pstogios
Senior Member
If Scarborough wants subsidized transit, they should have their own transit system separate from TTC and subsidize it themselves instead of mooching off of Toronto.
Last time I checked, Scarborough is Toronto.
If Scarborough wants subsidized transit, they should have their own transit system separate from TTC and subsidize it themselves instead of mooching off of Toronto.
This is where an operating subsidy from the federal government (it being a federal election year, that something the political parties should include in their platforms) and the provincial government (which still hasn't been put back since the Harris years), maybe of benefit to the TTC.
I wont argue with you that there may be a need to streamline some operations at the TTC (because let's be honest, management is a big mess over there), but you are giving an a true apples to oranges comparison here.How about looking at efficiencies instead of asking for more money? How do I provide the same service for less?
The problem when a different level of government funds is that there is little or no cost management.
Have you seen a change when you go to Tim Horton's after the merger with Burger King? No. Same service (and actually improved growth). But they were able to cut SG&A expenses by almost 1/2 ($42M to $23M) through bottom-up budgeting at head office in less than 1 year.
Bottom-up budgeting is simple. Just like how I do it at home...before every purchase I ask myself do I need it? Can I buy it elsewhere or get something else cheaper?
The TTC needs to be doing the same thing at head office. I've never seen how much of the budget is borne by the head office. I count 41 department heads and senior management (2013 financials) most of which will have a large contingent of staff and managers. This is in need of serious rationalization.
See the article at this link. What transit agency in North America is already more efficient than the TTC?
And yet the referendum was lost out there because the public does not trust Translink to spend the revenue wisely. Can it be doubted that any such move here would have the Canadian Taxpayers Taliban shrieking about the "disaster" in BC?We should look at duplicating the BC Translink model. The government still controls the rate that Translink gets from those revenue sources, but those revenue sources go directly into Translink accounts, instead of getting lost in general revenue.
1. How would that pay for big ticket capital costs?
2. Lets set YRT and Mississauga fares to $15.00. Sound good?
From this link for subsidies that transit agencies get:
According to the TTC’s 2014 budget highlights, the subsidy the TTC receives remains the lowest in North America at just $0.78 per ride.So I would add the subsidy to the current fare to see what the "real" fare should be.
The subsidy other municipalities get:
- Montreal – $1.16
- Vancouver – $1.62
- Chicago – $1.68
- New York City – $1.03
- Mississauga – $2.21
- York Region – $4.49
Other references, you may examine, is the Fare Box Recovery Ratio information at this link.
(Must not forget, that the gasoline tax, which hasn't risen due to inflation since January 1, 1992, does not pay entirely for provincial roads, they have get funds from the provincial general revenue to cover the costs for the province. For the cities, it is the property taxes that pay for the costs to maintain and build roads in the cities, which include the Gardiner & the Don Valley.)
Secondly, the TTC has already gone down the path of "seeking efficiencies". Remember the Rob Ford/Karen Stintz era where they told the TTC to cut 10% of their budget. Where exactly did that lead us again?
Don't get me wrong the TTC does waste money in various places, but the amount is not too significant and they often focus their attention in the wrong places when they do make cuts.
Many of those collectors are there on light duty. If they weren't, you and I would be paying them to stay home on comp anyway.
Even if you did do away with fare collectors, there would still likely be a person in the station as a sort of watchdog.
ksun, even for someone as wrong as you have often been on this forum, comparing TTC customers to vegetables probably plumbs a new low.I am fine with fare collectors. Most stations especially the bigger ones should have one or even two, but I don't like to pay the salary of those whose job means close to nothing to the city. And we all know the TTC salary/pension is the big elephant in the room. They should make what a person will get in the competitive private sector. Ask a truck driver of grocery stores how many he makes, and TTC drivers should make similar salary.
And yet the referendum was lost out there because the public does not trust Translink to spend the revenue wisely. Can it be doubted that any such move here would have the Canadian Taxpayers Taliban shrieking about the "disaster" in BC?
Many of those collectors are there on light duty. If they weren't, you and I would be paying them to stay home on comp anyway.
Even if you did do away with fare collectors, there would still likely be a person in the station as a sort of watchdog.
I wont argue with you that there may be a need to streamline some operations at the TTC (because let's be honest, management is a big mess over there), but you are giving an a true apples to oranges comparison here.
First off, the main reason there was "improved growth" after the Tim Hortons/BK merger is because the owner of BK (3G Capital) has a reputation for hacking and slashing jobs as soon as they complete a merger. I wont get into details, but a quick Google search will show what I am talking about. This is why you have heard of Tim Hortons laying off employees and offering early buyout packages.
Secondly, the TTC has already gone down the path of "seeking efficiencies". Remember the Rob Ford/Karen Stintz era where they told the TTC to cut 10% of their budget. Where exactly did that lead us again?
Don't get me wrong the TTC does waste money in various places, but the amount is not too significant and they often focus their attention in the wrong places when they do make cuts.