April 2018 brings several adjustments to TTC schedules, but nothing like the upheaval of February’s streetcar/bus changeovers or the subway opening of December 2017.
After a long absence, streetcars will return to The Queensway subject to construction at Humber Loop reaching a point where this is physically possible. Schedules on the 66 Prince Edward and 80 Queensway buses will revert to the pre-construction route configurations with the following effects:
- 66A Prince Edward buses will terminate at Humber Loop rather than running east to the on street Ellis/Windermere loop.
- 80B Queensway buses will terminate at Humber Loop rather then at Keele Station late weekday evenings and on Sundays.
The TTC’s service memo does not set out the arrangements for the 501L buses to Long Branch connecting with the 501 streetcars, or where the east end of the bus shuttle will be. Details of the bus operations will be announced closer to the start of the new schedules.
Through 501 Queen streetcar service to Long Branch will be scheduled for the May 13, 2018 board period.
The 512 St. Clair streetcar will become an officially low-floor route with all off-peak service designated to receive Flexity cars. Peak period extras will become fully low-floor as new cars are available. The service frequencies are almost identical to the current schedules.
As approved in November 2017, two routes will lose late evening service because their ridership is below the 10 riders per bus hour standard. These are:
- 5 Avenue Road all days
- 169 Huntingwood weekends
The 73B Royal York to La Rose Avenue branch will lose its weekend late evening service at the end of 2018 when construction at Royal York Station and the current interline between the two Royal York routes (73/76) ends.
The 94 Wellesley bus will lose its direct subway access at Wellesley Station during elevator construction. The 94B service which normally terminates at this station will be extended to loop around Queen’s Park as 94C. On street stops at Yonge and Wellesley will require transfers for token/ticket/cash users as at other stations where surface routes do not have a closed connection to the subway. This arrangement is expected to last until December 2018.
Minor changes in routes serving Pioneer Village station will ensure that last buses provide a connection with the last northbound subway train.
Several routes have minor changes in service levels and/or running times for construction (Metrolinx projects), adjustments to demand and correction of timings to match actual conditions.
Steve Munro 
You believe this is an improvement in TTC service? April Fool!
Steve: The word I used was “adjustments” not “improvements”.
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The TTC could have kept the Sunday service on 80 Queensway to Keele Station. I rode that route on Sunday and there is people riding the bus to Keele Station and people are using the stops along Parkside Drive.
Steve: Yes, I am baffled by the removal of that service as it isolates The Queensway from the subway.
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Does the 512 St Clair car’s increasing trip time mean the new streetcars are taking longer to operate? It seems to me that all the time saved with the ROW has been repelled by the conversion of the new cars.
Steve: This is a pattern I am seeing on other routes including buses where there is a growth in the padding of running times producing considerable “recovery” time at terminals. In spite of this, service still leaves raggedly. I don’t think it is the new cars per se.
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You have the 186 written as last trip from westbound from Wilson Station but it operates westbound from York Mills Station via Wilson. I’m not sure if that’s a typo by you or written like that from the memo.
Steve: Thanks for catching this. The memo talks about service on Wilson from York Mills, and I managed to merge the two. I will post an updated version of the list.
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The other day – Sunday, March 4, 2018 – I was riding on the “511 Bathurst” streetcar to and from Exhibition Place to take in the Toronto Vintage Clothing Show and Toronto Antique & Vintage Market which were located in the Queen Elizabeth Building; I was riding the older CLRV streetcars both ways. I was most surprised to see a few of the new Flexity Outlook streetcars running on this route.
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In the “construction projects” section of Service Changes it says 4 months of Yonge-Sheppard construction beginning Apr. 1 and a 97 bus route split but no details. Can you supply the missing info on construction and the route split? Thanks.
Steve: This project has been underway since May 2016. The north end of the route comes only to Lawrence Station. See the TTC’s diversion notice for details.
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Re: Return of streetcars to Lakeshore (May or June)
1) any idea whether they will continue with the “507” (i.e stand alone service from Long Branch loop to Humber loop)?
Steve: I don’t know what the plans are yet.
2) Is this dependent on Bombardier delivering more vehicles?
Steve: No. The question is whether construction has advanced to a point where streetcars can run through.
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Horrible service changes I hope transit is a forefront of the election issue cause it’s time for a change it is incredible to cut service and such and bill routes against each other
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I’ve been wondering about that too. I sometimes ride the 512 all the way to Gunns Loop to transfer to the Runnymede bus and have experienced significant delays where the streetcar can’t enter the loop because it’s already full of other streetcars. One time, I’ve spent over 5 minutes stuck on the streetcar on Gunns Road, causing me to miss the connecting bus. I’ve made a mental note that next time I should just get off at Keele and walk to the loop as it would be faster.
I know this is wishful thinking, but do you know if there are any plans to modify Gunns Loop? It’s really not designed to fit the new streetcars.
Steve: I have not heard of any plans for this location.
It’s obviously time for a new look at operations on 512 St. Clair.
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I use Gunn’s Loop (off rush) and it is common to see 3 to 5 streetcars in the short distance between Keele and Gunn’s Loop some blocking Gunn’s Road unable to enter the Loop and trapping people on board since there is no place to unload on St.Clair at Gunns. The answer is not a bigger loop, the answer is REDUCE the number of Cars off rush.They often arrive with few/no riders and board few or none. 71A Runnymede is a sad joke. Infrequent (23 mins) and usually late. Many people walk (me included) even though they have paid their fare. Not fair!
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I was at Kennedy and Ellesmere and saw a sign that said the South Service Road that leads to Ellesmere Stn will be closed Apr 2 to May 1. Did the memo mention what would happen to the 95C YORK MILLS service?
Steve: The TTC has not yet posted a notice about this work and the effect on service.
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The other day – Sunday, April 15 – streetcars on the 512 St.Clair West route were replaced with buses; on the same day, there were no streetcars running on the 514 Cherry route but there were more than the usual number of streetcars running on the 504 King route (on that day Wheel Trans vehicles were providing service between King and Parliament streets and the Distillery Loop); these routes are now completely converted to the low-floor Flexity Outlook streetcars (the first two routes to become fully converted were “510 Spadina” followed by the “509 Harbourfront”).
On the “511 Bathurst” route, Flexity Outlook streetcars are gradually replacing CLRVs (and ALRVs). What’s the predicted date for this route to become fully converted to Flexity Outlook streetcars? Will this be in time for the CNE?
Steve: The arrangements during the ice storm were to concentrate streetcars on busy parts of the system and to avoid locations that could be affected by the hills. There is no specific date for complete conversion of 511 Bathurst, but obviously the TTC can shuffle assignments around to maximize capacity and accessibility as needed.
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While last weekend was exceptional, in the last few weeks on Sundays there has been one or two Flexities in regular service on 510 Bathurst. That is similar to the slow build up of Flexities that happened last year on Bathurst.
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