Cell phone companies use to give you unlimited data but now give you a fixed amount because they were finding the heaviest users were disproportionately using way to much data (and they were losing money). Maybe that's what we need to do. We want people to use the TTC but at some point why are we giving free rides away? The first 75 rides are fixed at $141 (25 free rides). Then you pay per trip. You should be able to organize your life into 75 rides a month (3 rides every weekday plus 2 each weekend).
Aside from being a political non-starter (no politician is ever going to encourage people to use transit
less), here's why:
The TTC runs service with seats and space for passengers, whether it is used or not. This is a fixed cost. It loses less money if there are more passengers who pay fares. It's reasonable for governments and agencies to encourage transit use, as this reduces/limits growth in car usage, encourages social cohesion, gets people to work/school/hospital etc., and also helps people live happier lives. To my knowledge, Virgin Mobile or Wind don't have to pay to run 'empty data' that no-one is using. The analogy is a false one. Besides, those rampaging users who use the TTC
all the time (those rascals!) are nowhere near a big a problem as you make out: there aren't nearly as many as you imagine there are, and the fact is they can only be at one place at one time limits their 'drain' on the system (although clearly Tory's transit policy moves in mysterious ways).
It's very nice that this system can foresee people organizing their lives into 75 rides or less, and there will be no unexpected or spur-of-the-moment trips. If I run some errands downtown, with 4-5 stops, then, under your scheme, that would run me over $14.00 for a single day. Presumably there would be staff with brooms to chivvy off people like me who have "had their fill" this month.
At the heart of this thinking is a surrender to where the real problem lies: lack of subsidy by upper orders of government. That this argument is unpopular with said politicians doesn't invalidate it. Besides, no politician is likely to advocate for radical road tolls (you're using publicly-paved asphalt, citizen! you better pay for it at the point of service!) which is analagous for personal vehicles as to what you're suggesting.
