[Amare]

On the note on survey's, there's another one out regarding the TTC's new CEO recruitment. Hopefully they actually listen so we can all, you know, avoid another disaster Rick Leary 2.0 scenario:

TTC CEO Recruitment Survey

www.ttc.ca

 

[turbanplanner]

Another day another stolen set of tools

 

[evandyk]

What is with the King streetcar right now. I use it to get between Broadview/Danforth and Bay/King every morning and some afternoons, and every day this week it has been 10+ minute gaps between cars. Both inbound and outbound. Have they changed the frequency?

I know I could take the subway and it would be faster, but then I have to fight the crowds at Yonge/Bloor. The streetcar is just so comfy when it’s not full and you can get a seat by the window.

 

[Northern Light]

On the note on survey's, there's another one out regarding the TTC's new CEO recruitment. Hopefully they actually listen so we can all, you know, avoid another disaster Rick Leary 2.0 scenario:

TTC CEO Recruitment Survey

www.ttc.ca

I filled it out.

Thanks for pointing that out.

I put in for the following:

Desired traits - Changemaker, bold, accountable, rides the system daily.

Desired experience - Service management, adept w/current technology both customer facing (next vehicle times at every stop), but also for service management. Knowledge of retail, washrooms and amenities in transit. (Rider Experience)

Specific names - I chose to highlight things I like in a couple of different systems and note that I couldn't necessarily assign credit; but I did mention the head of WMATA as worth a look, I hear good things; he rides daily for one.

 

[Jonny5]

What is with the King streetcar right now. I use it to get between Broadview/Danforth and Bay/King every morning and some afternoons, and every day this week it has been 10+ minute gaps between cars. Both inbound and outbound. Have they changed the frequency?

I know I could take the subway and it would be faster, but then I have to fight the crowds at Yonge/Bloor. The streetcar is just so comfy when it’s not full and you can get a seat by the window.

I had the same problem yesterday as I walked from University to Spadina for some quick shopping at that pop-up Halloween store on the corner (OMG it was a zoo in there, but that's what I get for waiting until the last minute) but I noticed only a stray 501 appearing going eastbound and every streetcar stop had huge crowds waiting.

One of those traffic wardens was actually at King and Spadina and he now has this giant STOP sign on a pole to block traffic so the 501 streetcars can turn. It was actually comical watching him do it. It's like he's a crossing guard for streetcars.

On the way back east to get where I live, I walked all the way from Spadina back to Bay Street with no eastbound cars in sight, but then one of those magical 501 buses appeared and there was only about 3 people on board. It still somehow took 20 minutes to get from Bay to Ontario Street because of the blockages on Church.

 

[evandyk]

One of those traffic wardens was actually at King and Spadina and he now has this giant STOP sign on a pole to block traffic so the 501 streetcars can turn. It was actually comical watching him do it. It's like he's a crossing guard for streetcars.

I saw that guy (maybe not him specifically, but a stop sign guy at King and Spadina) and he wasn't even wearing the usual traffic warden uniform. Just a guy with a high-vis vest and a stop sign. No markings as to who employed him.

I ended up jumping on a 505 streetcar this morning since the 504 wasn't coming. I haven't been on that one in a long time, and it's quite a ride through the Ontario/Sherbourne area.

 

[nfitz]

What is with the King streetcar right now. I use it to get between Broadview/Danforth and Bay/King every morning and some afternoons, and every day this week it has been 10+ minute gaps between cars. Both inbound and outbound. Have they changed the frequency?

They haven't changed the frequency recently, but it's been listed as 8 minutes south on Broadview b after 7:15 AM and before 10AM and 10 minutes after for a while (it used to be 2 to 4 minutes with the old cars).

However, looking at the data at Transee, I'm surprised to see there's a change. There were some extra cars scheduled during the King/Shaw diversion, but as of October 6, there's 3 less cars scheduled between 8 AM and 9 AM. On the other hand, there seems to be more missing cars before October 6 - perhaps it's just more regular now?

There's certainly been a schedule change; perhaps it's simply more predictable now.

 

[DSCToronto]

This a good case where all transit is under ML like it has been plan for since 2006/2007 regardless how ML been useless so far.

You really can't be serious that you what ML to take over TTC. TTC are certainly far from perfect but ML are much worse, for a far simpler system.

 

[nfitz]

You really can't be serious that you what ML to take over TTC. TTC are certainly far from perfect but ML are much worse, for a far simpler system.

Depends on the criteria. In terms of reliability and scheduling granularity, Metrolinx are miles ahead.

 

[DSCToronto]

Depends on the criteria. In terms of reliability and scheduling granularity, Metrolinx are miles ahead.

To compare TTC with ML is apples vs oranges. Yes, both are transit agencies but one has transit routes 100% on city streets with frequent stops and the other has bus routes primarily on inter-city roads with few stops.

 

[nfitz]

To compare TTC with ML is apples vs oranges. Yes, both are transit agencies but one has transit routes 100% on city streets with frequent stops and the other has bus routes primarily on inter-city roads with few stops.

Which doesn't change scheduling granularity. Nor does it change systemic prioritizing of schedule adherence.

 

[evandyk]

They haven't changed the frequency recently, but it's been listed as 8 minutes south on Broadview b after 7:15 AM and before 10AM and 10 minutes after for a while (it used to be 2 to 4 minutes with the old cars).

However, looking at the data at Transee, I'm surprised to see there's a change. There were some extra cars scheduled during the King/Shaw diversion, but as of October 6, there's 3 less cars scheduled between 8 AM and 9 AM. On the other hand, there seems to be more missing cars before October 6 - perhaps it's just more regular now?

There's certainly been a schedule change; perhaps it's simply more predictable now.

I have virtually never waited 8 minutes for a Broadview car. With daily use for years. Now it’s four days in a row.

25 minutes for a Distillery car in the middle of the day?

 

[Amare]

I have virtually never waited 8 minutes for a Broadview car. With daily use for years. Now it’s four days in a row.

25 minutes for a Distillery car in the middle of the day?
View attachment 608644

Service is certainly getting to the point where it's an absolute abysmal mess on certain routes for no ryhme or reason whatsoever asides from the TTC's own incompetence and inability to line manage.

There have been multiple times where I've waited 10 mins for a Yonge/University Line train from Union Station during the midday.

And if you think i'm kidding here's a photo from a couple days where I had this experience on the Bloor-Danforth line:

 

[Amare]

On a separate note, it looks like it's going to be a busy weekend for myself. There's another survey out, this one for a new TTC wayfinding standard:

TTC developing a new Wayfinding Strategy to help enhance customer experience

www.ttc.ca

Maybe we can finally get rid of some of the uninformative signage that doesnt even tell an individual if one is doing east/west and north/south on the subway system.

 

[81-717]

There have been multiple times where I've waited 10 mins for a Yonge/University Line train from Union Station during the midday.

And if you think i'm kidding here's a photo from a couple days where I had this experience on the Bloor-Danforth line:

Impossible, this could never happen now that all subway cars have extra-wide doors

/s