[caption id="attachment_194" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The TTC Needs a Money Train from the Province"]
[/caption]
In a media release today the Province confirmed Finance Minister Dwight Duncan will release his next budget on March 25.
[caption id="attachment_184" align="alignright" width="300" caption="SRT photo by wyliepoon (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wyliepoon/)"]
[/caption]
On Monday March 8th, TTCriders attended a Transit City open house near Midland and Eglinton about the expansion of the Scarborough RT. More than 60 people attended hoping to learn more about the project and give their feedback. Information about the project was provided through a video presentation and display panels that outlined the plans for the expansion and construction. Residents could speak with consultants, employees of the TTC, and others to ask questions about the project. Information was only available in English.
Facebook can be a wonderful and informative tool.
Lots of TTC riders are frustrated with the frequent delays in TTC service. Here is just one disruption example posted on the TTC's Facebook status...
Toronto Transit Commission: Due to a smell of smoke at track level at Christie Stn, there is currently no service from Jane to Broadview Stns. Shuttle buses are running.
- Take action: Tell the Province we need a sustainable funding plan for transit in Toronto
- Sign up to our newsletter: here
Over the last week much of the media focus on the TTC has been the recent announcement of selecting Steve O’Brien as head of the TTC Customer Service Advisory Panel. With that position already chosen one of the public participants will be selected via a Twitter post from an interested volunteer. More budget news as this will be the first year that the province will not be giving the TTC a handout to make up for their budget shortfall and hinting that in the future any money they do receive may be conditional. For further information and links refer to the following below.
Over the past week TTC customer service has been in the news quite a bit. Whether comments from the President of Transit Union Local 113 Bob Kinnear or the General Manager Gary Webster the situation is emotional to say the least. With a lot of negative press recently the TTC did have some good news when announcing their 2009 budget this past week as well as the anticipation of an announcement of who will be part of the Customer Service Advisory Panel.
The other day I had lunch with a friend who now works for Presto, the group bringing the long awaited smartcard technology to the GTA and eventually into Toronto.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="430" caption="Photo by http://flickr.com/ashtonpal"]
[/caption]
Over the weekend I had the opportunity to test the beta version of the TTC Trip Planner. After a few hours of exploring I feel that it is a useful tool for people who are searching for the fastest way of getting to their destination but not necessarily the simplest. The route selected by the trip planner is always the quickest one based on time of arrival or departure inputted.
It feels good to vent every once in a while doesn’t it?
Transit riders have been angry and frustrated for quite a while now. First the unfair fare hike, which lead to a token shortage, the return of tickets, and then a bunch of seemingly endless disruptions to regular service. Something had to give!