TTC announces service cuts on many bus, streetcar routes

The TTC announced service cuts to many bus and streetcar routes Thursday, expected to result in longer waits and crowded vehicles for riders.

Starting in January, there will be service level reductions during rush-hour periods on 52 bus routes, the TTC said Thursday. Off-peak service will be reduced on 36 bus and streetcar routes.

For a detailed list, scroll down to the bottom of this story.

“Customers will experience longer wait times and more crowded vehicles in some cases,” the TTC said.

This means, for example, that service capacity on a bus will be adjusted from an average of 48 customers to 53 during the busiest hour on that route, the TTC said.

“Under Mayor Ford every single TTC route in the city gets worse,” Coun. Adam Vaughan said. “It’s unacceptable.”

The announcement comes only hours before the TTC hosts its first-ever town hall meeting between the public and its managers including its new customer service officer, Chris Upfold.

The decision to move to pre-2004 service levels is part of the commission’s requirement by the city to cut its 2012 operating budget by 10 per cent, which the commission approved in September.

The service level reductions are expected to save about $15 million next year.

The TTC and Wheel-Trans faced a collective budget shortfall of $101 million for 2012. The cost-cutting measures, which included eliminating 311 positions, adopted in September still leave the commission with a $29 million budget shortfall for 2012.

That hole could be filled with a 10-cent TTC fare hike, but the commission agreed not to consider that matter until its meeting in December.

The TTC said it expects the number of annual rides to increase 3.1 per cent to 502 million next year.

Vaughan said, “we’ve got the highest ridership in the history of the TTC, and the mayor’s response is to charge them more and give them less.”

ATU Local 117 president Bob Kinnear has told CityNews that service reductions drive riders away, and it’s estimated transit systems lose four to five million rides a year with a fare increase of five to 10 cents.
Jan 2012 Board Pd

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