TTC: Other Items (catch all)

[Streety McCarface]

Basic analysis time: the following stations saw an increase of ridership since 2015 (which was the peak year of ridership for the TTC):
Sheppard West, Wilson, Yorkdale, Glencairn, Museum, Osgoode, St Andrew, King, Rosedale, Summerhill, Eglinton, North York Centre

Islington, Royal York, Old Mill, Jane, Runnymede, High Park, Dufferin, St George (BD), Bloor Yonge (BD), Castle Frank, Greenwood, Coxwell, Woodbine, Victoria Park,

Ellesmere

Stations that flatlined include: Sheppard Yonge (Sheppard Subway), and Union Station.

Significant losses in all of old Toronto between Sherbourne and Donlands.

Overall, the average daily ridership reduction was greatest at Finch station in terms of ridership, with a loss of over 15K users per day. (this number is heavily out of whack with every other available statistic for this station. Counters might have been on their lunch break I guess?)

Since Spadina ridership has relatively skyrocketed this year (Yorkdale saw a huge gain of almost 9K passengers per day, and Sheppard west saw close to 3K. York Mills also lost 23% of it's ridership), I'd hypothesize that many people are shifting off the Yonge line and onto the Spadina line, however, this doesn't account for all the loss in ridership. There's little data on GO ridership but I'd imagine the Barrie and Richmond Hill lines are having somewhat of an effect especially since the opening of Gormely GO and the expansion of train service on that line.

Another interesting difference is that of the SRT. It has lost close to 10% of its current ridership, while the Yonge, Sheppard and BD lines only lost close to 2% of their ridership. Although Sheppard lost a bit more than Yonge, this is within day to day margin of errors for ridership and can likely be attributed to the introduction of One Person Train Operation on the line (which led to many delays and probably a shifting of ridership from the subway to GO and the automobile).

 

[muller877]

https://www.ttc.ca/PDF/Transit_Planning/Subway ridership 2016.pdf

ITS HERE!!!!

But...It's extremely depressing. All ridership is down.

On Line 1 & Line 2 all of the "bad" stations showed improvement in ridership other than Chester. Glencairn can now say they are not the worst! That title is now assumed by Rosedale.

Old Mill has also jumped in number of riders (I can assume primarily due to the increase in service to the Humber Bay with the 66 bus)

 

[Richard White]

On Line 1 & Line 2 all of the "bad" stations showed improvement in ridership other than Chester. Glencairn can now say they are not the worst! That title is now assumed by Rosedale.

Old Mill has also jumped in number of riders (I can assume primarily due to the increase in service to the Humber Bay with the 66 bus)

Old Mill has alot of condos being built up around it now and the Old Mill itself is busier than ever. Factor it all in and Old Mill station is busy especially at rush hour when all the schools let out in the area.

Rosedale I am not surprised about, the area is once again becoming car oriented. Why take the subway when you can look good driving a McLaren?

 

[Streety McCarface]

Keep in mind, there are huge margins of error with these data sets. I'd be inclined to say as much as 10-20%.

If anything surprised me, it's Finch Station ridership,

 

[drum118]

TTC launches 'Please Offer Me a Seat' program

May 8, 2018

TTC customers needing a seat will now be able to ask other customers to offer them a seat simply by wearing a button indicating their need.

Responding to customer feedback, and designed with the support of the TTC's Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit, the program allows customers to self-identify their need for a seat.

Similar to programs in New York City and London, this is part of the TTC's growing commitment to increasing accessibility for all of its customers.

While the buttons do not guarantee someone a seat or oblige another to give up a seat, they will make it easier for customers with a need that is visible or invisible, or based on age or pregnancy, to request a seat. Not everyone is comfortable asking outright. Proof of need is not required when requesting a button.

Participating in the program is completely voluntary and customers are not required to wear a button to occupy blue priority seats.

Buttons are available from Customer Service Agents and Collector Booths in TTC stations. Wheel-Trans customers will receive a button in their welcome package. The TTC will also mail buttons to customers upon request.

 

[drum118]

Crammed on the TTC? Transit agency's board OKs plan to help

 

[Richard White]

There were signal issues at VMC this morning and Wilson turnbacks. I was stuck at the station formerly known as downsview.

Gets me to thinking why didn't they just turn back at Finch West?

 

[muller877]

Crammed on the TTC? Transit agency's board OKs plan to help

Has anyone figured out why ridership is down yet we are having a capacity constraint? from 2015 to 2016 ridership at Bloor-Yonge is DOWN 2% (assume no change given the unreliability of TTC's numbers).

Is there more people at rush hour (and less off-peak)? Or did the TTC always over-estimate their numbers (intentionally on not) and have to right-size them with Presto coming on board? Does the TTC have a service delivery managment problem that we have to throw money at to fix?

And with the Metropass being put onto Presto very soon why did they not propose a rush hour $0.25 premium as an option to the Board (or alternatively a $0.25 non-rush hour discount)? The Board does not have to accept it but the TTC should be looking at all options, not just throwing money at a problem that won't go away.

 

[Richard White]

And with the Metropass being put onto Presto very soon why did they not propose a rush hour $0.25 premium as an option to the Board (or alternatively a $0.25 non-rush hour discount)? The Board does not have to accept it but the TTC should be looking at all options, not just throwing money at a problem that won't go away

25 cents twice a day, Monday to Friday for a month equals around 10 dollars. Adding a 25 cent rush hour surcharge will add 10 dollars to an already expensive pass.

You would piss off alot of people by forcing them to pay an extra 10 dollars a month.

 

[drum118]

New TTC 12 Month Pass coming to PRESTO

May 9, 2018

Starting May 24, a new 12 Month Pass will be available for adult PRESTO card customers to purchase for the June pass period. A senior/youth 12 Month Pass will be available later this summer.

The 12 Month Pass replaces the Metropass Discount Plan (MDP) pass, which is expected to end by Dec. 31, 2018. The 12 Month Pass will cost the same ($134 per month for adults), provide the same unlimited travel on all regular TTC routes and require the same 12 month commitment as MDP.

Adult MDP customers who switch to the 12 Month Pass before the end of the year or the end of their current contract must cancel their contract with the TTC and sign a new contract with PRESTO. Cancellation fees will be waived.

To sign up for the adult 12 Month Pass customers must:

-Have a PRESTO card. Cards can be purchased online at prestocard.ca, at Gateway Newsstands in TTC subway stations, from PRESTO Fare Vending Machines at select subway stations or at select Shoppers Drug Mart locations.

-Create a My PRESTO Account at prestocard.ca.

-Purchase the 12 Month Pass at prestocard.ca.

The TTC is no longer accepting applications for the adult MDP pass; customers who are not part of the MDP program and want a discounted yearly pass must apply for the 12 Month Pass instead. Senior/youth applications are available on ttc.ca and will continue to be accepted until early August.

More TTC fare payment options, including youth and senior monthly passes, and a two-hour time based transfer will be introduced on PRESTO later this summer.

Visit ttc.ca/presto to learn more about the 12 Month Pass.

 

[DKsan]

That pass option has been available on the PRESTO website since last November. It may have been in testing, but there was no limitation on who could buy it.

 

[Northern Light]

Has anyone figured out why ridership is down yet we are having a capacity constraint? from 2015 to 2016 ridership at Bloor-Yonge is DOWN 2% (assume no change given the unreliability of TTC's numbers).

Is there more people at rush hour (and less off-peak)? Or did the TTC always over-estimate their numbers (intentionally on not) and have to right-size them with Presto coming on board? Does the TTC have a service delivery managment problem that we have to throw money at to fix?

And with the Metropass being put onto Presto very soon why did they not propose a rush hour $0.25 premium as an option to the Board (or alternatively a $0.25 non-rush hour discount)? The Board does not have to accept it but the TTC should be looking at all options, not just throwing money at a problem that won't go away.

Psst, the problem is, the ridership isn't down.

That a few other items at play:


What's happened is that some previous pass buyers converted to tokens (presto, non-pass) fares.

Metropass ridership numbers were done by a straight multiple associated w/sales of the passes. (average use)

Its recently been around 70 rides per month.

The people who convert though are often more marginal users w/below average trips.

At any rate, when those riders convert to buying single fares, its a exact count, and lower. That doesn't necessarily mean materially less riders though, at least over distance.

Aside from correcting a misestimate, you have the way travel changes when someone goes from pass to single-fares, and you have to compare that w/how the TTC counts rides vs congestion.

Example, passholder takes TTC downtown to shop, they have the 2 large trips from the burbs to downtown, then lets say 2 short trips while downtown, as they hop the train from College to Bloor, then grab another train to Bathurst before going home. When you stop being a passholder, you probably cut one of those short trips while downtown. This appears as lower ridership. But in reality while you've cut your travel time on the system by 10%, your reduced ridership shows as 33% (4 trips to 3).

Also, the move to 12 and under is free, is riders shows a drop in easy to calculate ridership. (no more sales of fare media for this group)

The TTC still doesn't have enough electronic counters to get credible estimates (at least last I heard), there's not enough data to compensate for the above problem.

This will become more acute once the 2-hour fare becomes a reality. (how many rides is a ride?)

**

Additional issue is that greater use of the system by the mobility challenged (scooter/wheelchair users) as well as people w/strollers.

I'm not saying this is a bad thing.

What I'm saying is TTC counts that scooter user as one paid fare, but they occupy space equal to 3 sitting passengers, this is not accounted for in the service standards. Which can lead to greater congestion w/the same number of riders.

 

[Leo_Chan]

I wonder if the fare gates can detect the number of people going through them even when they don’t close (tapping card before gate closes when entering or walks close enough to avoid gate closing when exiting). Same goes with bus and streetcar doors.

I think number of trips (a transfer is considered a second trip) is more valuable than actual fare paid trips as it identifies the flow of people between vehicles.

 

[Johnny Au]

New TTC 12 Month Pass coming to PRESTO

May 9, 2018

Starting May 24, a new 12 Month Pass will be available for adult PRESTO card customers to purchase for the June pass period. A senior/youth 12 Month Pass will be available later this summer.

The 12 Month Pass replaces the Metropass Discount Plan (MDP) pass, which is expected to end by Dec. 31, 2018. The 12 Month Pass will cost the same ($134 per month for adults), provide the same unlimited travel on all regular TTC routes and require the same 12 month commitment as MDP.

Adult MDP customers who switch to the 12 Month Pass before the end of the year or the end of their current contract must cancel their contract with the TTC and sign a new contract with PRESTO. Cancellation fees will be waived.

To sign up for the adult 12 Month Pass customers must:

-Have a PRESTO card. Cards can be purchased online at prestocard.ca, at Gateway Newsstands in TTC subway stations, from PRESTO Fare Vending Machines at select subway stations or at select Shoppers Drug Mart locations.

-Create a My PRESTO Account at prestocard.ca.

-Purchase the 12 Month Pass at prestocard.ca.

The TTC is no longer accepting applications for the adult MDP pass; customers who are not part of the MDP program and want a discounted yearly pass must apply for the 12 Month Pass instead. Senior/youth applications are available on ttc.ca and will continue to be accepted until early August.

More TTC fare payment options, including youth and senior monthly passes, and a two-hour time based transfer will be introduced on PRESTO later this summer.

Visit ttc.ca/presto to learn more about the 12 Month Pass.

What about those who use the Fair Fare plan, such as those with disabilities?

 

[animatronic]

They’re setting up a podium at Dufferin Stn for some sort of live or taped announcement. TTC logo on podium so unlikely to be election-related. Any idea what they’re announcing?