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November 09, 2009 at 5:58:18 PM
Simon
Hi,
I dont think that a in today's economy fares should be raised. (High unemployment, deflation) But $3 is still a pretty damn good deal compared to what owning a vehicle will run you.

November 09, 2009 at 6:03:03 PM
Mario Hanka
I use TTC every day. But with the (YET ANOTHER) increase in fares, I will definitely abandon using the TTC as my means of transportation around the city. I strongly encourage all the people to boycott TTC and I strongly urge the Ontario Government to step in and help TTC financially, if they need financial help. This is a rich country, a rich province, and the government can definitely afford it. The people, however, should not be the victims in all of this.
The subway system in Toronto is awful, to say the least. How many years will it take for this city to have a subway system like London, Paris, New York?

November 09, 2009 at 6:06:19 PM
Omar J. Davis
A TTC strike will be of little effect because so many people depend on it to get around everyday; myself included. People will moan and grown but at the end of the day will still pay and the TTC is well aware of that.

November 09, 2009 at 6:10:17 PM
Adam Bandella
Cellphone companies are ripping us off. Insurance companies are ripping us off. The TTC constantly keeps ripping us off!

Enough is enough!
Toronto, as a city, keeps deteriorating year after year. No wonder many people are leaving Toronto to go to other cities either in Canada or, even better, some other countries.

The subway system in Toronto is a shame! And now people have to pay even more?! For what?!

November 09, 2009 at 6:11:26 PM
Emanuella Torrini
I am already thinking of plans to stop using the TTC. They are overcharging people already!

November 09, 2009 at 6:36:58 PM
KH
Seems to me that restricting the number of tokens to 5 (or even 10) is a form of price fixing.

But then again, should we expect anything less from our corrupt politicians??

November 09, 2009 at 6:37:44 PM
mike in TO
really, instead of raising fares, the TTC should cut the wates of its employees, or find new employees to do the job cheaper.

how dare they try to raise fares and give raises to the workers in the middle of a recession?

why do they always bleed us for more and more?

November 09, 2009 at 7:00:30 PM
Stephen
Wonderful! The fares keep going up and the service gets worse and worse.
As regards the employees, perhaps some of them should drop their I-don't-give-a-damn attitude, sign up for charm school, and consider themselves lucky that they actually have a job in this economy.
This example does not represent all TTC employees, of course. It's simply a case of ninety-five percent of them giving the other five percent a bad name.

November 09, 2009 at 7:20:10 PM
Randy
Maybe this increase in fairs and proposal of TTC abandonment is just what this city needs in order for people to get out, walk more and get more exercise. God knows there are way too many overweight people in this city.

November 09, 2009 at 7:22:25 PM
Alex
With Insurance and gas prices going up the TTC wanted a piece of the action. In a shaky economy, how are these people are allowed to do this. TTC.. ET TU BRUTE!

November 09, 2009 at 7:41:30 PM
aaron
how can the justify another increase stating that they are in the red, but 2 days after they announce the increase they say they are spending close to a million on a new plan at bloor station heading southbound using special constables and ttc employees to ensure that people dont rush the doors and hold the subway for an extra 10-20 seconds. Am i missing something???

November 09, 2009 at 7:54:54 PM
Lang
Like it or not, the TTC should dramatically reduce employee salaries, cut all overtime, and eliminate all those who make over $100k/yr. If they can do that, perhaps we can pay $1 fares again. Remember these people (with horrible customer service and often arrogant) earn more than what most university and college grads earn. I'm sure thousands will wait in line and accept the job for half their salary. Enough said.

November 09, 2009 at 8:08:38 PM
unknowen
i just thinks its not fair - toronto getting very expensive to live - city implements many increases but income never increases -
thank god mayor miller stepping down - by the way ttc employees being over paid???$28/hr sitting in a both collecting fair - i think they should get paid minmum wage - soon or later torontonians will realise having your own veichale more cost efficient also more convenient.

November 09, 2009 at 8:09:28 PM
Russ
I think the TTC should implement a zoned system like in Tokyo Japan. You pay for a ticket that prints the name of where you want to go and magnetizes the back of the ticket so that once you arrive at your destination you use the ticket to open the toll to get out. (Just make sure not to lose your ticket during your ride!!!) The idea is that the short the stop the cheaper the fare. I can't believe it will cost only $3.00 to get from Kipling subway all the way to Scarborough! What a deal...still!

November 09, 2009 at 8:27:49 PM
Shy Mu
I come from a "third world" country, surprisingly in my country the transport system is far superior than the so called "TTC". I continue to see buses with "Sorry not in service" signs running past. I often wait for hours between 2 subway stations as the "door did not close well" excuse keeps flashing on the PA system. I see street cars holted in the midst of peek traffic. And now when the city needs the politicians to use other means to raise funds, the poor TTC travellers are yet targetted as we travellers have to abide by whatever you fools say - What a shame. This is just a pathetic display of cheap power and a corrupt system. Disgusting!!!

November 09, 2009 at 8:28:12 PM
Dominic M
I totally agree that $3.00 to use the TTC is way to much. These fair increases are too much. And they couldn't have come at the worst time. (Employment, Economy,)

Dominic M

November 09, 2009 at 9:04:58 PM
Norman Braganza
An increase to offset the TTC deficit is uncalled for. TTC should look at ways to reduce it's overheads instead of taxing financially overburdened commuters.

November 09, 2009 at 9:05:59 PM
Jocelyn
I take the transit to school and work and a hike in the monthly pass still is under what Vancouver commuters have to pay... a single fare to cover the whole Translink areas is $5, so $3 here is a savings to me... a monthly pass for all 3 zones in Vancouver is $136... here in Toronto a raise to $126 is still a savings to me... I will still continue to use the TTC as it is still cheaper than owning a vehicle in Toronto.

November 09, 2009 at 9:16:31 PM
Cattle Hauler
YES strike please. I would encourage the public to abandon the TTC for a day. The drivers need a break .

November 09, 2009 at 9:31:01 PM
Maria
I think or mayor and premier should take the surplus cash that the city made during the garbage strike and put it to good use...like protecting TTC riders from enduring another fare increase. High unemployement + fare increases DOES NOT = fairness.

November 09, 2009 at 9:38:37 PM
unknown
I take the TTC everyday, but I absolutely hate the TTC. Is expensive (I only need to take 10 stops to work), is dirty(garbage everywhere, they should just ban food and drinks in the TTC), and the service is poor (there are always delays or subways turning back or the RT is not working). TTC token collectors make 50K starting. Obviously, that is why TTC said they never make money. Talking about Canada is the first world country, I travelled to alot of places before, but personally, the TTC is one of worst subway system I have seen. BOOOOOOOO to increase in TTC fare

November 09, 2009 at 9:38:54 PM
Osman
This is a joke!

Another hike? Come on!

Why doesn;t the TTC look to other revenue streams such as better advertising, new digital media advertising, selling off space outside subways, busses. Privatizing the rail car operations.

Maybe TTC workers need to make a little less, the autop sector workers had to take cuts, why can't the TTC? How many coin collectors are on the sunshine list? This is a joke.

November 09, 2009 at 9:46:49 PM
Rider
Canada is a special country, so Toronto, we have to be different than other city, we had a idiot running the province, and we had another idiot running the city plus another idiot running the TTC.
how could a organization losing money when there are no competitor in the market. I think we should fire them all and let the private company to run the province, city and the TTC

November 09, 2009 at 9:51:41 PM
Kyle
I wish Toronto and the rest of Southern Ontario would follow Quebec's method of payment and start phasing in a better automated system. Montreal's system is wonderful compared to Toronto's embarrassingly old one.

November 09, 2009 at 9:54:04 PM
sunny
i am just wondering that we are only paying $3 in toronto if you go to york region or mississauga they are paying more then us which is $3.25. and there service is like half an hour apart,and their drivers picks up that many passangers in one day as one ttc driver picks up in the one trip.So we should stop complaing what they are making.

November 09, 2009 at 10:12:48 PM
Allison
The TTC is SO proud to put up digital signs INSIDE a subway station (Spadina) to tell you when the next streetcar is arriving. Who really cares? You are inside a warm building, the cars run every two minutes anyways, and there are always at least 4 TTC workers with Tim Horton cups hanging around waiting for the streetcar to come in for whatever reason. Then there is the guy with the notebook, not sure why, but he's there. They should have put these signs or some sort of electronic signage at BUS stops in the middle of nowhere, when this is useful!!!!
I guess having the prettied-up version of the Museum subway stop was a kicker to all of us riders. No one rides the subway to see a subway station, that was a useless renovation. I go to the Museum stop to go to the ROM and see the artifacts, not the subway stop.

November 09, 2009 at 10:35:57 PM
James
yea.....i think its about time they let competition into the market of public transportation for Toronto. This is getting ridiculous, we are stuck here paying for high rates when we know the TTC employees are already overpaid in this economic times.

Heres a suggestion for improvement, fire all TTC employees and replace them with people that can do the job cheaper. Otherwise, allow other transportation companies into the market and see how the TTC will like it when they lose all their businesses.

November 09, 2009 at 10:36:48 PM
Markus M
People. Lets not forget, we have to pay for the mistakes of iliterate people like Adam Giambrone and his cronies. Are we forgetting the misprint of all the TTC maps in toronto with the spelling mistakes? We had to replace them because the people who developed them are not smarter than a 5th grader. Why doesn't Adam Giambrone take a pay cut to fix the mistake intead of having the public yet again fixing the screw ups

November 09, 2009 at 10:37:55 PM
Boyd
I am not sure i understand. Let me get this straight. That is what you are telling me. Because evertime i look. Now is not the time. Besides that one, which one took off. So is this what matters. For to live here I must need something like. So as i say. You know today never matters unless you. For whatever happens.

November 09, 2009 at 10:41:01 PM
Toronto Citizen
In regards to saying Vancouver is charging huge and TTC is would still be wonderful in comparison with its raise, i just wanted to share how much Vancouver charges for fairs:
Weekdays from start of service to 6:30 p.m:
1 Zone(Vancouver City) $2.50
2 Zone(Richmond) $3.75
3 Zone(Surrey) $5.00
Weekdays after 6:30 p.m. and all day Saturday, Sunday & Holidays All Zones=$2.50
For Students a Monthly Pass is $42!!for ALL 3 ZONES!!
Adult Monthly Pass is $73 for 1 zone(which covers ENTIRE VANCOUVER CITY)
++big plus in Vancouver City all the transit employees are AMAZINGLY NICE++

November 09, 2009 at 10:48:29 PM
Robbie Cakes
I don't see what the fuss is all about. 3$ is still a great deal. Everyone complains about "gas has gone up, hydro has gone up, rent has gone up".. yet TTC should go down? its inflation, Sorry guys.

Dont like it? Grab a car, pay for gas, parking, insurance. See how much that costs!

November 09, 2009 at 11:23:55 PM
carl
This was bound to happen once they announced increases in auto insurance. They knew people would depend more on TTC and we would have to pay whatever price they offer. I will definetly abandon the TTC now.

November 09, 2009 at 11:52:02 PM
Brian
Why are they raising fares too many people are doing illegal things on TTC property and they are barely being fined enough is enough people who pay their fares shouldn't be punished by people who cheat the system or smoke on the property. In addition, the service isn't as good as they say call ur MPP and complain enough is enough fares are high enough. In addition, all Unions are getting too much $$$ well the others suffer time to change that I think that could be a big issue in the mayoral race in November, 2010

November 09, 2009 at 11:55:20 PM
Brian
So people want lead by example in Toronto and take public transit yet why does being green and taking public transit have to come with unjust fare hikes like 16% of Metropass. Also, we need a new PM, Harper has just ignored Toronto because he doesn't have many ridings here

November 10, 2009 at 12:02:27 AM
Borat S
Raising the fares of the TTC is just a farce. Plain and simple. The TTC should be $2 and heavily subsidized by the government. It is just as an essential service as hospitals, which by the way is another disgraceful mess. Canada is doing it's nest to become America and we are slowly losing our identity. Money is the only focus. We as a city, a province a nation need to stand up and stop being bullied. STRIKING is a great choice. But not for one day. For one month. Walk to work, suffer the cold, see how they will fold under the pressure and not raise the fares.

November 10, 2009 at 12:18:35 AM
mabell
I love my car!

even if I 'crawl' on the DVP...I'm still enjoying my sat/radio, I am relaxed, I smile at other drivers (very few smile back...but thats ok!) - I walk into work a happy person ...

but if i had to take the TTC...

November 10, 2009 at 12:21:57 AM
KB
people in Toronto have a habit to complain.If all other ameneties are going up so whats wrong with .25 cents TTC fare hike etc.If you really want to complain and protest do for the insurance companies who are increasing the insurance.We should be proud of what we have and encourge more people to take transit.As far as Chair Adam Gimbrone is concerned I think he is trying to bring in many changes to improve the ridership in Toronto.Com 'on people be positive and stop complaining.Love what you have!!

November 10, 2009 at 12:25:12 AM
Andy
I think it's high time I declared myself to be experiencing a "budget shortfall", and raise my rates....or perhaps request a bailout! Month after month, I'm sinking deeper into debt, with less and less hope of clawing my way out, and still these low-skilled, unionized workers want more and more. Yet they're doing a helluva lot better than me with my college education. Oh ya, that's something I'll be paying off for the next 15 years. I've had it with constant increases in these already impossible times!!!

November 10, 2009 at 12:39:23 AM
???
bad service + bad attitude + slow + crime + dirty + old + expensive fares + limited subway lines + does not know how to earn money + stupid excuse maker (eg. more ridership this year, but less profit) + dictatorship = TTC

Everytime I hear Adam Giambrone say "the TTC is a worldclass transit system," i would think that he's joking, i wonder if he ever takes the bus to work. If the fare increase still goes year by year, the adult fare would cost more than $5 by 2020.

November 10, 2009 at 12:52:47 AM
Richard Roma
It's time to start cutting TTC staff salaries instead of putting all costs on the public. Such an example that comes to mind is the booth monkey that was allegedly pocketing fares (and making $125,000/yr for such a joke job!). Without checks and balances, these salaries are spiralling out of control.

November 10, 2009 at 1:01:15 AM
Ed
Some people still think it is fair for TTC to raise fare to $3, e.g. compare to Vancouver. Yet they failed to realize it is the people here feeling the burden, it does not necessary take the burden away just because it is better when compare to other places. Perhaps TTC should make fare highest in the world, then they won't have any more excuses. That is quite a possibility because TTC is really run by the union workers, not really by the city.

November 10, 2009 at 1:06:25 AM
huge3
i dont mind paying anything if the service is good.
I would like to see real earnings on the paper, not the one that they are preparing to show us. its all just lies.

November 10, 2009 at 1:21:44 AM
AS
many people already have a car, and also take the ttc, so you cannot really compare the price of a metropass vs the cost of owning a car. for some people, with the cost of riding the ttc going up, it will be cheaper to pay for gas and parking to get to work then buying a metropass.

November 10, 2009 at 1:47:34 AM
Flo
The TTC wastes billions... not millions in useless construction projects and unjustifiable salaries. The 400 ticket collectors for example make an average of $ 90 000 yearly for sitting down. The cleaners make about $25-30 hourly for not doing much. There was a crew of 5 on RT72 used to change light bulbs and neon on the tracks with an average salary of $70 000. It took ttc contractors 3 years to build an elevator at Eglinton West. its costing $18 000 000 for each of the vent shafts on both sides of yonge at finch station... there is no way this hike is justified.

November 10, 2009 at 2:28:26 AM
Lori
Its easier to have a Toonie and a Loonie at times for most people. Mississauga;s fare has been $3 for two years now, just make the transfare system the same has Mississauga. You have 2 hrs to use it without paying to get back on

November 10, 2009 at 2:46:08 AM
Craig Thompson
The TTC shuld raise their fares to $3.00. YRT is at $3.25 and Brampton transit charges $3.00 per fare. Both transit systems can't keep up with the TTC. so raising the fares won't hurt anyone!
Although the Metropass is a bit expensive already the demand is high!
What I don't understand is why raise the GTA pass $4.00 for one system raising their fares. when the YRT and Brampton transit went up in January this year the GTA pass went up $4.00 fron 43-47.

November 10, 2009 at 6:39:57 AM
Dave
I think this is ridiculous that the TTC is looking to charge people $3 and additional $17 per monthly metro passes. People have to work to survive in this city. It is bad enough that the drivers never wait for passengers to cross the street or you have to wait 45minutes for the next bus because 5 buses come all at once and not one of them will wait for people. The drivers are rude and over paid. I think this would be easier to swallow if the service was better and actually ontime.

November 10, 2009 at 6:40:49 AM
Karen
A fare increase now is just not right for many facing difficult economic hardship. They should consider other avenue such swipe card which will reduce the cost of producing metro pass every month. each month existing card holder will load money to the card. further more the cost for student pass is too high as it now.

November 10, 2009 at 7:01:13 AM
cg
Why haven't they figured out that they could create zones for the two TTC routes and the above ground services like they have in Vancouver? Or pay for distance like in the UK? There are some people who only need to go a few stops and there are some who go from end to end, so why not pay for distance and use? The TTC is going to alienate the users who only need to go a few stops After all, what would you prefer, 10 blocks on the smelly TTC or a nice comfy warm cab?

November 10, 2009 at 7:14:35 AM
Fellow
The formula is simple:
Higly paid employees + high maintenance falling apart equipment + inflated number of riders = annual increase.One day in the near future it will be cheaper to ride a smokey - smelly cab rather than riding a bus or a train. May be next time we can talk about the sleeping giants who owns the taxi plates and rent them for thousands to the poor drivers.

November 10, 2009 at 8:09:46 AM
michael
THEY WANT TO INCREASE THE FARES AND THE BUSES DO NOT EVEN COME ON TIME. LOOK AT THE 36 FINCH FOR EXAMPLE. YOU HAVE TO WAIT THERE FOR SOMETIMES HALF AN HOUR BEFORE THE BUS SHOWS UP. AND YOU WANT ME TO PAY YOU GUYS MORE MONEY. YOU SHOULD BE PAID NOTHING. SITTING ON YOUR ASS AND GIVING CUSTOMERS HARD TIME. GOING FOR COFFEE, TALKING ON CELLPHONE, GOING FOR SMOKE. THATS NOT FAIR. YOU PEOPLE SHOULD STRIKE THE TTC. IF IT WAS NOT FOR US, IN TORONTO, TO TAKE THE TTC, THE TTC DRIVERS AND WORKERS WILL HAVE NOT NO WORK AND NOT GET THERE $28/HOUR.

November 10, 2009 at 8:19:40 AM
Joanne
I will definetly join in on the strike on Friday. It takes me half hour to walk to work but I will do it both ways. Save meoney and show the TTC that the fare increase affects us. With the cost of everything else soooo high now an increase in our fares. Thats B.S. We have to get to work, or school, appts. etc.
It sucks....Big time

November 10, 2009 at 8:41:46 AM
Andrea
I lived in London, England where you can get literally anywhere in London using the Tube. If the TTC would put some of the funds from the yearly increases back into the system and extend the TTC (trains) to the outer regions (Mississauga, Brampton, etc), then and only then would i consider taking the TTC again. The politians keep encouraging us to take the TTC, but instead of making it better, cheaper, they are making it harder and harder. Makes no sense to me.

November 10, 2009 at 8:46:46 AM
Emilie
Have you notice since the TTC is not allowing to use the passes to park how many more cars on the road?

Hey Toronto, we are run by a DICTATOR: Mayor Miller, TTC and any goverment people that wants to keep taking from us and not give anything back.

But Toronto beware the businesses are moving out.

November 10, 2009 at 8:50:16 AM
Palwan
I just started using the TTC and it sucks! Busses get full so fast and "Not in Service" busses are more and more common now. If there's a busy route then add another bus to that route. There is no consistency in this system and now an INCREASE??!!

November 10, 2009 at 8:51:32 AM
Daily Rider
With this increase, it will now be only a $10 per month difference between a metropass and parking at work for a month. I'm starting to think that I would rather drive the 20 minutes to work than take the TTC. The drivers have horrible attitudes and the passengers are pushy and mean druing rush hours. The sad part about this, is that the increase is to try and manage the debt instead of improving services. If they were actually going to improve things, then I wouldn't be so quick to jump behind the wheel. So much for encouraging an environmentally friendly way to travel. I think TTC spending habits need to be reviewed and reviewed again to find out why their spending is so out of control.

November 10, 2009 at 9:04:28 AM
Karen
We need a list of rights as riders of the TTC! Without us, they will fail! We are constantly being held hostage -- at least once a year -- by either strike threats or fare hike threats -- and now we can only buy enough tokens for half a work week? SHAMEFUL! Shame on the TTC! You are responsible to us, not the other way around! You just increased fines for "rude" riders . . . what if we took back fares for every rude TTC worker? The problems with the TTC operating budget are:
1. the commission is made up of city councillors, not transit experts
2. salaries are through the roof, but due to collective agreements with the union, the employees have handcuffed the commission from being able to do anything about it
3. they appear to waste money on things like "On the Rocket" while riders suffer poor service from both people and vehicles!

November 10, 2009 at 9:05:54 AM
M.R.
Fare hike to pay TTC collectors 100K+ a year .. huh

November 10, 2009 at 9:08:18 AM
Darcy
You know what when you have morons running this organization what do you expect. They have to make us pay more when their paying a guy $28/hour to make change behind the glass. My suggestion and what im doing is buying five tokens at each time I got to work in the morning an night.

November 10, 2009 at 9:10:28 AM
Kevin
I don't think $3 is a preposterous amount, however I just can't see the justification in a fare hike. Generally when prices go up the product improves somehow. Service isn't any better, you don't get from A to B any faster. Unless they are going to offer free wifi like they do in New York, or have live entertainment at the back of each street car I don't understand why the fee is being increased.

November 10, 2009 at 9:14:29 AM
mark
HOW ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH CAN A COMPANY GET AWAY WITH THIS CRAP! I MEAN FOR REAL FOLKS, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY B.S.

THERE NEEDS TO BE A WAY BETTER OTHER THAN THIS. I'M BEGINNING TO GET REALLY ANNOYED WITH THEIR B.S. ALMOST TO THE POINT OF REVOLTING - THAT'S NOT GOOD. BUT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE!!!!

November 10, 2009 at 9:15:05 AM
Dan
Lol, reading many of these comments reminds me of an episode from Rick Mercer. He coined the term, "Torontarded".

November 10, 2009 at 9:32:56 AM
Luisa Menezes
It's a shame that the TTC has to resort to raising fares to operate transportation services in Toronto. This is an essential service and you can't run it as a for-profit corporation. Perhaps they should learn how to run this business from the B.E.S.T. service in Mumbai, India. Never hear of fare hikes or B.E.S.T. employee strikes in Mumbai.

November 10, 2009 at 9:39:54 AM
Lorelei
Rode the better way in to work today...
TTC = POS

November 10, 2009 at 9:46:45 AM
Omema
The buses are never on time! the frequency at which the buses run is so low. Riders are expected to pay 3 bucks to wait 30 minutes for the bus and get on a bus that's almost exploding with passengers. No wonder people turn to scamming ttc by making counterfit tokens and the public buying them on the regular.

November 10, 2009 at 9:48:10 AM
Johnny
I will be boycotting the TTC and will be walking to work until the first snow fall! This way I can save money now (TTC will lose money now) so I can afford the increase in the new year (TTC will break even with my ridership but will not be better off)!

November 10, 2009 at 9:51:56 AM
jdevi
I think enough is enough with this TTC. Prices go up all the time. This is not rite. What is the municipal government is doing about this. There are poor people living in this city who can't affort this kind of rise.
Do something about this.