TTC Air Con

[Tuscani01]

I was on a MT bus 2 days ago and the AC was running. Felt great!

 

[Chris84]

A/C on TTC Buses and Trains

I was on a new hybrid recently that had the A/C on. It was a pleasant 20C outside and like an ice box on the bus. I spoke to the driver and he told me the A/C is either on or off, no temperature control. He turned off the A/C and put the climate contol in 'vent' mode. The bus started to warm up slowly.

If it is not super hot out, I think the only way to avoid over cooling is for the driver to manually cycle the A/C on and off.

I find the subway trains are usually at a pretty comfortable temperature when the A/C is on. Has anyone noticed that the older cars (non T1) smell really mouldy these days? I think the A/c causes condensation in the system which combined with accumulated dust leads to mould?

 

[APTA-2048]

I was on a new hybrid recently that had the A/C on. It was a pleasant 20C outside and like an ice box on the bus. I spoke to the driver and he told me the A/C is either on or off, no temperature control. He turned off the A/C and put the climate contol in 'vent' mode. The bus started to warm up slowly.

If it is not super hot out, I think the only way to avoid over cooling is for the driver to manually cycle the A/C on and off.

I find the subway trains are usually at a pretty comfortable temperature when the A/C is on. Has anyone noticed that the older cars (non T1) smell really mouldy these days? I think the A/c causes condensation in the system which combined with accumulated dust leads to mould?

I find the H5 stock at times can smell musky in the summer. The H6 stock is always ice cold in the summer I find.

For TTC buses, the GM New Looks (the buses with slanted windows or the bus from the film Speed) which don't have A/C, have great air flow. If you're moving on a hot day, I find the breeze quite comfortable.

 

[APTA-2048]

An old thread, I know, but on a related note:

the TTC is now screwing the windows shut on their new Orion hybrid buses. So it seems on hot days, the faliure of the air conditioning would constitute a change-off.

A photo of the locked window.

 

[wyliepoon]

This week I was at Osgoode station heading home when a H5 train pulled in. I got on and noticed that the heat inside the car was turned on. I quickly hopped off the car just as the doors were closing. As the train pulled away, I noticed that people in the car were desperately fanning themselves (it was actually quite surprising to see that most of the seats on the car were occupied).

 

[W. K. Lis]

This week I was at Osgoode station heading home when a H5 train pulled in. I got on and noticed that the heat inside the car was turned on. I quickly hopped off the car just as the doors were closing. As the train pulled away, I noticed that people in the car were desperately fanning themselves (it was actually quite surprising to see that most of the seats on the car were occupied).

Good thing we don't have bylaw on body order, like Honolulu. See this link on Honolulu Seeking to Ban 'BO' on Buses.

 

[Ed Drass]

An old thread, I know, but on a related note:

the TTC is now screwing the windows shut on their new Orion hybrid buses. So it seems on hot days, the faliure of the air conditioning would constitute a change-off.
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TTC is tight with the facts, but it seems to me that the failure of A/C on hybrids seems to include a failure of the entire bus! Operators may be refusing to turn on A/C out of a generalized fear the hybrid will break down. Can you refuse a hybrid on a hot day, just because its a hybrid?

Also, the screwing of windows is apparently only on hybrids -- and is due to "safety" reasons. TTC did not tell me what the reasons were, and why only on the lemons, I mean hybrids.

Cooling options on warmish fall days: Open emergency vents, or cycle A/C. How does driver know the temp in the passenger area? It's not automatically the same as in the driver's immediate zone, especially if they have their window open or the shield in use.

And if more energy-intensive A/C is used instead of natural air, what does this do to the supposed energy savings of hybrids?

 

[PukeGreen]

There are known problems with the heating and cooling on some TTC buses. My wife experienced the same (hot air pumping from the vents in a bus on a hot summer day). The driver apologized and said something was wrong with the circulation: whenever he turned the A/C on, it came on, but the heat also came on. He was suffering as much as anyone.

So, basically, it's a technical malfunction and not an intentionally demented plan. Not much consolation, hope they resolve it soon.

 

[APTA-2048]

TTC is tight with the facts, but it seems to me that the failure of A/C on hybrids seems to include a failure of the entire bus! Operators may be refusing to turn on A/C out of a generalized fear the hybrid will break down. Can you refuse a hybrid on a hot day, just because its a hybrid?

Also, the screwing of windows is apparently only on hybrids -- and is due to "safety" reasons. TTC did not tell me what the reasons were, and why only on the lemons, I mean hybrids.

Cooling options on warmish fall days: Open emergency vents, or cycle A/C. How does driver know the temp in the passenger area? It's not automatically the same as in the driver's immediate zone, especially if they have their window open or the shield in use.

And if more energy-intensive A/C is used instead of natural air, what does this do to the supposed energy savings of hybrids?

That's interesting that this seems like something the want to keep the details on. I'm curious, have readers complained about the sealed windows?

There are known problems with the heating and cooling on some TTC buses. My wife experienced the same (hot air pumping from the vents in a bus on a hot summer day). The driver apologized and said something was wrong with the circulation: whenever he turned the A/C on, it came on, but the heat also came on. He was suffering as much as anyone.

So, basically, it's a technical malfunction and not an intentionally demented plan. Not much consolation, hope they resolve it soon.

I had an experience similar to that. My operator said he would requested a change-off citing a health and safety issue.