The TTC wants to speed up the commute for anyone travelling on a streetcar in Toronto by moving to the honour system, allowing passengers to enter through the rear doors without showing a transfer.
"It means the streetcar service will be much quicker," TTC CEO Andy Byford told CTV Toronto. "It's intensely frustrating to customers."
The new proof-of-payment (POP) system would be similar to how GO Transit currently works.
Currently, streetcar riders who have already paid have to enter through the front doors, which can cause delays as other passengers try to get off and boarding passengers have only one way to enter.
Under the new POP system, only riders beginning their trip who need to pay with cash, tokens or tickets would still have to enter through the front doors. Such a system is already in effect on Queen streetcars, where a green-and-white logo alerts passengers that those with valid transfers or Metropasses can board at the back doors.
"From January of next year all of our streetcars, you'll be able to board on any door, all day, all routes, as long as you have proof of payment," Byford said. He said he often hears complaints from customers about having to board through the front doors: "That causes delays."
Byford also said this would be good for motorists because the streetcars won't be stopping for as long at each stop.
A report released Wednesday shows about 20 per cent of the delays are caused by the time it takes for passengers to board and exit the vehicle.
The fear, of course, is that people will not pay and just hop on, which could add to the $20 million the TCC already loses each year due to fare evasion and counterfeit.
The TTC is hoping to add about 100 fare inspectors at a cost of about $8 million. Fines for not paying range from $200 to $400.
The POP system could start as early as Jan. 1, 2015 on all 11 routes, which would be years ahead of the original plan to roll it out through 2019.
With files from CTV Toronto's Natalie Johnson
