Talk Toronto

Another TTC fare hike!

Category: Travel

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Photo of Kat F.
11/5/2009 Kat "don't get me started!" F. says:

I'm sure as hell stoked to give more money to the TTC without seeing any return in service improvement. How about you?

http://mobile.thestar....

  1. Photo of susan c.
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    11/5/2009 susan "My hat is not filled with marzipan" c. says:

    Per the article, "There is going to be about a $100 million shortfall on next year's operating budget, Giambrone said Tuesday. That reflects higher costs across the board, 2 to 3 per cent inflation, diesel prices and rising accident claims."

    ============================== ======================

    Hey TTC:

    - Why don't you stop paying your workers $100,000 a year to collect tokens? The rest of the world has machines that do this for next to nothing.
    - I've taken the public transit system in over 100 cities across the globe and congratulations TTC! Yours wins for most expensive while simultaneously being the least useful.
    - With the new fare hike, are you going to have enough money to enroll your drivers in Miss Manners courses?
    - How about an electronic card system to replace those Barbie-sized tokens?
    - "rising accident claims" -- Really? But you didn't even pay Franca the money she asked for!

    [/end rant]

    On another note, are there NARCs on the TTC to catch fare beaters? I've never seen anyone official ask for proof of payment but then again, I don't take the TTC too much because it's often faster for me to just walk to my destination. (I am not joking.)

  2. Photo of Karl R.
    11/5/2009 Karl "Kid Don Cornelius" R. says:

    That's a pretty big jump in the monthly pass. On the flip side they didn't raise it last year. One does get 15% back at tax time but whatever. The ttc recently added an express bus that makes my ride more pleasant, although they call the express bus what used to be the regular bus. And they had a notice about the new express bus stops up for 3 days. People haven't caught on yet and it's led to a lot of confusion for people who want to get off at the unimportant stops.

    Yeah, you never hear of them, oh, freezing wages to make up for shortfalls. Hey ticket dude, where else do you think you can sell your ticket taking services for six figures? Is there a lot of competition in the job market for ticket tacking?

    All I know is when city elections hit next year, my councilor sure can't count on my vote. Seeya loser.

    Off topic but now the city has a plan to introduce a city sales tax and wants you to pay $50 a year for the privilege of being able to pay your property tax. Who the crap is coming up with these ideas? Toronto is increasingly adding its own duplicate level of taxation. Ever try to renew your license plate? Toronto now charges a fee on top of the Ontario fee. Buy a house? Toronto now charges its own land transfer tax.

    Geez, why do Toronto people keep returning politicians to office who keep taking more money. I dunno.

  3. Photo of susan c.
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    11/5/2009 susan "My hat is not filled with marzipan" c. says:

    @Karl R: For the answer, call 1-800-CASH-GRAB

  4. Photo of Judy T.
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    11/5/2009 Judy "the Riddler" T. says:

    If you think TTC is grabbing money, you should see the York Region Transit (YRT).  The fare is now $3.25 for the YRTand they increase the fare by 25 cents each year!!!

  5. Photo of Chris P.
    11/5/2009 Chris "How quickly can I hit 4 digits?" P. says:

    @Karl: Yeah I really enjoyed the extra $60 "because I live downtown and own a car" tax that I had to pay the last time I renewed.  Excuse me for needing to get to work in Mississauga at a reasonable hour.  I guess they are trying to entice me to pay taxes in another city instead of Toronto.

  6. Photo of Judy T.
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    11/5/2009 Judy "the Riddler" T. says:

    I live in Thornhill.  I remember back when I was a teenager.  I round bus trip to downtown and back cost less than $10.  Now, I have to pay $3.25 per trip for the YRT and then the fare for the TTC.  It was already $12 for a round trip to downtown before the fare hike!!

  7. Photo of Ramanan S.
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    11/5/2009 Ramanan "Funkaoshi" S. says:

    The TTC recoups something like 70% of its operating costs from fares. In comparison New York gets something like 30-40%. Also, I doubt all 100 millions dollars in that shortfall is due to money grubby unionized labour.

    Toronto is doing this double-tax thing because we have a provincial government that takes our money and doesn't really give any of it back. Toronto or the GTA really should be a city-state of some sort. We have different needs than Kingsville. For example, we have a giant transit system that can't fund itself.

  8. Photo of Kat F.
    11/6/2009 from Yelp for iPhone Kat "don't get me started!" F. says:

    FYI the Queen streetcar split oficially ends November 20!

  9. Photo of Abby R.
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    11/6/2009 Abby R. says:

    really? how come?  It hasn't sped anything up on this end!

  10. Photo of Kat F.
    11/6/2009 from Yelp for iPhone Kat "don't get me started!" F. says:

    It was just a 30 day pilot project as far as I know. The worst is at rush hour, where there are equal #s of streetcars, but only 1/3 of them go all the way across the city. So lots of extra people standing around, esp in the downtown areas.

  11. Photo of Bryan G.
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    11/6/2009 Bryan "short stuff" G. says:

    @Susan, I agree the TTC should move away from the token system to a card reader. However, I wonder what the affect would be on fares if they had to implement such a system? As failed as the current one is, there are certainly a multitude of complications with refitting all stations and vehicles with such a system, not to mention the prickly matter of laying off numerous staff after the implementation.

    We just need to get the Olympics, that'll force our infrastructure into the 21st century.

  12. Photo of sarah l.
    11/6/2009 sarah "it's a juggling injury, shut up" l. says:

    @Kat thank god the queen streetcar split didn't take.  That was #fail in all parts of it's incarnation.

  13. Photo of Chris E.
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    11/7/2009 Chris "5 secs. cranking = 20 mins. talk time" E. says:

    Man, I feel sorry for the TTC, because they ARE trying.  But what crappy service.  There's nothing like waiting 30 minutes for a streetcar, and then having four of them arrive at the same time.

    This city/province/country REALLY needs to invest some serious cash money in public transit.  We're a joke.

  14. Photo of Kat F.
    11/7/2009 from Yelp for iPhone Kat "don't get me started!" F. says:

    There's nothing quite like waiting 40 minutes at 3am for a streetcar and then STILL having to put up with the split route that forces yu to change cars. GRRR.

  15. Photo of Carmen M.
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    11/7/2009 Carmen "They Call Me Mellow Yellow" M. says:

    @SusanC: Sure, there are NARCs on the TTC -- haven't you seen the guys at Bloor Station, for example, sitting with their feet propped up watching people put their fare in the little plastic box? Not kidding -- I actually took picture of it after I recovered from the shock. He's prolly easily making $100K++.

    Also, I'll add to the rant about not having machines for doling out timed cards, monthly passes, etc. -- after moving here, I was shocked that the only machine option is to buy 10 or 20 tokens. Shocked! Also the fact that there are only three TTC stations where you can use a credit card to buy your monthly pass. What is *that* about?!

    For shame.

  16. Photo of susan c.
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    11/7/2009 susan "My hat is not filled with marzipan" c. says:

    @Carmen: Oh, I meant on the streetcars when ppl enter through the backdoors without showing the driver Proof of Payment. In other cities, undercover NARCs bust them and hand out hefty fines.

  17. Photo of Sam G.
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    11/7/2009 Sam G. says:

    Yeah, I'm not too stoked about the fare increase.

    I'd love to see Toronto implement the "toll to drive into downtown" like London.  Until driving a car starts hurting (alot) more, or we get the Olympics, nothing is going to change, in terms of funding.

    For all that press around fines for rude behaviour, I've not seen anything.... Man, they just need to get a fleet of transit cops in to kick some ass on non-payers and other non-compliers.

    While I'm at it, I can't stand the speed with which some of these streetcar drivers move when they get into Bathurst station, mosey off for 10 minutes, leisurely walk back as if its Sunday in the park, ffs.  Mind you, most of the streetcar drivers are OK, but some of them REALLY have a chip on their shoulder.

    Are there any streetcars now that are NOT on some kind of program or diversion?  God! (Yes, there are... rhetorical question)

  18. Photo of John D.
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    11/8/2009 from Yelp for iPhone John D. says:

    Well when dealing with the public for years and year some drivers are probably tired of hearing the same questions over and over again. I'm not saying it's right but there's probably a reason behind their chip.

  19. Photo of Kat F.
    11/20/2009 Kat "don't get me started!" F. says:

    There's an interesting article in The Star today about the TTC's inadequacy, which was showcased on Wednesday with that stupid service disruption on the Yonge line.
    http://www.thestar.com...

    "The truth is that a city like Toronto is never more than a few minutes, even seconds, from disaster."

    What do you think?

  20. Photo of Mike P.
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    11/20/2009 Mike "STUNT" P. says:

    ttc does have a lot of problems but the the hike isnt really that bad to get around a city like Toronto.

    The real injustice is happening with individuals living outside of Toronto - that have to take the GO!!

    In the last 3 or 4 years go train monthly passes have gone from $170 (brampton) to over $200!!! now thats something to cry about

  21. Photo of Kat F.
    11/20/2009 Kat "don't get me started!" F. says:

    The GO prices do sound pretty bad, but in fairness look at the luxurious cars you guys ride in...can hardly say the same thing about the TTC streetcars.

    I buy a Metropass even though it's probably not economically smart for me, but I'd personally rather pay more per month for the convenience of a pass vs individual fares and tokens. I hate that stupid cash only line that forms at the ticket booths in stations. The one where the disgruntled guy taking your money is making $104,246.94/year.

  22. Photo of John F.
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    11/20/2009 John "underpaid civil servant" F. says:

    In order be eco-friendly, cities should encourage mass transit use by carrot and not stick.  I've noticed this in both Chicago and Toronto.  Here are a couple of things they can do:

    1.  Add a modest increase in some form of tax to vehicle ownership and designate it only for use by mass transit.  This is not a carrot but would help with funding.  Not a lot, I'm thinking maybe an additional $20 a year.
    2.  Root out patronage in transit jobs and crack down on inefficiency.  Perhaps they should become non-union or at least employment at will.  Get rid of hierarchy levels - most transit agencies have too many middle managers.
    3.  Stop living under the pipe dream that people want to take all transit if they don't live near rapid.  Most studies have shown that people don't like long bus rides and then transferring to rapid.  As expansion of rapid transit is very slow and expensive anywhere, offer a carrot by building larger park and ride parking facilities and making them free!  I notice "Toronto the Good" is particularly bad on carrots of this nature, as some people here seem to want complete political correctness.
    4.  Create one designated bike car on trains and allow bikes there are all times, even in rush hour.  Same idea - people who might not want to bike all the way downtown might want to bike several miles to a rapid station.  Alternatively, create "bike" parking in the form of secure lockers (and lots of them).  Another way to boost ridership.
    5.  Create much cheaper transfer arrangements between suburban commuter rail systems (e. g. GO, Metra) and urban transit systems (e. g. TTC, CTA).
    6.  In Toronto and Mississauga, create links between the two transit systems including common bus routes.
    7.  Work closer with private employers, not only large but also medium sized ones, to help those not near rapid lines to be able to use them.  This might include corporate tax breaks for van transport to rapid stations.  One condition:  the vans must be frequent and must run from 6 AM to 9 PM so salaried people will use them.  At least in the states, when Vans are offered they are typically only used by hourly workers.  Employers might also make arrangements to favour a particular day care center and run their vans on a route that stops there as well as at the rapid station.

    Since moving here, I've noticed the the outer reaches of the system are rather lightly used.  I use the High Park station and while there are six more stations further out, I notice the trains are rather light, even at rush hour.  The don't fill till closer to downtown.  This is surprising to me in some ways as the TTC is much faster than the CTA due to generally better trackage and much more frequent schedules.  My guess is that it is because as the density decreases, people are less likely to be near rapid - see point #3.

  23. Photo of Katrina L.
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    11/20/2009 Katrina "foot" L. says:

    John - seriously the only solution is your #2, get rid of the union. These guys are getting increases YEARLY, in all honesty, what company GUARANTEES their useless employees a raise when they've done nothing to earn it. What MORE do they do?!

    I live too far north for it to be practical to EVER take the transit anywhere. I live right off of Hwy. 404 so why would I trek all the way over to Yonge and then down to Finch, which takes 20 minutes, when it takes a total of 40 minutes (in traffic) to get all the way downtown. There needs to be more lines or like John said an arrangment between GO, TTC and YRT.

    I heard from a friend that those machines that you buy tokens from, you can only buy them one at a time now. Maybe it's just at Finch station but...wow.

  24. Photo of Katrina L.
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    11/20/2009 Katrina "foot" L. says:

    Oh the clincher...the reason for the fare hike: they haven't had one in 26 months...WHAT???!!!

  25. Photo of Randy G.
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    11/20/2009 Randy "200 by Dec. 31" G. says:

    Mike, GO fares are hardly an "injustice" - parking downtown costs how much? I'm seeing in the neighbourhood of $200 monthly for a spot in the downtown area (quick Google search). So for the price of a parking space, you get to and from work, not having to spend money on gas or accruing wear and tear on your vehicle. You also get to listen to music and/or read something during the trip rather than fight with traffic the whole way back.

    Hell, here in Oakville, almost all of the buses are timed to meet trains heading to Toronto - and taking the bus in addition to GO is a paltry $23/month extra. At prices like that, you'd be a fool to take your car out of the driveway if you're heading downtown.

  26. Photo of Nicole B.
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    11/21/2009 from Yelp for iPhone Nicole "breakfast is at the wrong time of day" B. says:

    I'm pissed over the fare hike, especially when service isn't any better. Sometimes walking will get me there faster than a sardine can-squished streetcar/subway car. And the new service of letting you know when the next train is coming -- I've seen it say "next 2 min" for 5 min straight! What bugs me the most is they act like raising the price for commuters is their only option & yet I know ppl who work for TTC that her paid a ridiculous amount of money to do very little.

  27. Photo of Nicole B.
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    11/21/2009 from Yelp for iPhone Nicole "breakfast is at the wrong time of day" B. says:

    And I love how they lowered the initial metropass hike of $126 to $121. Thanks TTC, the savings are overwhelming. What am I going to do with that new wealth? I'll use that extra $5 for charity & help one lucky child travel one way anywhere in the city AND have $2 leftover. Maybe if they beg the right person wherever they go, they'll get a dollar to get themselves back home! I feel warm & fuzzy thinking about it!

  28. Photo of Christine C.
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    11/21/2009 Christine "Meat. Sleep. Pray." C. says:

    Just read an interesting article in the TO Star about forming a Rider's Union.... http://www.thestar.com...

  29. Photo of Karl R.
    11/21/2009 Karl "Kid Don Cornelius" R. says:

    The short answer of what to do with the $5 is put it towards the next thing that's going to go up because of the HST crap. When I make up my annual budget I always leave about $40-$50 per pay check unaccounted for to cushion against inflation through the year. The assumption is next april I'll at least get a cost of living raise and it will all balance out. However, the down economy no one got raises at work last year. Hey, I'm happy to have a job and that's about all many can  say for the next couple years. Unless you're working for the TTC, the license bureau, the city, etc. Then you get 4% raises a year and, ho boy, if  you don't, you go on strike! And somehow you really think the public has got your back on this. And then our elected officials cave and we forget the insanity at election time. For my part, my city councilor John Filion is losing my vote. If only on principle. Same can be said for my MPP.

    Anyway, the HST is going to jack up a lot of other stuff and my padding might not cut it. And then if like a lot of businesses we don't get raises another year (I'm planning for the worst) well that means I'm going to have to save less and spend less. Which means instead of me deciding what's the best way to spend the wealth I generate, the government is deciding more of a hunk of that.

    Sigh.

  30. Photo of Kat F.
    11/22/2009 Kat "don't get me started!" F. says:

    How about the latest? TTC suspends token sales altogether. Now you can only buy tickets, which as we know are inconvenient since you can't use them in those special entrances, or through any of the turnstiles, and they have to be used by a certain date:
    http://www.blogto.com/...

  31. Photo of Katrina L.
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    11/22/2009 Katrina "foot" L. says:

    Kat - YOU'RE KIDDING ME???!!! That's unbelievable! This is getting ridiculous!

  32. Photo of Shari M.
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    11/22/2009 Shari "is blowing in the wind" M. says:

    I bought 5 tokens today...no prob

  33. Photo of Min min T.
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    11/22/2009 Min min "Not Just Anypony" T. says:

    Yep, starting MONDAY!

  34. Photo of Shari M.
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    11/22/2009 Shari "is blowing in the wind" M. says:

    Ouch!

  35. Photo of Nicole B.
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    11/23/2009 from Yelp for iPhone Nicole "breakfast is at the wrong time of day" B. says:

    People are going to be really pissed off this week, especially with it being the busy time (end of the month)

  36. Photo of Kat F.
    11/23/2009 Kat "don't get me started!" F. says:

    I can already sense the agitation. And I've noticed more than the usual number of reviews of the TTC - feel free to add your official two cents here: http://www.yelp.ca/biz...

  37. Photo of Bibiana C.
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    11/24/2009 Bibiana "Bibs" C. says:

    i can see why you all are so upset. It almost makes me fee bad, since we complained when the MTA raised our fare to 2.25/ride this past summer. But then again, the tellers in NYC are more helpful than the guys in the booths in toronto ( seriously, i had an argument with him over which way was downtown...ridiculous).
    on the brightside: you have nicer stations?!?

  38. Photo of Rachel L.
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    11/24/2009 Rachel L. says:

    Do other cities rant and rave about their transit systems as much as Toronto does? I am always surprised by how strong a response the TTC gets to everything, good or bad.

    Re: Hike fare. I asked Miller himself why don't they just improve the fare collection boxes and not buy new streetcars (sigh, I like these ones). By everyone paying full fare, the TTC will make more revenue and it won't have to penalize the people who are already paying in full. He claims evasion is only 1-3%, but I really don't believe it.

  39. Photo of George F.
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    11/24/2009 George "Brainwerx" F. says:

    Whenever, I go into Toronto, especially the core, during the work week, I take the GO and subway.  Yeah, the fares suck, and whenever one has a unionized workforce, a certain amount of lethargy is expected (I think it's a rule, actually).  But, overall, it beats sitting in traffic waiting for the three light cycles to get through the intersection, only to do it again for the next one.  The Queen streetcar is one of my favorites, too bad about the split thing.

  40. Photo of Karl R.
    11/24/2009 Karl "Kid Don Cornelius" R. says:

    It was noted that the Ontario government used to subsidize the fare (ie the operating budget) but now the Ontario government contributes nothing. It's long been said the TTC is the only transit system that funds most of its daily operations out of the fare box. Back in 2000, the Ontario government contributed about 50% to the operating budget.

    Coincidentally, back in 2000, both levels of government started cutting income tax rates. We get to keep a lot more of our pay today than we did 9 years ago. The GST has fallen a couple % points as well.

    We enjoyed the tax cuts but this started the whole phenomenon of "downloading". Stuff the feds used to pay for, they stopped. Municipal stuff Ontario used to pay for, they stopped. User fees started to be added to things that used to be for free (maybe for example, admission to national parks). Or fees were increased (license plates).

    In some ways, that's not a bad thing. If I'm not a camper, why should I subsidize someone else's hobby? You're not a driver, why should you subsidize my roads? We can keep more of our pay. What we no longer pay in taxes we can be more judicious about where it goes for government services that used to be "free".

    So, alas, the TTC has to fund more and more out of the fare box and we who use the TTC have to pay more and more of the real cost. There's certainly an argument to be made that a $1 the Ontario government invests in public transit pays dividends across the board, just as Hydro finds it better to pay us to use energy saver lights.

    It comes down, in a way, to what you value? Lower taxes and more fee for services you specifically use. Or higher taxes and getting a win in the public transit column but also understanding you're paying for the other guy's roads, university education, and daycare.

    Of course the other debate is squarely with the TTC. We're paying 80% of their operating budget. Are we getting value for our money? Does it please you you got no raise this year but  you know that guy in the booth would burn police cars if he didn't get his 5% raise this year? And he won't tell you which way is downtown?

    Anyway, thinking like this is all I can do to keep my blood from boiling.

  41. Photo of S. S.
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    11/24/2009 S. S. says:

    I dont think the Go Train is overpriced at all, and I take it everyday. Where else can you commute from Richmond Hill to Markham for under $5 each way? Would you rather be stuck in traffic for 1 hr each way driving, spending money on gas and paying for parking?

    Yes its more expensive than the TTC, but the train cars are more comfortable and cleaner.

    It will be bad when the cost of TTC is as much as the cost of the Go Train.

  42. Photo of Karl R.
    11/25/2009 Karl "Kid Don Cornelius" R. says:

    I'm looking at the marginal tax rates for 2010 and comparing it to 2009. In 2009 on your first $40,726 of income you paid $8,693 in Federal and Provincial tax. In 2010, they've slightly increased the personal exemption and brackets (due to inflation) and lowered the tax rate on your income below $37,106. So in 2010 if you make $40,970  you will be paying $8,373 in tax.  Or $320 less a  year. That will mean an extra $26 in your pocket a month.

    If you make between $40,970 and $65,345 you won't do nearly as well. For every $1,000 you earn over 41K, reduce how much you pocket extra by 25 cents. At 65K, you'll only be pocketing an extra $20 a month.

    If you're earning over 65K a year, well, email me and lets get married and pool our incomes. We'll do fabulous. Fabulous.

    So, a small tax cut in 2010 and rejigging of the brackets due to inflation will cover your TTC increase.

    But then there's all the other stuff that's going to get 8% more expensive due to the HST.

    Sigh.

    (I can't vouch for the accuracy of these figures and nothing here constitutes financial advice. Marry a tax lawyer.)

  43. Photo of S. S.
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    11/25/2009 S. S. says:

    Hey Karl,

    But even with a spouse, the combined incomes are still filed separately right? We have a combined income of approx 150k, but one is taxed in a higher bracket than the other still. How do we fare out in the 2010 rejig? Assume 100k, 55k split.

  44. Photo of Karl R.
    11/25/2009 Karl "Kid Don Cornelius" R. says:

    Being single I have no clue how  you file. Assuming 55K each, that's about $22.50 a month extra, based on my back of the envelope calculation.

  45. Photo of Karl R.
    11/25/2009 Karl "Kid Don Cornelius" R. says:

    I've documented my insanity for budgeting, changes in the marginal rates, and why an extra $20 a month gets me very very excited here:

    http://thelongrunblog....

  46. Photo of Denise M.
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    11/25/2009 Denise "Frugal Foodie" M. says:

    Ramanan brings up an excellent point. Toronto has one of the highest percentage of rider-based revenues in North America, yet we are getting hit the hardest on fairs. There needs to be an over-haul in how the TTC is managing their money.

  47. Photo of Kat F.
    12/9/2009 Kat "don't get me started!" F. says:

    I've had six  service outage alerts today already - why can't the TTC foresee and be prepared for inclement weather? It happens every year, especially subway outages. It's not even that cold!!

  48. Photo of Karl R.
    12/9/2009 Karl "Kid Don Cornelius" R. says:

    As I think I commented on a review about a theater in North York, what is it about winter that shuts the subway down North of Eglinton?

  49. Photo of Kat F.
    1/22/2010 Kat "don't get me started!" F. says:

    Let's revive this thread in celebration of yesterday's photo cap, hmm?

    TTzzzz
    http://www.torontosun....

    "Free ride? Don't mind if I do!"

  50. Photo of Stephanie C.
    1/22/2010 Stephanie "Let the choir sing!" C. says:

    That's a priceless photograph.

  51. Photo of Karl R.
    1/22/2010 Karl "Kid Don Cornelius" R. says:

    There's that old joke. What's yellow and sleeps 4? A City of Toronto public works vehicle. Whaa whaa.

    These days if I'm not in front of a computer or driving, I find it hard to stay awake. I think my body has been Pavlovian conditioned to go "Karl not on the internet? Karl must be in bed. Sleepy time."

  52. Photo of susan c.
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    1/25/2010 susan "My hat is not filled with marzipan" c. says:

    Sleeping TTC fare collector gets Photoshopped! Too funny...
    http://www.blogto.com/...

  53. Photo of susan c.
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    1/30/2010 susan "My hat is not filled with marzipan" c. says:

    TTC driver stops mid-route to hit up the ATM, delays passengers for 7 minutes
    http://www.torontosun....

    I've seen drivers make pit stops for the john but why the urgency to get cash while operating the streetcar?

  54. Photo of Karl R.
    2/1/2010 Karl "Kid Don Cornelius" R. says:

    Could catch Susan. With the sleeping guy the TTC did an oh so classy blame the victim  ploy. How dare that patron not check to see if the guy was living. Yeah, well, after you're treated like something they found on the bottom of their shoe for asking them to do something approaching the job they're paid 6 figures for...the last thing you want to do is wake up sleeping beauty. Hey, ttc union, if you know you have a guy with a medical condition where he might frakin died on the job...ummm maybe guide him into retirement?

    What will it be this time? How dare patrons just sit there and not provide the TTC driver with an escort. After all, he's now got a pocket full of money.

  55. Photo of susan c.
    •  
    • 299 friends
    • 210 reviews
    2/4/2010 susan "My hat is not filled with marzipan" c. says:

    TTC driver takes a 7-minute coffee break mid-route
    http://www.thestar.com...

    Outrageous. It was 2:46 a.m., the bus was already late, and the driver leaves the door open the whole time so that the passengers are freezing their asses off.

    And, to add insult to injury, the driver shushes a passenger when she complains upon his return. WTF??

  56. Photo of Kat F.
    2/4/2010 Kat "don't get me started!" F. says:

    I've seen the mid-route-break too many times, often without explanation. They close the doors so no one can get out and come back 'at their leisure'.

  57. Photo of Melinda M.
    2/4/2010 Melinda "M squared" M. says:

    I had that happen to me on the Ossington bus last week - guy went to the Coffee Time on College at 8:30am. I get that you are already at your job, guy, but the rest of us need to get to ours! A**hole!

  58. Photo of Phil S.
    •  
    • 14 friends
    • 23 reviews
    2/4/2010 from Yelp for iPhone Phil "Curling" S. says:

    @Susan - oh man. I can only imagine my outburst if i was ssshed in that instance.

    I was asked by a bus driver to get him to Donlands station two weeks ago. He was twenty minutes late cause he didn't know the route. So I stood at the front of the bus and pointed out the stops.

    I shouldve got my ride for free.

  59. Photo of Kat F.
    2/12/2010 Kat "don't get me started!" F. says:

    Retro TTC commercial from 1984:
    http://www.youtube.com...

  60. Photo of Karl R.
    2/12/2010 Karl "Kid Don Cornelius" R. says:

    What's actually kind of disturbing, you could still run that commercial today and not leave out many recent signature stops (skydome, air canada center, ummmm...)

  61. Photo of Karl R.
    2/12/2010 Karl "Kid Don Cornelius" R. says:

    Oh yeah and WTF is it with TTC people bitching back customers are suddenly holding them accountable? Oh no! About the only excellent point I think their campaign has, and one I wish the media actually covered in depth, is the TTC guys were trying to show how little care passengers exhibit in trying to keep the system clean. People are fkin' pigs straight up on the ttc and buses. If you turn your public transit into a trash dump, I guess, don't be surprised the employees follow suit.

  62. Photo of Kat F.
    4/2/2010 Kat "don't get me started!" F. says:

    Retro TTC student card commercial. Does the TTC even still have TV commercials?
    http://www.youtube.com...

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