The ttc has the worst service of any public transit I've ever been on.
I tend to think that the problems are logistical ones, rather than financial/political.
Riding the TTC is a terrible experience, but is it really the TTC's fault?
For example, I hate waiting 15 minutes for a bus, but can you imagine how many buses there would have to be to do a 3 minute wait in the suburbs? Then there are the buses smelling of moldy garbage. Sure they should clean them better, but how about not littering in the first place? Finally, there just isn't anything that can be done about highschool kids short of a cultural reform. I go to great lengths to avoid the highschoolers, and that was even when I was in highschool myself.
My thoughts on a few issues:
TTC Employees: in general from my experiences (never riding a bus, only subway) is that the ticket-taker/booth people are some of the laziest workers I've ever seen. I have no issues with the subway drivers, I suppose the fault lies elsewhere in the system when I am forced to wait for 10 minutes for a subway. That said, they make an insane amount of money for a job that requires zero education and is simple to perform.
Subway routes: absolutely horrible - basically services 3 streets in a city with approx. 3 million people. This would be the fault of all levels of government for not planning well and committing the resources.
Actual subway cars: I guess this is management's fault, they are so poorly laid out and inefficient it is embarrasing as a city. I would suggest they take a look at the cars being used in places like Hong Kong that can fit many more people in relative comfort.
Cost: why does someone who takes the subway for 3 blocks pay the same amount as someone who rides it from top to bottom (GO transit manages to figure out how to charge people based on distance)? Other cities do not employ such a stupid system. Automated debit cards that are used when people get on and get off could easily calculate what the appropriate fares should be, and would also lead to less employees being required to push the button and let the change fall down into the bottom of the container. My guess is that this would increase revenue for the TTC, but I do not have any facts to back this up. Why can't I buy tickets with a debit/credit card anywhere on the TTC lines but for union station, again, moronic planning, thanks a lot ttc.
The union: "worth a million", the premise makes no sense and is supported by fudged numbers that bear no semblance to reality. You suck! I can't stand being held hostage by union demands. Guess what, I didn't get the raise I wanted this year b/c my bank had a bad year, do I strike? No, b/c that's not what adults should do. Suck it up.
I could go on and on, but this is making me very upset so I will stop. I hate you TTC.
