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.
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The process of integrating smarts cards into the TTC is moving at a near glacial pace. It appears the TTC is being uber-cautious as it proceeds with the implementation of this, 20th century technology.
The TTC’s best guess is that it will take 5 years to fully integrate their system to work with Presto’s smartcards. By the end of 2010 Toronto should have 6 central subway stations equipped with Presto card technology.
Smart cards might have helped TTC riders avoid some of the token hoarding frustration and the confusing reintroduction of paper tickets, the advance of the unfair 2010 fare hike.
CTV News Toronto’s Beth Macdonell has the details of the TTCRiders report suggesting several routes do not meet on-time performance standards.
According to a new report by the transit advocacy group TTCriders, only ten of the TTC’s bus and streetcar routes are meeting the benchmark for on-time service during rush hour throughout the city. Catalina Gillies with the details.
A new report by the transit advocacy group TTCriders suggests that the TTC’s on-time metrics don’t actually match the transit rider experience.
The report says that riders wait 50 per cent longer than scheduled on 10 routes across the city and transit users wait 30 per cent longer than scheduled on 41 routes. The issue is apparently due to “bunching” – when one bus falls behind and the bus behind it catches up.
The report found that riders on routes where “bunching” is common waited an average of four minutes longer than scheduled.