increase TTC ridership by 15,000,000 – 20,000,000? It seems like a lofty goal to me.