Transit Commission Approved Misguided Service Cuts

At their special budget meeting this morning, the Transit Commission ignored the pleas of transit riders and approved an Operating Budget that will reduce TTC service throughout the city in 2012.

At a time of record ridership, it is even more of a major step backward to reduce TTC service. The budget adopted by the Commission means riders can look forward to even more crowding on TTC vehicles, reductions in the frequency of buses, and less transit vehicles operating during rush hour on some of the TTC’s busiest routes.

The TTC acknowledged in the budget document that it’s not normal to reduce service when such high demand for transit exists. “At a time of record ridership and ever-increasing demands for enhanced customer service, consideration for increasing resources to meet those needs would normally be given.” (See page 3 of the Operating Budget document.)

TTCriders attended the meeting and wrote letters urging Commissioners to reject the Mayor’s arbitrary 10% budget cut to avoid the need for the any TTC service cuts. Unfortunately, with the exception of Councillor Maria Augimeri, the Commission voted for the service cutting operating budget.

If you are frustrated by this, please click the link to the right of this article and send a message to our City Councillors encouraging them to stand up for the TTC, for more and better transit service, and to say no to Mayor Ford's arbitrary budget cuts.

TTCriders voices were heard on one part of the Operating Budget. Commissioners unanimously adopted an amendment to Recommendation 3 in the Operating Budget on the need to develop a multi-year fare, service, subsidy strategy. Several speakers at the meeting mentioned the need for the Provincial Government to come back to the TTC budget table and pay their fair share of TTC expenses. Commissioners agreed and formally add the Province to Recommendation 3 of the Operating budget.

3) Approve the development of a multi-year fare, service, subsidy strategy in conjunction with the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario, taking into consideration appropriate targets for ridership levels, service initiatives and revenue/cost ratios;

This amendment, although partially symbolic, represents a step forward for the TTC. It formally acknowledges the need for the Province to be part solution to the TTC's annual budget woes.

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