At its upcoming June 15th meeting, the TTC Board will consider a proposed expansion of express bus service throughout the City of Toronto. The recommended plan calls for a multi-phase service enhancement, beginning with the redeployment of existing articulated buses in 2018, and culminating in a significantly enlarged system by 2026.

The scope of the proposed changes is such that the TTC estimates that "one in every six bus customers would use the expanded express bus network." As it stands, the TTC operates 24 weekday express routes during peak times, and 10 routes during off-peak times.

TTC express bus (new articulated buses have significantly higher capacity), image by UT Flickr contributor generalpictures

According to today's release, the 2018 expansion would be followed by "new and enhanced express bus routes from 24 to as many as 28 routes by the end of 2021." As part of the second phase—set to roll out between 2019 and 2021—new express service is planned on Lawrence West, Dufferin, Islington, Weston Road, and Markham Road.

In the same timeframe, service enhancements are slated for existing express routes on Keele, Steeles (East and West), Sheppard (both west of Sheppard West station and east of Midland Avenue), Wilson, and York Mills. Finally, more frequent service is also planned for the University of Toronto Scarborough Rocket.   

Beginning in 2022, the third and final phase would introduce an additional eight express routes. However, the ultimate scope of the 2022-2026 expansion would in significant part be contingent on a review of the 2018-2022 service expansions.

According to the TTC, "once rolled out and ridership fully matures, the annual net operating cost for the enhanced and expanded bus network, which will benefit nearly 70 million customer trips annually, will be approximately $13.1 million by 2023." For now, the TTC's 2018 Capital Budget "would call for the purchase of 38 articulated buses, at a cost of $34.2 million. 17 buses would be delivered in 2020, with the remaining 21 coming online in 2021. 

As reported by the Toronto Star, the service improvements are being touted as a relatively simple and cost-effective way of improving transit. According to TTC Chair Josh Colle, while 60 per cent of TTC users are bus riders, enhancements to bus service rarely garner the sort of public attention given to subway and LRT projects.