Toronto Transit Commission

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The Toronto Transit Commission, or TTC, is a public transport authority that operates buses, streetcars, and rapid transit lines in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Contents

Overview

The TTC operates the third most heavily-used urban mass transit system in North America (after New York City and Mexico City). As of 2004, there are four rapid transit lines (three are referred to as subways, while a fourth is mostly elevated; see Toronto Subway and RT), with a total of 69 stations, as well as 149 connecting "surface" routes (buses and streetcars). The average daily ridership exceeds 2.3 million passengers: 1,197,500 through bus, 246,100 by streetcar, 45,000 by intermediate rail, and 855,300 by subway (American Public Transit Association, 2005). The TTC also provides door-to-door services for persons with physical disabilities known as WheelTrans. An approximate 2,900 trips are made through this service daily. Colloquially, the streetcars were known as "red rockets"; hence the use of "Ride the Rocket" in advertising material for the TTC (which uses the phrase to advertise the entire system), and the use of the word "Rocket" in the names of some express buses. The entire system is also promoted as "The Better Way".

History

Privately operated transit services in Toronto began in 1849. In later years, a few routes were operated by the city, but it was 1921 when the city took over all routes and formed the Toronto Transportation Commission to operate them. During this period service was mainly provided by streetcars. In 1954, the TTC adopted its present name, opened its first subway line, and greatly expanded its service area to cover the newly formed municipality of Metropolitan Toronto (which eventually became the enlarged city of Toronto). The system has evolved to feature a wide network of bus routes with the subway lines as the backbone.

See more at Toronto Transit History for facts on the system:

Transit modes

The TTC currently operates an extensive network of subways, streetcars, and buses in Toronto:

Subway/RT System (1954-present)

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Main article: Toronto Subway and RT

The Toronto subway/RT system consists of the Yonge-University-Spadina line, a U-shaped line started in 1954 and last extended in 1996; the Bloor-Danforth line, an east-west line started in 1966 and last extended in 1980; the Scarborough RT, a mostly-elevated (and technically dissimilar) line built in 1985 which runs further east of the Bloor-Danforth line's terminus; and the Sheppard line, completed in 2002. The Scarborough RT is separated from the other three lines by its use of trains with a different propulsion technology and track gauge.

In the mid-1990s, work began on an Eglinton West Subway Line, but the project was cancelled before significant progress was made. Construction of this line is no longer a priority for the TTC.

A current focus for the TTC's rapid-transit expansion is a short extension bringing the western branch of the Yonge-University-Spadina line north to York University and Steeles Avenue. Another is the eastward extension of the Sheppard line to Scarborough.

Streetcars (1861-present)

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Main article: Toronto Streetcar System

Toronto's streetcar system is one of the few in North America still operating along classic lines and has been operating since the mid 19th-Century (horsecar service starting in 1861 and electric since 1891). Streetcar service dates back to the Toronto Street Railways horse-drawn cars and continues today with the current electric cars. As new TTC routes since the 1940s have generally been operated by other modes, and the less-busy streetcar routes have also been converted, streetcar routes are now focused on the downtown area, with none running farther north than St. Clair Avenue, about 5 km from Lake Ontario.

Buses (1921-present) and trolley coaches (1922-1993)

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Main article: Toronto Buses and Trolley Buses

Buses are a large part of TTC operations today, but before about 1960, they played a minor role compared to streetcars. After an earlier experiment, trolley buses were used on a number of routes starting in 1947, but all trolley bus routes were converted to bus operation between 1991 and 1993. The TTC always used the term trolley coach to refer to its trackless electric vehicles.

Gray Coach (1927-1989)

Main article: Toronto Interurban Buses - Gray Coach

Gray Coach Lines was a suburban and regional inter-city bus operator founded in 1927 by the TTC. Gray Coach used inter-urban coaches to link Toronto to points throughout Southern Ontario. In addition, Gray Coach operated tour buses in association with Gray Line Tours. The main terminal was the Metropolitan Toronto Bus Terminal on Elizabeth Street, downtown. In 1954, Gray Coach expanded further when it acquired suburban routes from independent bus operators not merged with the TTC as it expanded to cover Metro Toronto. By the 1980s, Gray Coach faced fierce competition in the inter-urban service in the GTA, and the TTC was forced to sell it.

Wheelchair-accessible services (1975-present)

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Main article: Toronto Accessible Transit Services

The TTC also runs WheelTrans, a para-transit service for the physically disabled with special buses designed to accommodate wheelchairs. Since the 1990s, the TTC has focused in providing accessible services on buses, RT and subway operations.

Ferry service (1927-1962)

Main article: Toronto Island Ferry Services

The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.

Operations and other information

Most TTC operations are based either at the William O'Brien building at 1900 Yonge Street (over Davisville subway station), or at the Hillcrest complex at Bathurst and Davenport Streets.

Fares

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Main article: Toronto Transit Commission Fares

The TTC fare system accepts cash, tickets, tokens, and transit passes.

The provincial Minister of Transportation has announced plans to introduce the GTA Farecard, an unified smartcard-based payment system for the entire Greater Toronto Area similar to the Octopus Card used in Hong Kong.

Schedules and information

Prior to the use of the TTC website, TTC patrons were able to obtain route information from various sources:

  • Paper schedules and system maps from drivers and collector booths +
  • Fax number to obtain schedules and maps +
  • Time Line: Most stops had a phone number to obtain the schedule for the select route. This system was removed due to Year 2000 constraints. Route information is now accessed by InfoPost and TTC Info number 416-393-INFO (this replaced the old numbers 481-4252 and 481-4544 in the 1980s). Some stops now display a time schedule for the particular route.
  • What's On and Rocket Rider/TTC Customer News pamplets located on most vehicles +

Transit Information Centres:

  • TTC Head Office - Davisville Station
  • TTC Info Centre Bloor-Yonge Station - closed +
  • Metro Toronto Convention Centre - closed +

Additional TTC information are circulated by: +

  • The Rocket Rider - TTC Customer News
  • What's ON

Shelters

The shelters used by the systems are split between Viacom Media (with ads) and Toronto Transportation. A total of 4,100 shelters are under control by Toronto Transportation and most from the former transportation departments of the municipalities that made up Metropolitan Toronto.

Advertising

Advertising is commonplace and prominent in all TTC vehicles and locations, in fact some subway stops are periodically entirely repainted on the inside to the wishes of a paying corporate advertiser. Most recently this has occurred for the cosmetics company Aveeno. The agency contracted to post ads on the TTC is Viacom Outdoor. However the amount of money the TTC receives for allowing advertising on its property is very small. For the year ending 2003, the TTC received 2.3% of its revenue from advertising, or almost $17 million. Critics charge that as the TTC states a ridership of over 1.4 million passengers on average each weekday, all advertising could be removed from all TTC property for one year in exchange for a one-day addition of just over ten cents to each rider's fare.

Communications

The TTC also employs a tracking and communications system called CIS (Communications and Information System). A transmitter is added to the roof of the vehicle and a receiver on the right hand side of the driver. A pilot of CIS was introduced in the late 1970s and fully deployed in 1991.

For an official list of TTC PA Codes goto: [1]

Safety systems

Safety features unique to the TTC include:

  • Late Night Service - replaced by Blue Night Network
  • Request Stop Program on surface routes (9pm-5am)
  • Designated Waiting Areas (DWA) on subway and RT platforms
  • Yellow Passenger Assistance Alarms strips on subway and RT cars since the early 1980s
  • approximately 800 cameras monitoring activities on the subway system

Auctions

TTC auctions off items left on vehicles each year. In 2005, the TTC launched an online auction via e-Bay Canada and Rite Auction Services.

Personnel

Most of the Toronto Transit Commission's staff are members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113. Total membership (2005) is approximately 8,000 members.

Unionized transit workers in Toronto began with:

  • Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America in 1892
  • Division 30 of the Amalgamated Association of Street and Railway Employees of America in 1893
  • Division 113 Chartered - Amalgamated Association of Street Railway Employees of America in 1899
  • Amalgamated Association of Street and Railway Employees of America in 1903
  • Amalgamated Transit Union in 1964
  • Local 113 of the Amalgamated Association of Street, Electric Railway and Motor Coach Employees of America 1952

Other than drivers and supervisor, the TTC also employes support staff to keep the system running:

  • cleaners keeping stations, bus shelter and other TTC properities clean
  • garbage staff picking up garbage at TTC stops and stations
  • clearing TTC roadways during winter months
  • engineers and support staff inspecting subway systems
  • mechanics maintain all the commission vehicles
  • blacksmith to make special parts of the TTC

Uniforms

All TTC staff wear uniforms consisting of a light blue shirt with TTC crest (long and short sleeves) and grey slacks. Hats are generally worn by senior staff, namely inspectors. Some vehicle operators wear a blue ball cap with white lettering "TTC". Maintainence staff wear dark blue or green coveralls with TTC crest.

Prior to the current design, the uniform consisted of a light brown shirt and medium brown slacks/blazers.

Honour Guards

The TTC Honour Guards represent the TTC during city ceremonies to police funerals. The guards wear caps, white shirts, blue blazers with Honour Guard crests and grey pants. The unit was formed in 1995 and is currently made up of 12 members.

Special Constables

A contingent of 50 Special Constables, with powers to enforce the Criminal Code on TTC property (as Toronto Police can), ride the system. They usually ride in distinct uniforms (which significantly differ from the standard TTC uniform), but may do so in a plain-clothes capacity.

References

  • The TTC Story by Mike Filey
  • Not A One Horse Town by Mike Filey
  • Reflections & Recollections Transfer Points January 2005
  • Independents Take Over - TTC Goes Metro Wide Transfer Points August-September 2004
  • Toronto Transit Commission Goes Metro Wide Transfer Point December 2004
  • TTC Archives
  • TTC Special Constables - Official link
  • Legacy Sportswear
  • ATU 113 History
  • TTC Honour Guard
  • Subway and RT Route Map - TTC - September 1998
  • TTC Ride Guide April 1982
  • TTC Ride Guide June 1982
  • TTC Ride Guide May 1984
  • TTC Ride Guide January 1987
  • TTC Ride Guide January 1988
  • TTC Ride Guide January 1990
  • Toronto Transit Ride Guide June 1998
  • Numerical list of routes, with route direction and operating division - TTC Feburary 1999

External links

Retrieved from "http://en.freepedia.org/Toronto_Transit_Commission.html"


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