The TTC sold paper tickets Monday instead of tokens in an effort to stop token hoarding, a move they announced on the weekend.
Commuters were worried Monday the move would cause long lineups at the ticket booth as only tokens and Metropasses can be used for automatic entry.
They were proved right.
One woman said it was "very, very bad." Another woman complained about the inconvenience at completely automated entrances.
TTC vendors will still sell tokens until they run out of them. Once that supply is exhausted, riders will be asked to purchase temporary paper tickets at the current rate of $2.25 per ticket.
By the end of the week, all tokens should be sold out, according to TTC spokesperson Brad Ross.
This practice will continue until the TTC fare hike comes into effect on Jan. 3, 2010.
The TTC acknowledged that the halt on token sales will create an inconvenience for those that rely on automated entrances but are unable to purchase more tokens, but pointed to the greater problem of revenue loss as a more pressing concern.
"The number of tokens being sold has really taken us by surprise and we're concerned that if we don't do something about it today, then the system -- the people of Toronto -- could stand to lose $5 million in 2010 revenues," Ross told CTV Toronto. "We have a responsibility at the TTC to manage the finances and identify revenue losses and we can do something about it then we have to do that."
The new tickets, which will have an expiry date of Jan. 2, 20101 printed on them, will be honoured after the increase, but riders will be required to kick in an extra 25 cents to match after Jan. 3.
The TTC says the move is designed to ensure riders don't stockpile tokens in advance, which they claim is already responsible for an estimated $1.5 million in lost revenue in 2010.
The commission reported token sales are up as much as 40 per cent in certain cases without a corresponding ridership increase, pointing to individual token hoarding and leading to a potential supply problem in January.
TTC Chair Adam Giambrone's statements, however, were more geared towards those he believes are frustrated by their inability to buy tokens in bulk for short-term use.
"By issuing temporary tickets, the TTC has found a way to allow customers to buy bulk fares in the short term," he said.
Giambrone added that he believes the move "alleviates customer frustrations, and also allows the TTC to ensure it doesn't lose, potentially, millions of dollars in much-needed revenue."
With a report from CTV Toronto's Janice Golding
