On May 1, 2023, the TTC released the final version of the service changes planned for May 7. These are substantially the same as the draft version obtained via a Freedom of Information request by TTCRiders. See Draft of TTC Service Changes Effective Sunday, May 7, 2023.
Back in January during budget debates, some Councillors asked for details of the service cuts that would be implemented due to increased crowding standards and financial constraints. TTC staff agreed that this information could be available within a week, but an unseen hand at a higher level (either the TTC CEO Leary or then-Mayor Tory’s office) blocked this. Actually admitting the effects of a budget before it was approved simply was not part of the TTC’s agenda.
The official, final version allows comparison with the draft version. Although the TTC suggested that TTCRiders publication of the draft could be misleading because of changes in the final version, in fact there is very little change.
This article includes only the updates since the draft version, and readers should look to the article linked above for the full list. The spreadsheet (linked later in the article) detailing all of the changes has been updated to reflect the differences between the draft and final versions.
Updated May 2, 2023 at 10:10 am: A overview of all routes showing which get more service and which get less has been added.
Amended Service Changes (Compared to Draft)
Scarborough Town Centre: A map has been added showing the bus bay allocations at STC.
Main Street Station: A map has been added showing the on street stop locations.
12 Kingston Road / 24 Victoria Park: Some late night trips will be adjusted to improve performance. This includes shifting some trips between the two routes.
47 Lansdowne / 189 Stockyards: Original plans for the Lansdowne extension to Gunn’s Loop would have seen the Lansdowne buses use the loop displacing the Stockyards buses to an on street stop. However, the planned route for Lansdowne buses proved operationally impossible and they will instead stop on Gunn’s Road just north of the bus entrance to the loop. This allows the Stockyards buses to stop in the loop.
73 Royal York: A map of the northerly extension has been added.
75 Sherbourne: Planned changes which would have cut service during some weekend periods will not be implemented.
129 McCowan North: Service north of Steeles Avenue will be improved during the PM peak from every 19’30” to every 13’00” at the request of York Region. This is a contract service paid for by the Region.
905 Eglinton East Express: Planned seasonal service cuts will not be implemented. However, three pairs of stops will be removed both ways at Midland, McCowan and Kingston Road as previously announced.
600 Shuttle Buses: Shuttle buses will be provided to cover capital project work. The number of buses has been increased on weekdays from 35 to 50 in the morning, and from 41 to 67 in the afternoon compared to the March schedules.
Detailed Service Changes
The full spreadsheet shows all service changes. Items that were modified since the draft version are highlit in red, and the proposed changes that were not implemented are highlit in pink.
Overview of Service Changes
With the TTC protesting that its critics only talk about service cuts, but not the improvements, here is an overview list of affected routes. Where a change is listed as “minor”, it is less than a one minute change in headways. Note that some routes appear on both lists.
Service Reductions
- 1 Yonge-University: All periods, 7 days/week
- 501 Queen: Reduced service Saturday and Sunday afternoons
- 506 Carlton: Reduced service weekday midday and PM peak, Saturday daytime, Sunday afternoon and evening (minor)
- 512 St. Clair: Reduced service during most periods except late evening, 7 days/week
- 19 Bay: Reduced service during most periods except early morning and late evening, 7 days/week
- 32 Eglinton West: Reduced service during the weekday AM peak and evenings
- 38 Highland Creek / 938 Highland Creek Express: Seasonal service reduction on weekdays. Only the 38A local service will operate.
- 44 Kipling South: Am peak school trips removed
- 48 Rathburn: Service reduced weekday midday and early evening
- 52 Lawrence West: Service reduced during most periods, 7 days/week
- 60 Steeles West: Peak period 60C service to Martin Grove discontinued.
- 65 Parliament: Weekday seasonal service reduction
- 66 Prince Edward: Service reduced during almost all periods, 7 days/week
- 70 O’Connor: Service reduced weekday midday
- 73 Royal York: Service reduced weekday midday and late evening
- 75 Sherbourne: Weekday seasonal service reduction
- 76A Royal York South: Service reduced weekday midday and late evening
- 79 Scarlett Road: Reduced service in the AM and PM peak, Saturday early morning, afternoon and evening, Sunday late evening
- 85 Sheppard East: Service reduced during many periods
- 985 Sheppard East Express: Service reduced during many periods
- 95/995 York Mills: Service reduced during weekday peak periods and midday
- 112 West Mall: Service reduced during most periods, 7 days/week
- 116 Morningside: Service reduced during most periods, 7 days/week
- 131 Nugget: Weekday service reduced during most periods.
- 905 Eglinton East Express: Three pairs of stops removed at Midland, McCowan and Kingston Road
- 927 Highway 27 Express: Seasonal service reduction
Service Improvements
Note that service changes associated with construction, notably at Main Station, do not represent permanent improvements, but are a side-effect of temporary schedule and route revisions (marked “*”).
- 501 Queen: Minor service improvement late mornings on Sundays
- 20 Cliffside: Service improvements during most periods due to new schedules with route cut back to Victoria Park Station (*)
- 22 Coxwell: Service improvements during some periods due to replacement of service on Kingston Road with streetcars and shortening of the Coxwell route. (*)
- 335 Jane Night Bus: Service improved to every 20′ on weekends (already at that level weekdays)
- 336 Finch West / 339 Finch East Night Buses: Service improved to every 20′ 7 days/week
- 47 Lansdowne: Service on the 47A branch to St. Clair improved for the temporary extension to Gunn’s Loop (*)
- 48 Rathburn: Service improved in the AM peak
- 54 Lawrence: Shopping trippers added on weekends
- 960 Steeles West Express: PM peak service improved, but not proportionally to the removed 60C local service.
- 62 Mortimer: Service improved during most periods, 7 days/week, for route extension to Victoria Park Station (*)
- 64 Main: Service improved during many periods, 7 days/week, due to interline with 87 Cosburn (*)
- 73D Royal York: Knob Hill branch extended north to Albion Road
- 79 Scarlett Road: Service improved Saturday late morning, Sunday afternoon and early evening
- 80 Queensway: Service improved on weekends except Sunday late evening
- 985 Sheppard East: Service improved Sunday late morning
- 92 Woodbine: Seasonal weekend service improvements
- 396 Wilson Night Bus: Service improved to every 20′ 7 days/week
- 102/902 Markham Road: Weekday express service extended to Steeles
- 113 Danforth / 135 Gerrard: Service improvement during most periods due to routes interlining (*)
- 129 McCowan North: Service north of Steeles improved in the PM peak at York Region’s request
- 200 Toronto Zoo: Seasonal service on weekends
- 201 Bluffer’s Park: Seasonal service on weekends
- 202 Cherry Beach: Seasonal service
Construction Projects
Vehicle Allocations
Streetcars
Buses
Victoria Day Extra Service
Steve Munro 
Great to see this!
With all the streetcar changes, they need a temporary streetcar map. There are so many on the west side of downtown, that I’m having trouble keeping track!
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I don’t remember ever hearing any prior notice of the 47 route taking over St. Clair west of Lansdowne for construction, so thank-you for the warning. While it’s been years since I’ve used transit in this area, mostly due to the unreliability of the 47 bus, I’m certain this will exacerbate the traffic problems in the area. I may have to take another driving route to work for the duration of the bridge rehab. (BTW, my suffering with the 47 bus is the only reason I now own a car!)
What little reliability the 47 still had during the busiest times of day will be completely trashed by the 47A having to run on St. Clair.
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It’s clear the individuals making the changes have no idea what it’s like to only travel by TTC. The cuts of service in areas that residents rely on the service more is disgusting. The buses are often over crowded and dangerous to travellers these days. Why are the cutting express stops in areas that have bus connects ie: McCowan Rd @ Eglinton Av E with the #9 Bellamy that do not go to the same locations? But then again, when had management at the TTC cared about the users? If they did the current bus shelters would never have been approved. They’re useless for protection from the weather, and like a greenhouse in the summer as there’s no protection from the sun, and now to make waits longer? Added to the trains of busses bunched together, sometimes 4-6 at a time. No GPS to hold the drivers accountable to their schedules? Fire all the executives and start over, perhaps involve users in the process!
Steve: There is GPS on the vehicles, and that sadly allows me to report on just how bad the service really is, but the TTC appears to have no desire to actively manage service quality and prefers to blame external forces such as traffic congestion even when there is none.
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Just a quick correction – the third item under the Service Improvements list should say “22 Coxwell”.
Steve: Fixed. Thanks for catching that.
Thanks Steve for compiling the lists. What’s your view on several mayoral candidates’ promise to restore all service cuts (including several who voted for said cuts)?
Steve: Most candidates have no idea of how much this will cost, or that they face restoration of three years’ worth of cuts, not just the most recent rounds in March and May 2023. It is not sufficient to back out the cuts, but there must also be a reporting mechanism showing crowding levels across the system on which service level decisions are based. TTC only reports average all-day data across the network, not route and time of day specific info. They could build trust in their decisions if they actually published crowding stats. A related problem, of course, is service reliability which can have a big effect on crowding. They don’t report on that at a detailed level either.
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“Service Improvements” and “improved performance” are all just code for service reduction.
On a different note, I am quite appalled by how rotten things have gotten with TTC management. From balant lying to the face of the public to hiding/withholding data. It’s time to clean house. But sadly too many councillors and politicians lack the attention span to understand the TTC and just eat up the overly glossed colourful reports that they produce.
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Perhaps the TTC will cut back service to the point where all that is left is a reintroduction of the original omnibus route from Yorkdale to St. Lawrence Market.
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I said Yorkdale, didn’t I. I meant Yorkville of course.
Steve: Yes, I wondered about that.
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The 47A service [Lansdowne] is already a disaster, because the merging of 47A B and C never happens as advertised. They always bunch together. I know Steve has mentioned before that this route will run only Queen to the new Caledonia Stn once the Ellington Crosstown starts. I was hoping for that day but it seems I have to wait forever. Meanwhile I will watch for the drama of 47A trying to run on curbside stops on St Clair. Why on why would you do that if you could have possibly run it on the Right of Way (at least west of that bridge which is being worked on). Alas, the TTC will run them in live traffic
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