TTC: Other Items (catch all)

[steveintoronto]

New York City and a few other systems are looking at banning food and drinks while using the system. TTC has talked about do it, but very little in the way of talk considering they sale food in a number of stations in the first place.

I don't see paper been a big issue these day since the station are well keep and very rarely I see stuff on the platform at all. I find it more of a problem on buses and less on streetcar. Boils down to people being to lazy to to drop things in the bin after being on the train or just being a slob.

There are a number of places that have books to read and ask they be return later as well adding books to the collection. I don't see anything wrong in doing it as it allow people to read what they want or give other people something to read.

Here's the latest on the MTA's proposed snack and drink ban, really it's about trash and litter, even while the MTA supports and promotes "Books on the Subway". But NYC is considered a "World Class City". They leave the book-banning to the leader in the field: Toronto.

MTA officials chew on possible ban on subway snacks
Associated Press
July 20, 2017 - 3:13pm

New York transit officials are chewing on the notion of a subway snacking ban — and that's heating up the political rhetoric.

MTA is weighing food restrictions, or even a ban, after a trash fire on the tracks crippled subway service on Monday.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday a food ban wouldn't be fair.

MTA Chairman Joe Lhota told the New York Post that the mayor's comments are "incendiary."

Lhota says moveable feasts "feed the rats" in addition to the humans.

Lhota also says police should do more to enforce littering violations. De Blasio favors public education.

The two men have a history as political opponents. Lhota, a Republican, ran for mayor but Democrat de Blasio won in 2013.

https://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/2017/7/20/mta-officials-chew-possible-ban-subway-snacks

No-one in NYC would think of banning Books on the Subway, from either aisle. Rats, although an ever worsening problem in NYC (areas of Toronto too, Chinatown downtown and the Market are infested) don't eat books. And books don't burn unless you rip them apart page by page.

They do upset Philistines however...

Meantime, in Montreal (where the degree of being anal retentive pales compared to the world renowned capital of retentivity: Toronto) subway fires are being caused by books being left on trains, oh yes, it's crisis alright:
[...]
The city's transit agency, Société de transport de Montréal (STM), has partnered with her to create videos of her hiding books with their authors.

"It's a great initiative," STM spokesperson Isabelle Tremblay wrote in an email. "Taking public transit is a good place to read.… It's a pleasure to see the project is working well."

Archambault is inviting others to join her club and become book fairies through her Facebook page to help her drop more books in all of the city's stations.
[...]
The art of hiding, and finding, books on the Metro
Inspired by Emma Watson, Audrée Archambault leaves books of all kinds in the city's subway system
CBC News Posted: Jul 18, 2017 6:00 AM ET Last Updated: Jul 18, 2017 5:06 PM ET
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-metro-book-fairy-1.4208428

The World has it wrong...and only Toronto has it right...

 

[dowlingm]

More like they tolerate the books, to distract customers while waiting a long time for their train....


To be fair, I think books are less of an issue than the newspapers causing trash all over the place. The TTC should be nerfing free newspapers in front of and at their stations. But they probably get revenue, so they won't do that.

TTC don't get revenue from Metro - that's why their people giving them out are outside the door. They lost the tender last time out to 24hours (Sun/Postmedia) http://www.torontosun.com/2015/06/24/24-hrs-at-ttc-go-stations-july-2

 

[dowlingm]

New York City and a few other systems are looking at banning food and drinks while using the system. TTC has talked about do it, but very little in the way of talk considering they sale food in a number of stations in the first place.

I think you can be arrested on Washington Metro for consuming food. Brad Ross weighed in on this recently: https://twitter.com/bradTTC/status/889492065268224000

Of course, it would also reduce the amount Gateway would be willing to pay for their stands, and Tims for their kiosk at Pape.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I think you can be arrested on Washington Metro for consuming food. Brad Ross weighed in on this recently: https://twitter.com/bradTTC/status/889492065268224000

Of course, it would also reduce the amount Gateway would be willing to pay for their stands, and Tims for their kiosk at Pape.

Yep, some of the other "world class" systems have absolutely no trouble with banning food and drink - and apparently we are the only city with diabetics. In a typical Canadian compromise, leave it as an patron having food and drink may be requested to stop consuming or in the worst case leave the vehicle/TTC premises if it eating/drinking becomes disruptive. I doubt any staff would want to enforce something this wishy-washy though.

AoD

 

[steveintoronto]

[...]
While food on the TTC comes with garbage and occasionally discourteous behaviour, it isn’t going to be banned. Legally the TTC can’t prohibit eating and drinking on the system. Some people with conditions such as diabetes need to be able to eat and drink and it would be virtually impossible to enforce a ban.

“Rather than trying to be the nanny state, we ask people to simply be considerate of their fellow passengers and please deposit their garbage in the proper receptacle when they’re finished,” said Ross.

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/04/18/go_adds_snacks_among_other_commuter_comforts.html

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Nanny state? Or a general unwillingness to enforce any rules around rider etiquette? The statement is basically a non-response washing themselves of any responsibility. Let's put this way - TTC couldn't even bothered to make announcement to try and keep people from having their feet up the seats.

AoD

 

[steveintoronto]

Nanny state? Or a general unwillingness to enforce any rules around rider etiquette? The statement is basically a non-response washing themselves of any responsibility. Let's put this way - TTC couldn't even bothered to make announcement to try and keep people from having their feet up the seats.

AoD

And therein lies the complete hypocrisy of the position on 'Books on the Transit'.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

And therein lies the complete hypocrisy of the position on 'Books on the Transit'.

Actually, if you read what Brad Ross has said, it is perfectly in line - do nothing to encourage, do nothing to prevent.

AoD

 

[steveintoronto]

Actually, if you read what Brad Ross has said, it is perfectly in line - do nothing to encourage, do nothing to prevent.

AoD

TTC has stated that Lost and Found won't support the separation and the collection by Books on the Transit of their books:

[...]
Little said she's thrilled with the positive feedback they have received on their project so far, although she's disappointed that the TTC hasn't supported it.

"It's very unfortunate," she said.

"We'd love their participation and I honestly don't understand their hesitancy."
[...]
http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2017/07/24/ttc-books-on-the-transit.html

[...]
While Books on the Transit is available on GO, the TTC has declined to participate. The city’s transit commission cited an unwillingness to keep track of the books if they’re turned in as lost articles.

“Our position on this is that we would prefer people, no matter how well-intentioned, not leave books laying around on TTC property,” spokesperson Stuart Green wrote in a statement to NOW. “There is the very real possibility they could get turned in as lost articles or simply discarded and we cannot take on the additional task of trying to keep tabs on these items.
[...]
https://nowtoronto.com/art-and-books/books/books-on-the-transit-hiding-books-TTC/

[...]
TTC officials originally told Books on the Transit that the transit agency didn't have the resources to tackle the project and to contact them again in 2018.

In a statement to CBC Toronto on Monday morning, TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said the transit agency is not interested in participating at this time.
...Little still hopes to partner with the TTC and says Books on the Transit would take on the bulk of the work if books needed to be collected from the lost and found.
[...]
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/books-on-transit-1.4218270

To quote that famous Cdn Prime Minister:
"Fuddle Duddle".

It's a farce, in paperback, not coming to a TTC train near you.

 

[crs1026]

The idea that people are going to discard books anywhere, and have the next person just pick them up where they lie and continue the book's journey, is plain dumb. Books are not newspapers, but they aren't Pokemons either.

You need proper depositories. That means designating locations, considering things like fire code and passerby accesss and congestion. And recordkeeping, and cleaning/upkeep. And public health oversight. Perhaps extra sprinklers or fire alarms. All of that costs money and takes time and human effort.

Maybe the musicians and buskers could oversee the book exchange within the space provided for them in subway stations. The space is already marked and pre-planned, and they are getting a benefit from the TTC by being allowed to perform there, so maybe that becomes part of their contribution to the public realm.

I am old enough to remember when the TTC was spotless, and proud of it. That was before costcutting and periods of neglect. TTC needs to relearn the old adage that the first piece of litter creates the next ten. I ride trains and busses early in the morning that clearly weren't given a full cleaning over night. TTC does not really walk the talk with respect to encouraging people to fight litter.

At the same time, Toronto is not the proper dowdy Angl0-Saxon city it once was. Our pride in keeping the subway clean (which was new at the time) is a bit of that stuffy old cultural heritage. These days, the city's culture is much different, and the subway is harder to keep shiny. Part of that change is that people just don't care as much any more.

- Paul

 

[steveintoronto]

You need proper depositories. That means designating locations, considering things like fire code and passerby accesss and congestion. And recordkeeping, and cleaning/upkeep. And public health oversight. Perhaps extra sprinklers or fire alarms. All of that costs money and takes time and human effort.

All the more amazing then that GO Transit and many other cities not only have no problem with it, they support it.

Toronto is...well...SO Toronto!

 

[mrgrieves]

Back in December the TTC transferred one of the lots at Wilson Station to Build Toronto, who then shut it down for redevelopment. I think the lot accommodated about 600 cars paying 3 or 4$ a day.

A sign informing who the big box retailers will be has been posted....includes a Moores, Carters, Starbucks, Snugglebugz...nothing special stuff.

I don't understand how the city/TTC can justify forcing hundreds of people to get in their cars every day (let's be honest, a lot of those commuters are not taking buses as it may not make sense) so that we can have a bunch of big box retailers which will have ample parking lots anyways.

I get the TTC is trying to monetize these lots, but they should be used for residential purposes or better purposes than this.

 

[ShonTron]

Back in December the TTC transferred one of the lots at Wilson Station to Build Toronto, who then shut it down for redevelopment. I think the lot accommodated about 600 cars paying 3 or 4$ a day.

A sign informing who the big box retailers will be has been posted....includes a Moores, Carters, Starbucks, Snugglebugz...nothing special stuff.

I don't understand how the city/TTC can justify forcing hundreds of people to get in their cars every day (let's be honest, a lot of those commuters are not taking buses as it may not make sense) so that we can have a bunch of big box retailers which will have ample parking lots anyways.

I get the TTC is trying to monetize these lots, but they should be used for residential purposes or better purposes than this.

It's under the Downsview Airport flight path. Not much you can put there besides big box retail.

The TTC lands are owned by the City of Toronto, which has been eager to sell surplus lands. The lot would have been surplus if the Spadina Subway extension (and the new parking lot at Highway 407) was open as scheduled.

 

[Johnny Au]

Don't forget about the McDonald's within the fare-paid zone at both St. Clair and Dundas West stations!

Same with Tessero's Pizza, Cinnabon, and a few others at Eglinton station, as well as the bakery in Bathurst station and the Daily Perk in Spadina station.

 

[innsertnamehere]

It's under the Downsview Airport flight path. Not much you can put there besides big box retail.

The TTC lands are owned by the City of Toronto, which has been eager to sell surplus lands. The lot would have been surplus if the Spadina Subway extension (and the new parking lot at Highway 407) was open as scheduled.

The lot at Highway 407 is only 700 spots or so, and will be subject to the double fare since its in York Region. Pioneer Village has over 1,000 in the hydro corridor, but I suspect Wilson will always need parking due to its easy 401 access. I agree that the subway parking was a higher and better use than the strip plaza being built right now.. The lots on the other side of the Allen are much more useful as the high density residential spaces they are getting redeveloped into though.

Also, the only extension parking that will be easily accessible from the 400 (i.e. without getting on the tolled 407) will be the 900 spot lot getting built at Vaughan Metropolitian Centre. And that one is privately built by SmartREIT, so parking will probably be more than typical. Getting to Steeles West or Highway 407 station from the 400 southbound will involve either getting off at Finch and driving north (at which point you may as well go to Downsview / Wilson) or getting of at Highway 7 and driving down Jane Street, after passing directly by Vaughan Metro Centre station.