Loading ...We all know it. The 416′s transit system is way behind the times, even of the surrounding 905 suburbs. Yet, right now, all we can do is sit around and complain – because the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) people are doing nothing about it. Instead, all they say is that they “don’t have the money.” While that may be true, perhaps they need to prioritize their budget in other ways. Judging from the lack of interest in the Presto farecard and even Transit City, with the new light rail lines primarily going east-west in the uptown and midtown areas (when lines going downtown should be a priority), the TTC really doesn’t know what’s really needed.
The way fare is handled on the TTC sucks. Despite having a young transit commissioner, technology is stuck in the 20th century. In York Region, for example, bus shelters not only let riders know when the next bus is coming, but one can also purchase tickets. And the machines take debit cards. Here in the 416? Bus shelters are plain bus shelters, and only machines which sell weekly and monthly passes use cards. Token machines are cash-only. Surrounding regions have full plans regarding the implementation of Presto. The TTC? Though they have plans for full implementation, they’re still waiting on the province for funding. Yeah, that’s because they’re basically being forced into implementation. You’d think that a 32 year old commissioner would be technologically sophisticated. If I were Adam Giambrone, I’d not only be pushing for Presto from the beginning, but would also try to sign up local businesses (especially those who run inside subway stations, like newstands and Cinnabon) to hop on board as well. Honestly, if Toronto wants to be seen as a well-polished city, it needs to do what sophisticated cities do.
I for one am glad that 2010 is a municipal election year. Perhaps the city would elect leaders who actually care about bringing the transit system into the twenty-first century.
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