From 1990-2000 TTC fares almost doubled and overall bus and streetcar service has dropped by 10-20%, resulting in crowded vehicles and longer waits. Essentially, TTC riders are paying more today and getting less.

Between 1998-2004 fares increased by 14% while the city's transit operating subsidy decreased by 17%. Meanwhile capital spending on transportation (roads) has increased by 57%.

Since then the TTC has adopted a Ridership Growth Strategy to increase ridership by millions of new riders and rides (more individual trips) and a made a commitment to produce a planning document titled: Building a Transit City.

2005 brought good news - new funding from federal and provincial governments (although still below past amounts) and a first step in implementing the TTC's Ridership Growth Strategy with transferable monthly and weekly passes. The city expects 1.9 million new rides from the weekly pass and 2.2 million new rides from the monthly pass for a total of 4.1 million new rides or about $8 million


TTC - The Better Way

The majority of residents that live/work South of Bloor Street do not own a car and take transit to work.

The Dufferin Bus moves 40,000 people a day that's the entire population of Cornwall, Ontario.

The St. Clair right-of-way will save $6 million dollars a year in operating costs (initial cost: $7 million).


Subways - Not Always the Right Answer

50 years ago (pre-subway) Yonge Street had bumper-to-bumper streetcars that moved 1000s of people at a time.

The Yonge and Bloor Subway Lines have been a huge success. But, subways are not the right answer for every transit route.

Subway Lines are best suited for medium distance trips in areas with exceptionally high ridership/density. The city and province ignored this principal when they built the Sheppard Subway Line. Most streetcar lines and some bus routes carry more passengers than this subway.

Sheppard Subway - more people would be riding transit in Toronto today, if this subway had never been built. Why? At just under a billion dollars, the TTC could have bought 500 new streetcars (and installed track on new routes). Instead, streetcar service in high ridership areas has declined because of service cutbacks (by 30% on the Dundas Street route alone).

Government subsidy to the Sheppard Subway is approximately $8.00/rider compared with a city-wide average subsidy of $0.47/rider (other revenue comes from the fare box).

The Sheppard Subway is an example of politicians abandoning their plans and priorities when making decisions. It may not be an isolated mistake. The city and province are currently spending time and resources on other "supersized' transit projects like the proposed York University Subway line and the Don Mills Rapid Bus Route (only 600 new riders at a subsidy of $6.00/rider).


Setting Funding Priorities

While the city has laid out transit goals in its Ridership Growth and Transit City strategies, significant new funding from the province and federal government are tied to other priorities:

· The City is required to spend money on environmental studies for a subway extension to York University.
· A new Smart Card fare collection system to integrate transit across the GTA will cost the TTC $120 million without improving the frequency of service. While this isn't a bad idea, the TTC could buy 250 buses and dramatically improve service with these funds. Considering the current state of smog and congestion, increasing ridership should be the highest priority.
· The province is also set to announce a Greater Toronto Transit Authority (GTTA) to disperse new funding likely diverting funds from the TTC to outlying GTA cities. But the TTC carries over 80% of all transit riders in the GTA. The TTC doesn't need another decision-making body it needs additional funds.


Comparing Transit in Toronto to the GTA

Ridership numbers and cost* in 2003:
· TTC - 415 million rides at a cost of $0.47/rider
· Go Transit - 44 million rides at a cost of $4.71/rider
· York Region - 10 million rides at a cost of $2.44/rider

(*These costs represent government subsidies received by each transit system, after fares are accounted for. In Toronto, the fare box pays for 80% of the TTC operations. York Region's subsidy is far greater than this).

Across Toronto the TTC accounts for 28% of all morning peak period trips - in the rest of the GTA its 8%.

In Durham Region only 3% of families do not own a car. Predictably, Durham Region has a poor transit system.