31 thoughts on “TTC Service Changes Effective May 12, 2024”

1. Great article as always Steve, tables make it more clear. You just swapped the information regarding the 52G and 32C routes with each other I noticed.

   Steve: I got a message via X about that too. A cut and paste error for two similar changes. Fixed now. Thanks!

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2. Hi Steve, I’m looking at this page on the TTC website and it looks like service on 19 Bay is actually going to be more frequent? I think you might have flipped the old and new headways.

   Steve: It turns out that the Bay bus appears twice on that page. Once with a list of reductions (which I copied) and one with a list of improvements (which you saw). I have consolidated the info from both entries into my article. Thanks for picking up on this.

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3. Steve, has there been any word as to if any of the routes planned in the 2024 Service Plan will ever be instituted any time this year?? I assume that 12 Kingston Road all day service to U of T Scarborough College won’t start until September. And are Faywood and Ancaster Park interlinked?

   Steve: No word on the 2024 routes, but I suspect the UTSC service won’t happen until September given that the May changes include the usual summer cutbacks to UTSC. Yes, the Ancaster Park and Faywood services are already interlined.

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4. They should really stop giving themselves a pat on the back for these so called reliability “improvements”

   I think most people agree that the 46 Martin Grove going from 20′ to 24′ on weekend afternoon is not an improvement. A decade ago, the route operated with 15′ headway and they “improved” it by changing it to 17′. The six-point intersection project detour moved it to 20′. Now we are at 24′

   We can also see how off-peak congestion has affected TTC’s ability to deliver good service and maybe there should be some congestion control needed in the future. Otherwise the route would be operating at 30′ a few years later with lack of funding and riders.

   Steve: It would be interesting to see Etobicoke councillors make as much noise about service in their part of town as the Scarborough councillors do for their routes.

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5. Glad to see the TTC is mostly bringing back the level of service the 95/995 used to have before the pandemic.

   The York Mills corridor has great service now as it also has the 10 minute service from the 996.

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6. As an operator myself, Steve. I can say that they’re cutting service on some routes to add service on others. Then turn around and hold press conferences saying look at all the service we are adding! It’s all fabricated.

   Steve: Yes, I see this in the details of hours operated and the full adds-and-drops across the routes. But the TTC like to brag, and they make the Mayor look good.

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7. I am disappointed that 40A Dundas West and 49 Bloor West interline is continuing.. as this is probably the worst interline I’ve ever seen on the TTC.

   This gets really bad during the rush hour which 40A passes along the Junction area where there are usually heavy traffic between the stretch of Runnymede-Keele-Dupont.. this means some of the westbound 40A buses, which is supposed to turn to 49 Bloor West to continue its westbound trip, are instead short turning at Kipling Station and turn to eastbound 40A.. leaving those waiting for 49 behind..

   There are some occasions which there are no buses on the 49 Bloor West corridor.

   As a result of those interline, 49 has absolutely trash service during the rush hour, what’s been every 10 minute headway is now every 20 minute even during the rush hour… and it is going from bad to worse when that short-turn happens.

   Some of the Queensway division routes need to be adjusted seriously.. like 40, 49, and 50.

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8. Did TTC provide any details on what the loops of 19 and 114 will be around Union Station?

   Steve: No. I am waiting for the detailed announcement.

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9. “…we’re committed to maintaining service levels that exceed 96 percent of what they were before the pandemic.”

   I’m assuming that once Line 5 and Line 6 open, along with the revised bus routing and new routes, that there will be enough buses and drivers to meet or exceed 100 percent. (Insert laugh track here.)

   Steve: As I have said before, they are measuring this based on vehicle hours over the whole system. This does not allow for hours lost to longer travel and recovery times, nor to different levels of recovery route by route.

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10. I’ve heard from a good few sources on transit forums that the 935 Jane Express will at some point in 2024 be fully converted to articulated bus operations. I haven’t been able to suss out how true these rumors are but given Jane has at multiple times been considered for articulated bus operations due to its massive ridership,I feel there may be some truth to this. The question is, when? I know the ttc are still receiving their latest order of articulated buses. Are they waiting until they have enough vehicles to commit to the conversion or are these rumors totally baseless?

    Steve: Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. The next batch of service adds is coming in September, and with traffic being back to fall levels, that would seem a good time for the conversion. I will see if I can get any further info on the planned deployment of the artics.

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11. Hey Steve,

    On Pape Ave. the signage along Pape north of Pape Stn is just showing the 72. Remember last year when the 100 was going to Pape during the summer months but didn’t update the signage along Pape? So my question is since the 25/925 going to Broadview Stn. Is this a permanent change given how they removed 25/925 stops on Pape Ave? I find it hard to believe they would update something for just 6 months…

    Steve: I also suspect that some of the changes might prove more permanent than we have been told. Planned construction on Pape north of Danforth is going to severely constrain traffic, and it would not surprise me if the Don Mills service stays at Broadview until the route reorganization for the Line 5 opening. Hard to predict.

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12. “Did TTC provide any details on what the loops of 19 and 114 will be around Union Station?”

    According to the GTFS data 19 Bay will loop on King to Yonge to Front and back up Bay St.

    114 will loop on Front to Yonge to Wellington and down Bay St.

    Steve: If it were not that the Bay bus is extremely infrequent, I am surprised by the right turn at Yonge and King eastbound.

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13. Darwin O’Connor wrote: 

    According to the GTFS data 19 Bay will loop on King to Yonge to Front and back up Bay St.

    114 will loop on Front to Yonge to Wellington and down Bay St.

    Due to the construction on Yonge an unending stream of cars in p.m. rush turning south onto Yonge from King – this looping for 19 will be a constant source of delays. Why couldn’t they loop the 19 the same way: Bay – Front – Yonge – Wellington – Bay or alternatively Bay – Front – York – King – Bay or Bay – Wellington – University – Front – Bay?

    Steve: I await the detailed service memo for the definitive routing. Yes, Yonge is a mess these days.

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14. On Pape Ave. the signage along Pape north of Pape Stn is just showing the 72. Remember last year when the 100 was going to Pape during the summer months but didn’t update the signage along Pape?

    The stop posts that were installed for the 72 “Broadview shuttle” from last year are still there including one lone post at the westbound stop at Parliament.

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15. Due to the construction on Yonge an unending stream of cars in p.m. rush turning south onto Yonge from King – this looping for 19 will be a constant source of delays. Why couldn’t they loop the 19 the same way: Bay – Front – Yonge – Wellington – Bay or alternatively Bay – Front – York – King – Bay or Bay – Wellington – University – Front – Bay?

    Another case of service planners who don’t have boots on the ground but are happy to draw lines on their maps over at Davisville.

    Steve: FWIW the Service Planners do not work at Davisville. Also, I’m not sure that they chose the route.

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16. I regards to the 46 Martingrove…I remember back in 2019 when it was every 10-11….now over 20!! So many school kids take that bus from the south end and from the north end. Queensway has buses…..use them!!!

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17. I believe the TTC posted incorrect headway info for 104/184. I’m looking at the run guides right now, and I’m seeing that headways are landing in that same 20-30 minute window– some better, some worse (thankful for better service+reliability on weekends– that was a long time coming)

    Thanks for all your hard work, Steve!

    Steve: You’re welcome. I looked at the GTFS version of the schedule and it too shows the wider headway. I have passed this on to TTC to sort out what is happening.

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18. Do you know what garage/division is doing the 114?

    Steve: Still waiting on the detailed service memo.

    Memo received: It’s Birchmount, as other have noted in following comments here.

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19. Birchmount is doing the 114.

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20. As for the 25 Don Mills splitting at Don Mills station that has been put in place on weekdays since January 2017 due to the Crosstown construction, will that splitting continue or end the splitting with a single route from Broadview Station to Steeles & Don Mills. I believe the splitting is unnecessary as much of the crosstown work is done and with one continuous route would help improve customer experience.

    Steve: The map of proposed routes once Line 5 Crosstown opens (included in the 2024 Service Plan at p 105) shows no change to the lower end of 25/925 Don Mills. What will happen further north is unknown. Meanwhile, the same map shows route 81 Thorncliffe Park extended north to Science Centre Station even though signage at the station shows 72 Pape.

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21. Where can you see the detailed memo on the service changes released today on the TTC’s website?

    Steve: It is not published. I am on a by request distribution list.

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22. After checking the 122 routing and the 200-series here, it appears the 203 HIGH PARK is now confirmed a defunct route, meaning the TTC is implementing much of the 2024 ASP. The next thing is they may launch route 154 CURRAN HALL after confirming the proposed 178 BRIMORTON is rejected meaning people will still take nearby routes 21/16/9/102 instead.

    When is the TTC going to release the 2025 ASP?

    Steve: There is more to a 2025 plan than route layouts. Important things like whether Lines 5 and 6 will open and change the base map. Whether we will see real service improvements. Some of this is hinted at in the Five Year Service Plan on the next TTC Board agenda. I am working on a review of it now.

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23. One more of note, Steve, is New Eglinton division responsible for the 100 FLEMINGDON PARK operation this board?

    Steve: Yes. This is listed in the speadsheet which I finished and uploaded at roughly the same time as you left your comment.

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24. Steve, saw everything listed in the timetables for the Pape station routes on the TTC site. Steve, I saw a few weeks ago someone mentioned that there was a 72 Pape bus destination sign at the new Science Centre station……. Is this the beginning of the end of the 81 Thorncliffe Park? It is not listed in their schedule section anymore. I remember seeing previously that if a route was in this situation, it would still be listed but be shown as temporarily suspended. Funny, I originally rode the route from St.Clair Station eons ago!!

    Steve: The TTC put up an early notice about the Pape Station changes because phase 1 happened at the last schedule change in March. But the actual details of service did not come out until quite recently. As for the 72 Pape signs at Science Centre Station, I will believe they are accurate when the TTC issues an up-to-date map of planned Line 5 changes. It is noticeably missing from the five year service plan even though a map for the Line 6 changes is there.

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25. You forgot to add the 939 express change to the spreadsheet.

    Steve: Done. Thanks for catching this.

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26. On the spreadsheet, it says 52G westbound signs will change. It’s the eastbound that needs a change.

    The TTC claims the sign previously said “52G To Sunnybrook Hospital via The Westway and Lawrence West Station” but reality, it said “52G To Sunnybrook via The Westway”. I wonder did anyone hiding in the office actually knew why people are complaining. Only the TTC knows as to why anyone boarding from The Westway needs to know it runs on The Westway and anyone boarding from Lawrence Avenue needs to know it ran on The Westway to get there. Totally useless info.

    Steve: My mistake. There was some cut and paste work between the entries for 52G and 32C, and things got fouled up along the way. Both the spreadsheet and the article have been updated. Thanks for the catch.

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27. So after 8 months the loop in St. Clair West is still not done? I’m guessing those passengers who want St. Clair West have to exit at Bathurst or Tweedsmuir?

    Steve: Yes, that appears to be what will happen. Why the loop has not been rebuilt during the long shutdown of streetcar service is a mystery.

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28. Hi Steve,

    Bit of a late reply here but just have a question regarding the recent extension of the 72 Pape to Thorncliffe. Tracking apps actually show the portion of the route south of Pape Station as a different trip than the portion north of it. As an example, when boarding a bus northbound it the Port Lands, tracking apps say the route ends at Pape Station. Just wondering if there is a reason for this, and why they didn’t keep the original 81 numbering and interline it with the 72 considering how this is how the tracking apps have been set up.

    Steve: I’m not sure what you mean. The “Headsign” field in the GTFS version of the schedule says “North to Thorncliffe via Pape Station”, and that’s what I see in transitapp. This is also how it appears in NextBus. Maybe the app you are using has not picked up the current schedule file.

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29. Steve: I’m not sure what you mean. The “Headsign” field in the GTFS version of the schedule says “North to Thorncliffe via Pape Station”, and that’s what I see in transitapp. This is also how it appears in NextBus. Maybe the app you are using has not picked up the current schedule file.

    Sorry for not being more clear on this. In the transit app, I do see North to Thorncliffe, but it says the last stop is Pape Station when boarding south of Bloor. Same thing for going south. It says south to Comissioners or Eastern when you are north of Bloor, but it says the last stop is Pape Station.

    Sorry for the confusion on this, and thank you for putting up with people like me who have these crazy questions!

    Steve: I see what the problem is. In the GTFS “stops” file which lists the arrival times for each trip by stop, the sequence numbers start over again at “1” when a bus passes Pape Station. The top end of the route (former 81) is numbered separately from the bottom end. That’s likely why the “last stop” is mis-reported. I suspect the route is configured like an interline that actually changes route numbers rather than with a single through-numbered stop list.

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30. Steve: I also suspect that some of the changes might prove more permanent than we have been told. Planned construction on Pape north of Danforth is going to severely constrain traffic, and it would not surprise me if the Don Mills service stays at Broadview until the route reorganization for the Line 5 opening. Hard to predict.

    What happens after Line 5 reorganization? Will the TTC attempt to split Don Mills permanently into two routes: one north of Eglinton, and one all the way south to Queen (via Pape/Carlaw) – i.e. 25 terminates at Science Centre station and then one needs to transfer to the 72 to go all the way down to Line 2 or Pape and Cosburn area?

    Steve: I doubt that. The 25 Don Mills is not shown as a modified route on the proposed Crosstown map.

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31. Steve: I doubt that. The 25 Don Mills is not shown as a modified route on the proposed Crosstown map.

    Follow up: If you had to venture a guess…. do you think that in the long-run once Ontario Line opens in like 2080 that TTC will terminate the 25 at Science Centre station or will it continue to run parallel to the OL down to Line 2?

    Steve: There will be a parallel bus service to the OL that will run once or twice a day in the best tradition of 97 Yonge. 😉

    I would fully expect the Don Mills bus to be split at Eglinton but service further south is still needed.

    What it will be called in 2080 is anyone’s guess, but it will probably operate with a whizbang technology fobbed off on future politicians as an “innovative” way to provide transit. It won’t work very well, and service will be as erratic as it is today.

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