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[ahdurian]

Actually, metropass is getting a disproportionate bump. $133.75 to $141.50

So that's 52 trips per month on the bulk cash fare ($2.70). ie; It's getting to the point where even if you take transit to work every day, it might cost you less to buy tokens. Of course those that subscribe yearly receive a discount of a few bucks.

The TTC hates the metropass and has said as much. They see it as costing them revenue by not forcing people to buy cash fare. It's still worth it for us to have a metropass on hand. For to and from work, being able to lend it to others and weekend trips. But in a few years, we might think differently at the rate it's going.

Basically, we're one of the most expensive transit systems in the world for those that live here. And we receive a small fraction of the convenience and modernization other systems have. Just ask Brad Ross (albeit much better than Stintz); World class, baby!

There needs to be pressure on the other levels of government to actually give us funding. It's ridiculous how underfunded our transit is. But with that said, the TTC has shown it does very poorly with the money it does have on hand too.

https://twitter.com/CityCynthia/status/557241974315810817

wtf a 7.75$ price hike on Metropasses...ughhhh......
why can't we have transit like in Asia?

 

[ahdurian]

also, I'm really on the fence about the whole "12 and under ride free"....
I mean...if it's meant to help out people in the suburbs....it seems kind of weird, since I figured majority of elementary schools in the suburbs have a school bus system.

 

[Willectro]

also, I'm really on the fence about the whole "12 and under ride free"....
I mean...if it's meant to help out people in the suburbs....it seems kind of weird, since I figured majority of elementary schools in the suburbs have a school bus system.

It's a blatant mechanic to gain approval and demonize anyone who complains about the fare increase.

 

[Fuzzy]

also, I'm really on the fence about the whole "12 and under ride free"....
I mean...if it's meant to help out people in the suburbs....it seems kind of weird, since I figured majority of elementary schools in the suburbs have a school bus system.

Wouldn't if be funny if the Toronto School Board decided to save a whole bunch of money by getting rid of their buses? :lol

 

[Kuro Madoushi]

Actually, metropass is getting a disproportionate bump. $133.75 to $141.50

So that's 52 trips per month on the bulk cash fare ($2.70). ie; It's getting to the point where even if you take transit to work every day, it might cost you less to buy tokens. Of course those that subscribe yearly receive a discount of a few bucks.

The TTC hates the metropass and has said as much. They see it as costing them revenue by not forcing people to buy cash fare. It's still worth it for us to have a metropass on hand. For to and from work, being able to lend it to others and weekend trips. But in a few years, we might think differently at the rate it's going.

Basically, we're one of the most expensive transit systems in the world for those that live here. And we receive a small fraction of the convenience and modernization other systems have. Just ask Brad Ross (albeit much better than Stintz); World class, baby!

There needs to be pressure on the other levels of government to actually give us funding. It's ridiculous how underfunded our transit is. But with that said, the TTC has shown it does very poorly with the money it does have on hand too.

https://twitter.com/CityCynthia/status/557241974315810817

Fucking garbage. An increase so that kids can ride free.

1. How the fuck are they going to properly enforce that?!
2. How the fuck are we going to pay for all these upgrades and improvements?!
3. If they don't like the metropass, why the fuck don't they implement Presto or whatever all over then?
4. How the fuck is the TTC supposed to get more funding when we have a bunch of small towners crying about "paying for the big city transit" they don't use when we spend more on their infrastructure?
5. I read that a bunch of transit experts actually preferred Tory's plan since it was more far reaching but what's the fucking point if we don't have the funds to institute it?!
6. How the fuck do we prevent the TTC from mismanagement and misappropriation of funds? I don't trust them nor do I trust that greedy slimy TTC Union much either.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

also, I'm really on the fence about the whole "12 and under ride free"....
I mean...if it's meant to help out people in the suburbs....it seems kind of weird, since I figured majority of elementary schools in the suburbs have a school bus system.

It only costs $7 million a year. A fare increase of 10 cents for 1 million riders, that's about 200k more revenue a day. Running with the one million riders anology, and assuming people use transit 500 times a year (250 times x 2), the fare drop only cost you $0.014 per token.

 

[EvilMario]

It only costs $7 million a year. A fare increase of 10 cents for 1 million riders, that's about $2 million more revenue a day.

Yep, child ridership is such a tiny fraction of income for the TTC they can do this to 'save face' and then hike everything else. Speaking of..

7 tokens is increasing from $18.90 to $19.60. Nearing the mark where a single $20 won't cut it anymore. So while single trip cash fare isn't going up, cash fare that 90% of us non-metro pass holders use will be.

 

[Fuzzy]

Yep, child ridership is such a tiny fraction of income for the TTC they can do this to 'save face' and then hike everything else. Speaking of..

7 tokens is increasing from $18.90 to $19.60. Nearing the mark where a single $20 won't cut it anymore. So while single trip cash fare isn't going up, cash fare that 90% of us non-metro pass holders use will be.

Almost time to cut the number of tokens down to 6.

 

[shadowkat]

I remember the first time I didn't get 10 tokens out of the machine. I was like where are the rest of my tokens?

TTC has become crazy expensive. And I don't even take it very often.

 

[Rinoa]

I've been using Uber every other day because service on TTC is barely usable (whether off peak or during peak) to get me where I need to go. So I already have not been using my metropass enough. This is ridiculous, might as well say "everyone just use cars and clog the streets".

I had a dream and I swear it was that cat in there D:

Simmy is traversing the dream world

 

[EvilMario]

I hope that they begin to implement timed transfers on more routes. I think that was a thing they had planned? Because I would be tempted to take transit more often then.

ie; It's a 20 minute walk to the grocery store, do I really want to pay almost $6 for the round trip? Fuck it, I'll walk. But let me do the trip for half the cost, allowing me to even get off in between, or go a bit further to another store I wanted to stop by.. well, okay, maybe I would take transit.

512 St Clair streetcar is the only route in the city with timed transfers right now.. and they are only timed on the 512 route. I know POP is coming to streetcar routes, but timed transfers would be nice too..

 

[Rinoa]

I hope that they begin to implement timed transfers on more routes. I think that was a thing they had planned? Because I would be tempted to take transit more often then.

ie; It's a 20 minute walk to the grocery store, do I really want to pay almost $6 for the round trip? Fuck it, I'll walk. But let me do the trip for half the cost, allowing me to even get off in between, or go a bit further to another store I wanted to stop by.. well, okay, maybe I would take transit.

512 St Clair streetcar is the only route in the city with timed transfers right now.. and they are only timed on the 512 route. I know POP is coming to streetcar routes, but timed transfers would be nice too..

Or they could install system charge by distance like most modern public transit...

 

[EvilMario]

Or they could install system charge by distance like most modern public transit...

Yeeeep, I've be touting that for a long while (in this thread even!), but I don't think that's happening any time soon. It'd be a nice time to implement a distance based system with PRESTO.. swipe when you get on.. swipe when you get off.. deduct the proper fare. It's be amazing.. but it's not happening.

On another note.. although related (population.. transit), Toronto's skyline year 2000 vs 2014.

 

[Kuro Madoushi]

So. How bout that local sports team...


:'<

 

[AlphaTwo00]

So if my math is correct, my office tower parking officially drops below the cost of the TTC pass. Well, I think I'm probably going to switch away.

 

[Rinoa]

This story seems unreal but it's kinda viral right now
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/glob...sional-couple-with-five-kids/article22496585/

(vancouver but lol

 

[cbox]

Yeeeep, I've be touting that for a long while (in this thread even!), but I don't think that's happening any time soon. It'd be a nice time to implement a distance based system with PRESTO.. swipe when you get on.. swipe when you get off.. deduct the proper fare. It's be amazing.. but it's not happening.

What's the thinking behind distance traveled though? I could understand GO as it's gas powered, but the subways run regardless and on electricity.

 

[Rinoa]

What's the thinking behind distance traveled though? I could understand GO as it's gas powered, but the subways run regardless and on electricity.

Because a short trip should not cost the same as a trip across the city. You're paying only for how much you need.

Love how it's like 1-2 dollars to go a few stops in Tokyo.

 

[AlphaTwo00]

This story seems unreal but it's kinda viral right now
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/glob...sional-couple-with-five-kids/article22496585/

(vancouver but lol

Seriously?

But with a combined income of $360,000 ($450,000 when Ilsa returns to work) and an $800,000 mortgage, can they afford the builder&#8217;s $1-million price tag? Who will lend them the money?

&#8220;Two professionals should be able to afford a modest house, but we can&#8217;t get the numbers to work and would appreciate some help,&#8221; Eric writes. He earns $200,000 a year working in a medical clinic. But his real love is teaching, which he does one day a week at a university; this earns him $100,000 a year.

Protip from someone who is makes less than 100k working 5 days a week: Don't take a 800k lone, don't do a million dollar price tag house.

Edit: OK. I think the Globe and Mail is getting into the fiction arena. I guess that's a thing, right? Newspaper fiction?

 

[dubq]

Because a short trip should not cost the same as a trip across the city. You're paying only for how much you need.

Love how it's like 1-2 dollars to go a few stops in Tokyo.

100% this. It all just makes so much more sense over there.

 

[krae_man]

Seriously?

Protip from someone who is makes less than 100k working 5 days a week: Don't take a 800k lone, don't do a million dollar price tag house.

Edit: OK. I think the Globe and Mail is getting into the fiction arena. I guess that's a thing, right? Newspaper fiction?

They already bought a 1.1mil plot of land and plan on putting a 1 mil house on it.

I'm sure they can find something for less then 2.1 mil.

 

[explodet]

It's like that Wall Street Journal article about raised taxes with all the people looking sad when their incomes are all six figures.

Ah, here it is:

 

[EvilMario]

What's the thinking behind distance traveled though? I could understand GO as it's gas powered, but the subways run regardless and on electricity.

Variable pricing methods have generally shown to be a good way at making transit a profitable business. It encourages shorter trips which generally sees an increase in revenue. It's been shown to be successful for cities where transit receives little funding and can help the system sustain itself. The primary downside is the cost of implementing it, but with PRESTO (ie; swipe cards) coming, it could be possible. They've shot down the idea as early as last year though. Wiki has a good, brief overview of the contrasting styles.

And as others have said, it's a little bit of common sense. Regardless if you're on an electric train, a gas powered bus, or a surface route streetcar, you are putting a strain on the system by being on it. If you go from St George to Yonge and Bloor, but someone else is going from St George to Kennedy, why are you both paying the same price? Having distance, or zone based fare wouldn't magically solve all the TTC's issues; We still need funding from higher levels of government. But it'd be a step toward the 21st century, which Andy Byford thinks we've, somehow, reached already.

 

[Rinoa]

Also reminds me of that whiny forum that blew up a few years back... thankfully google understands your drunk text searches:

http://www.learnvest.com/2012/01/top-1-complains-they-cant-make-ends-meet-117/

 

[Divvy]

They will never implement distance based rates because it would be political suicide in the suburbs. Can you imagine the uproar? It will literally be like if ISIS came to Toronto

 

[Fuzzy]

They will never implement distance based rates because it would be political suicide in the suburbs. Can you imagine the uproar? It will literally be like if ISIS came to Toronto

All distance based fares will do is help the downtown elites.

 

[Kuro Madoushi]

This story seems unreal but it's kinda viral right now
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/glob...sional-couple-with-five-kids/article22496585/

(vancouver but lol

I saw this on a friend's FB feed.

WON'T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE MILLIONAIRES ON THEIR MILLION DOLLAR LAND IN THEIR MILLION DOLLAR HOME! :'(

The doctor MIGHT HAVE TO WORK AN EXTRA DAY A WEEK! Fuck! Those patients are slave drivers!

 

[Willectro]

Tory proposing 3.35% property tax increase. This is a heavy week.

 

[Divvy]

Tory proposing 3.35% property tax increase. This is a heavy week.

Thank goodness it's going to a good cause, like the Scarborough Subway

o wait

 

[Azih]

Ok, Tory is breaking promises. That's good with dumb promises. Why the hell is he going ahead with the Scarborogh subway? Urrgghh... we would have LRT built already if it wasn't for Ford.

 

[The Elite]

This story seems unreal but it's kinda viral right now
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/glob...sional-couple-with-five-kids/article22496585/

(vancouver but lol

Here I am trying to figure out how to pay for my mother's medical supplies over the next year.

I didn't realize how tough others had it.

 

[Azih]

Here I am trying to figure out how to pay for my mother's medical supplies over the next year.

I didn't realize how tough others had it.

We should start a gofundme for them. I couldn't stop the tears from coming when I read the story :_(

 

[Divvy]

Ok, Tory is breaking promises. That's good with dumb promises. Why the hell is he going ahead with the Scarborogh subway? Urrgghh... we would have LRT built already if it wasn't for Ford.

I think no one wants to start the process to stop it. They would piss off the "burbs". Everyone is kind of scared of them after the election.

 

[explodet]

I think the Globe is trying to run damage control.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/glob...wealth-gap-and-real-problems/article22528795/

Eric and Ilsa had the misfortune to be wealthy 1-percenters who ran into a flash mob of angry 99-percenters with legitimate grievances about income inequality and fairness. This couple is in an enviable position, with great jobs and a high income. To think of them as having financial problems seems ludicrous.

But at the same time, their victimization is just a little bit too easy.

We all want to take it to the max, and we&#8217;re not big on living within our means. Canada&#8217;s No. 1 problem in personal finance is not a lack of saving, it&#8217;s spending beyond our means. Eric and Ilsa show us that it&#8217;s a problem uniting people of all backgrounds. This couple is you and me, only with a higher income.

And they're failing miserably, of course.

I might just start an OT topic about this, but that would also probably be "too easy".

 

[The Elite]

I think the Globe is trying to run damage control.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/glob...wealth-gap-and-real-problems/article22528795/



And they're failing miserably, of course.

I might just start an OT topic about this, but that would also probably be "too easy".

This is embarrassing.

 

[Divvy]

I think the Globe is trying to run damage control.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/glob...wealth-gap-and-real-problems/article22528795/



And they're failing miserably, of course.

I might just start an OT topic about this, but that would also probably be "too easy".

Globe pls stop, you are embarassing yourselves

 

[zroid]

I think the Globe is trying to run damage control.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/glob...wealth-gap-and-real-problems/article22528795/



And they're failing miserably, of course.

I might just start an OT topic about this, but that would also probably be "too easy".

ayy lmao

 

[Willectro]

Thank goodness it's going to a good cause, like the Scarborough Subway

o wait

I have come up with a solution: Scarborough is no longer part of Toronto.

 

[explodet]

Time to start the Scarborough Separation Federation.

If you can mark an X, YOU'RE MY KIND OF PEOPLE

 

[Magnus]

I hope that they begin to implement timed transfers on more routes. I think that was a thing they had planned? Because I would be tempted to take transit more often then.

ie; It's a 20 minute walk to the grocery store, do I really want to pay almost $6 for the round trip? Fuck it, I'll walk. But let me do the trip for half the cost, allowing me to even get off in between, or go a bit further to another store I wanted to stop by.. well, okay, maybe I would take transit.

512 St Clair streetcar is the only route in the city with timed transfers right now.. and they are only timed on the 512 route. I know POP is coming to streetcar routes, but timed transfers would be nice too..

Timed transfers? As in, you get one, you get off, then you can use it again to board going the opposite direction later?

I had no idea Toronto was using that on any of its routes. Is this route a test route or something?

 

[Kraftwerk]

When is the price hike for the metropass taking effect?

 

[AlphaTwo00]

When is the price hike for the metropass taking effect?

March 1st

 

[Kraftwerk]

March 1st

Jesus. Cant wait for Metropass to be $200 in 2016.

 

[Sober]

Why not just basically jack the price of the metropass prohibitively high and only offer it at a reasonable price through corporate yearly plans or something and just effectively kill it then? TTC can't do anything right.

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

Time to start the Scarborough Separation Federation.

If you can mark an X, YOU'RE MY KIND OF PEOPLE

Needs a fancier name. People's Scarborough Liberation Movement imo.

 

[Divvy]

Alliance of Scarborough Separatists has a nice ring to it

 

[Azih]

I think no one wants to start the process to stop it. They would piss off the "burbs". Everyone is kind of scared of them after the election.

But it's just one burb. Every other burb (and downtown) agrees that it's not worth it so the backlash would be limited. And if you get one or two LRT lines going deep there instead of the dumb subway than Scarborough will be better off even if it's pissed off overall.

This is a rare time that fuck you level regionalism could actually be a force for good!

 

[Divvy]

But it's just one burb. Every other burb (and downtown) agrees that it's not worth it so the backlash would be limited. And if you get one or two LRT lines going deep there instead of the dumb subway than Scarborough will be better off even if it's pissed off overall.

This is a rare time that fuck you level regionalism could actually be a force for good!

Don't get me wrong, I agree. But the first person who brings this up is going to get their faces eaten off by no only scarborough residents, but also the Fords (and as a result, probably Etobicoke), the scarborough councillors, and both the Liberal and Conservative Scarborough MPs. I don't think anyone wants to deal with all that, even though I'm sure everyone thinks it's probably the best for everyone.

 

[EvilMario]

Timed transfers? As in, you get one, you get off, then you can use it again to board going the opposite direction later?

I had no idea Toronto was using that on any of its routes. Is this route a test route or something?

Yep, exactly as you described. I would get on the 512 St Clair near Bathurst, ride down to the Stockyard Target (20 minutes), ride back to No Frills at Alberta Ave to grocery shop (10 minutes), then go home (10 minutes). Off, on, off on. I wish they'd do it on more routes if they're going to stick with the flat rate. It makes me much more likely to use the system at all.

I'm not sure if it was originally planned as a test route. It came into effect after the St Clair track reno. Maybe it was to appease people that were upset by 'the disaster on St Clair', I've no clue. No word on expanding it yet though. A 2 hour timed transfer throughout the entire system would really stop me complaining about the cost.

 

[mr.rager]

Timed transfers is godlike. The Mississauga Transit has a 2 hour transfer time which was so amazing back in high school when I didn't have a car.

I honestly wouldn't mind a distance based fare system as long as the price is fair. Back in Japan, the 30 minute train ride from my brother's place in Yokohama to Shibuya only cost 210 yen. The base fare was something like 150 yen.