The TTC’s prospects of restoring ridership to pre-pandemic ranges appear grim. The not too long ago printed transit report playing cards by the Toronto Regional Board of Commerce (TRBOT) reveal that Toronto had the bottom degree of transit service reliability in 2022 when in comparison with different municipalities within the area.
TRBOT assessed the efficiency of varied components in figuring out the common rating, together with primary service protection, reliability, transit precedence measures, 24-hour service and integration. Municipalities within the GTA, Hamilton, Guelph, and the areas of Waterloo and Halton have been evaluated and assigned grades primarily based on transit knowledge from 2022.
Whereas Toronto and Mississauga obtained the very best composite rating of roughly 69 per cent — the equialent to a B letter grade, Toronto additionally obtained the bottom rating when it comes to transit reliability, with solely about 58 per cent of transit journeys being on time. In distinction, different municipalities scored over 70 per cent in reliability.
We evaluated our area’s transit techniques and launched #TransitReportCards, which present our #transit system NEEDS IMPROVEMENT.
Learn our report back to see how your municipality fared: https://t.co/O6iuY1LkcY pic.twitter.com/kgrCfC6SGE
— Toronto Area Board of Commerce (@TorontoRBOT) July 5, 2023
Congestion points and frequent diversions as a result of building have been recognized as the first causes for Toronto ‘s decrease transit rating. Different key points included lack of fare integration with neighbouring municipal transit companies. The report additionally notes that Toronto’s most up-to-date service cuts weren’t factored within the evaluation, however acknowledge that these cuts would have a destructive influence on the town’s grading.
For Toronto to attain an A, the report’s strategies embody expanded categorical bus companies, digital signage in stations, including extra streetcar routes, integrating fares with GO Transit and different municipal transit companies and addressing security issues on the TTC.
The report additionally advises securing monetary resilience for the TTC.
“Many parts of Toronto’s subways system are reaching finish of life, having been constructed between the Nineteen Fifties and Seventies. It will imply refurbishment prices within the tens of billions simply to maintain the prevailing system working,” the report notes.
Oakville and Milton obtained the worst grades outdoors of Toronto. Whereas the report mentioned that Milton’s transit service “stays very restricted for a quickly rising metropolis,” Oakville’s low grade was attributed to considerably diminished service.