Nearly 40 TTC routes changed over the weekend. Here’s what you need to know:
TTC riders may have to wait a bit longer for a bus, streetcar or subway starting Sunday.
A total of 39 routes—including one streetcar, two subway and 36 bus routes—will be impacted by service changes as a result of lower pandemic ridership. This represents about 20 per cent of all TTC service across the city.
The majority of the routes impacted operate in the daytime, including the Bloor-Danforth and Sheppard subway lines.
According to transit agency, 52 per cent of the schedule changes will result in a longer wait time of up to three minutes while eight per cent of the changes will lead to wait times between three and 11 minutes.
The TTC says that 66 per cent of the changes will include a “service reliability improvement,” which will make service more predictable.
Another 18 per cent of changes will result in shorter wait times, officials said.
The plan would see transit service set to 91 per cent of pre-COVID levels. At the time it was proposed, ridership had reached 70 per cent of pre-COVID levels.
The TTC noted in a statement Sunday that about 26 per cent of the scheduled changes will have no impact on wait time.
“We absolutely understand that our customers want reliable and frequent service, which is why we’ve committed to protecting service on the busiest routes at the busiest times of day, particularly in priority neighbourhoods where we know people are more reliant on transit,” the agency said.
However, a recently released report by Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) has found that these service cuts will disproportionately impact marginalized communities.
The researchers found that more than 80 per cent of the routes set to be impacted move through neighbourhoods with higher poverty rates, numbers of immigrants and unemployment rates.
They found that 38 of the 39 routes will see a 10 per cent or more reduction or a complete route suspension that would lead to longer wait times.
A map of how TTC service reductions will impact neighbourhoods throughout Toronto. (Toronto Metropolitan University/Transform Lab)
The TTC anticipates the changes will result in reduced operating costs of just over $50 million, a little less than the additional subsidy they received in the city’s 2023 budget.
The next round of service changes are anticipated in May, and is expected to see operational costs reduced by another $46.5 million.
A full list of affected routes are below:
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