Given that the pick up spot is at Pirandello and East Liberty Street.....I would imagine that their route to Union (actually Front and University) will be E. Liberty to Strachan....North to Wellington....East on Wellington to Niagara...SE on Niagara to Bathurst....South on Bathurst to Front...then East on Front to University.
Anyone have any experience with that route during rush hour? Google says it is 9 minutes.....I have tried Front from Bathurst over to Spadina and in rush hour that part alone is the better part of 10 minutes......so, is that whole route doable in 20?
Looking at the typical user....works at King and Bay and lives in Liberty Village in one of the condo's right beside the proposed stop here are the options:
Option 1 - King streetcar. 7 min walk, 2 min wait and then on the steetcar for 15 min without traffic (25-30 min with traffic and standing). Have to assume a 39 minute commute (and will quite often get to work early if it is busier but will always have to leave 39 minutes before work).
Option 2 - QQ Streetcar (once open). 7 min Walk south to Fleet street, 4 minute wait (fewer cars), 15 min (estimate) ride with a seat (17-22 with traffic once ROW on south of street), 5 min walk. Total time with traffic is 38 minutes (more walking but almost guaranteed to get a seat).
Option 3 - GO Train (must plan ahead). 11 min walk, 3 min wait (planned to arrive just in time), 8 minute GO Train, 2 minutes to get to street, 5 min walk. Total time is 29 minutes.
Option 4 - New Bus. 3 min wait (plan to arrive just in time), 20 minute drive, 5 min walk at the end. 28 minutes.
Option 5 - Drive (which I do know a bunch of people do)
So the Bus or the GO Train would be the best alternatives. However, each you have to plan in advance (and hope that the streetcar is really busy). Human nature always hopes for the best so they will revert back to the streetcar on the chance that it runs like a dream for that specific day!