For September 2006 we will see many service improvements although these fall largely in the off-peak period as the fleet size constrains the TTC’s ability to run more peak service. Looking through the long list, I noticed that the Service Planning folks have been squeezing every drop they can out of the available budget by, in some cases, only adding a few extra trips here and there rather than a service change for an entire operating period. Typically, this extends the shoulder of the rush hour rather than, say, improving service all day long.
Some service improvements originally planned for early 2006 but deferred due to budget deliberations are finally in the schedules, while others remain on hold for future implementation. Next year’s budget brings with it the big jump in the bus fleet and a concurrent need for additional operating subsidy. We will see whether the Budget Advisory Committee, Council and the Mayor are willing to put their money where most of their mouths are on transit improvements.
In the long section that follows, I do not give the details of the changes (for that, you can look at the TTC’s own site when they are posted), but only a general idea of what is happening. I have omitted the minutiae such as garage reassignments and operational changes that do not affect headways.
Seasonal Changes
- All special summer services end after Labour Day
- All summer service reductions, including those on the subway, end after Labour Day
Construction Projects
- Due to the Fleet Street reconstruction which includes provision of a reserved streetcar right-of-way, the 511 Bathurst car will operate with CLRVs between Bathurst and Union Stations. A 509 Harbourfront bus will operate from Queen’s Quay Loop to the CNE. Effective Tuesday, Septmber 5 until December 23. [Updated August 16: This project has been deferred to spring 2007 thanks to screwups in planning by the City Works Department and Toronto Hydro.]
- Reconstruction of the bus loop at Humber Loop will cause the 66 Prince Edward and 80 Queensway routes to divert and loop via Queensway, Ellis, Lake Shore and Windermere. Streetcar service through Humber Loop is not affected.
Service Changes
Note that unless otherwise noted, service improvements are to meet loading standards. Note that off-peak standards were improved under the Ridership Growth Strategy and the current surge in demand triggers service changes sooner than it would have under the old standard.
- 11 Bayview & 28 Davisville: A minor operational change before 7:30 am weekdays will reduce the number of vehicles and slightly widen the headway.
- 49 Bloor West: Saturday daytime service reduced and resources reallocated to 44 Kipling South.
- 506 Carlton: Late evening service improved Monday to Saturday.
- 20 Cliffside: Weekend and holiday daytime service revised to blend with 113 Danforth.
- 22 Coxwell: Late Saturday afternoon service improved.
- 113 Danforth: Weekend and holiday saytime service improved. Service will be blended with 20 Cliffside.
- 23 Dawes: Saturday daytime service improved.
- 25 Don Mills: Weekday midday service improved, and two late evening trips added.
- 108 Downsview: Saturday afternoon service improved.
- 29 Dufferin: Weekday service improved between 11 am and 3 pm, and between 7:30 and 9:30 pm (deferred from March 2006).
- 111 East Mall: Weekday midday service improved.
- 34 Eglinton East: Additional trips added at the end of the AM and PM peaks eastbound from Eglinton Station.
- 39 Finch East and 309 Finch East: Weekday midday service, all Saturday service, and Sunday daytime service improved. Schedules for the day and night services are adjusted to eliminate a gap between the two services.
- 100 Flemingdon Park: Two trips added at the end of the PM peak, and one added mid-evening. In both cases the trips run from Broadview Station to Don Mills & Eglinton.
- 38 Highland Creek: Morning peak service improved after 8:00 AM, midday and PM peak service improved.
- 37 Islington: Weekday midday service improved.
- 35 Jane: Additional trips added weekdays at various times; Saturday afternoon and evening service, and Sunday/holiday afternoon services all improved.
- 41 Keele: Weekday afternoon and PM peak, Saturday and Sunday afternoon services all improved.
- 43 Kennedy: Two additional late night trips added extending service to 2:10 AM. Sunday/holiday afternoon service improved.
- 504 King: PM peak service improved.
- 12 Kingston Road: PM peak service improved.
- 44 Kipling South: AM and PM peak, and Saturday daytime services improved.
- 54 Lawrence East: Trips added at the end of the AM and PM peaks.
- 52 Lawrence West: PM peak service improved.
- 58 Malton and 52 Lawrence West: Weekday midday, Saturday afternoon and early evening, Sunday/holiday morning and early evening services all improved. Blended services on the two routes where possible.
- 59 Maple Leaf: PM peak service improved (originally planned for Feb 2006).
- 16 McCowan: PM peak service improved (originally planned for Feb 2006).
- 129 McCowan North: Saturday daytime and early evening services improved.
- 116 Morningside and 86 Scarborough: Weekend and holiday afternoon services improved. Trips are blended on common sections of the routes.
- 70 O’Connor: Weekday midday service improved.
- 501 Queen: AM peak service improved.
- 86 Scarborough: Weekday early evening service improved.
- 53 Steeles East: Weekday midday and late evening services improved.
- 24 Victoria Park: PM peak service improved.
- 68 Warden: PM peak service improved.
- 112 West Mall: Weekday midday service improved.
- 96 Wilson and 165 Weston Road North: Saturday afternoon and evening, Sunday/holiday daytime services all improved.
- 106 York University: Sunday/holiday daytime and early evening services improved.
- 196 York University Rocket: AM and PM peak services improved.
Service Improvements Deferred Due To Budget Constraints:
- 504 King: Monday to Saturday late evening, Weekend/holiday early evening.
- 102 Markham Road: Weekday midday and PM peak.
- 116 Morningside and 86 Scarborough: Weekend early evening.
- 196 York University Rocket: Weekday midday.
Services Improvements Deferred In Part Due To Budget Constraints:
- 506 Carlton: Monday to Saturday late evening.
- 108 Downsview: Saturday afternoon.
- 29 Dufferin: Weekday midday.
- 39 Finch East: Weekend morning and afternoon.
- 38 Highland Creek: Weekday midday.
- 37 Islington: Weekday midday.
- 35 Jane: Weekend afternoons.
- 43 Kennedy: Sunday/holiday afternoons.
- 52 Lawrence West and 58 Malton: Weekday midday and Saturday early evening.
- 129 McCowan North: Saturday daytime.
- 53 Steeles East: Weekday late evening.
- 165 Weston Road North and 96 Wilson: Sunday/holiday afternoon.
Steve Munro 
You mentioned that some improvements had been deferred from the beginning of the year. I would assume that this means that the TTC now only has to subsidize those improvements for part of the year.
What happens next year when the service improvements being implemented in September would require subsidizing for the whole year? Since the improvements would already have been implemented (in 2006) then it would be the status quo for 2007 rather than what was in place in January 2006. The status quo is often the starting point for budget deliberations.
Steve: Shhhh. Don’t tell anyone. The TTC creates a budget based on current operations plus full-year effect of any in-year changes and the part year cost of any proposals. Then they make assumptions about ridership and estimated revenue. This yields a deficit number.
When the bean counters come after them, the cuts will come from proposed additions for the new year plus any “efficiencies” than can be scraped out of the budget overall.
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Those are some good improvements, particularly on some of the busier routes like Dufferin. I guess, given current political realities, there’s really no way around the process (games-playing?) that you describe in your response to the previous comment.
It’s my impression that the “capital” side of the funding has improved significantly in the past two or three years. The “operating” side still seems to be problematic.
Steve: Even the capital side is badly skewed by the planned Spadina Subway extension. Two billion dollars to carry a handful of riders when we don’t have enough money to buy equipment for the existing system and expand its scope of service operations.
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In the context of city coucil voting themselves a raise, Torontonians should feel cheated and abandoned. Instead of maintaining a viable transit system, the city council decided on short term gains.
It is regretable that many routes in Scarborough will not see any improvement. The 169 Huntingwood and 42 Cummer service will still rush hour only. Routes like 21 Brimley and 129 McCowan will still be overcrowded.
I now understand why many Torontonians want a metro or ICTS line close to where they live. A overcrowded bus will mean standing at a bus stop. The sun, rain, snow and anything in between will quickly make the experience a terrible one. Who wants to wait 20 minutes for a bus anyways? I have seen cyclists beating the TTC bus service almost 90% of the time because of the frequent stops and long wait times. At least with a rail based service, it is always 5 minutes service with a solid roof over one’s head. The exclusive right of way also helps. I do not know of any cyclists who can beat a TTC metro or ICTS service.
Ridership growth will not happen until these fundamental problems are addressed. The lack of funding is the biggest problem. The TTC should operate another type of bus service. In Asia, many buses make 10 local community stops and than it is in express mode until it reaches the destination. This means no pickup or drop offs. Imagine how fast the 39 Finch bus would be if it makes stops between Neilson to Brimley and than operates non stop to Finch. The trip will probably take less than 20 minutes. This will probably be a better bet than putting more buses on long routes or building metros everywhere.
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Hey Steve, I am wondering that the RGS would include 20 min headways on Blue Night routes? So many times I have grabbed a cab because I didn’t want to stand around for half an hour for a 305 at Rouge Hill GO station, then wait another half an hour for a 302. Is there any incentive for the TTC to make sure all transfers connect with the 20 min headways?
Steve: I believe that RGS and the 20-minute maximum do not apply to the Blue Night routes. We will still be faced with a mix of 10, 15, 20 and 30 minute headways. One big problem is that when the network was smaller, the TTC published timepoints and transfer connections between the routes. Everyone, including the operators, knew where these connections were. Now there are no published connections, and it’s catch as catch can. On a network the size of the 416, it’s an interesting question: where should there be guaranteed connections between routes, and what happens when a schedule is altered?
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With buses scheduled only once every hour (or even up to 1/2 an hour), you should most likely plan when you’ll get to the bus stop so you only wait for 2 or 3 minutes, tops.
With YRT, only VIVA operates at any sort of frequency most TTC routes have. Most of the time, it’s most often 1/2 to 1 hour between buses. Some hardly-traveled routes experience 2 hours between buses! You shouldn’t show up any old time you want and expect a bus immediately (especially on 169 Huntingwood and other infrequents). Planning ahead of time can be more effective than more buses.
Steve: The problems with adapting this attitude to the TTC are:
The concept of running on schedule is a foreign one to the TTC. Getting to your stop a few minutes ahead of time is a good way to get a view of the tail lights of the bus as they disappear in the distance.
The whole TTC system is based on the idea of connections between routes. It is impossible to accurately predict when you will arrive at a transfer point.
Most importantly, transit is not really an option for a significant number of riders when it runs every 30 minutes or worse for a seated load or less.
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I lived in London Ontario for a few months many years ago. In those days there used to be a “downtown” on Dundas Street. I would go there on a Sunday to pick up a Sunday New York Times.
I lived down by the 401 on the “B” portion of a poorly served bus route. Service was poor on the main bbranch, and on the “B” portion we only got half the service. I could “plan” what time to start my trip from home, but the return journey was at a random time. I remember waiting for very long periods on Dundas. Just buying a newspaper took me three hours or so. This is effectively no transit service at all.
I was then, and am now, a transit enthusiast. However, if I had stayed in London I would have had to buy a car.
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The details are finally posted as of today.
http://www.toronto.ca/ttc/pdf/service_summary_2006_09_03.pdf
I have complaining to the TTC about loading standards on the 96 and 165, as they show the route in previous service summaries as a “HF” (high floor) route, but in practice use only Orion VIIs on weekends (and can be packed solid and are typically late, even on a Sunday morning). The realistic service levels to meet demand on weekend day times are now shown for September. Interestingly, both are still not yet designated accessible, but are not shown as “HF” or “Orion VII” but as “Lift” — presumably referring to the RTSs.
I also noticed that 41 Keele, which is now “Orion VII”, has been improved, but it is not designated accessible either in the service plan. Weird.
I also think it’s finally time to put routes like 98 Willowdale back to a real schedule, and not the token 60 minutes at just about all times.
Steve: The 60 minute headways will disappear in a year or two when the Ridership Growth Strategy and its much more reasonable maximum headway standards kicks in. Right now, it’s tied up in budget fights and internal foot-dragging.
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