City
TTC to riders: it's your fault
The Star is reporting that the TTC is set to unveil the reasons behind subway service disruptions in a new series of ads, and the reasons revealed aren't surprising: it's the riders' fault.
The new ads reportedly give five reasons for subway delays, and you won't find overcrowded trains, poor funding, lack of available information, lazy employees, or any other TTC-side errors on the list. Instead, in the midst of what seems to be a continued public relations turf war between the transit company and the citizens that make up its customer base, the line of fault is placed squarely on our side.
No matter how justifiable some of these accusations might be, the stink of blame coming off this campaign is going to cause nothing but trouble for the image of the beleaguered organization.
Reason #1: blocking doors
Well, sure. The gaggles of riders who treat the subway doors like live-action PS3 games need to be dealt with, but this series of ads should prove about as effective as the irritable-sounding subway operators intoning "do not block the doors" over the intercom every time some kid throws himself headlong through the entrance after the chimes have sounded. Clearly, better policing and stronger fines are in order to start slowing down all the Indiana Jones wannabes out there.
Reason #2: holding doors
Here, we seem to have a miscommunication, between the riders who think that the subway is a giant elevator, and the rest of the world. Holding the doors for your friends is not polite, folks. Rather the opposite.
Reason #3: people not "minding the gap"
Does that mean "tripping"? I'd like some clarification on how not minding the gap results in subway delays. Has someone ever actually become wedged in the gap?
Reason #4: litter that catches fire on the tracks
Less than a year after removing all trash cans from the subway platforms, the TTC seems to be blaming its riders for a littering problem.
Reason #5: passenger illness
"Stop getting sick"? They're really going with "stop getting sick"?
Reason #6: you're ugly, too
OK, that one's not on there, but it fits the tone.
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LOL I 'fess, I've done my share of crazy Matrix-style cartwheels to get through the closing doors. Hey, I was a young man.
It's pretty damn depressing.
The driver gets out, disappears for a few minutes, and a new driver shows up.
Why do the swap trains? This happened once when I was westbound, heading for Kipling. The driver train swap happened at Royal York station, and resulted in me missing the LAST bus of the night at Kipling and I had to take a cab.
But holding the doors because your friend is still on the escalator is bullsh**.
The rest are simply ludicrous. I really don't know what their marketing and PR people are thinking sometimes.
The way the door issue needs to be dealt with is taking the approach of, Help us Help You.
<rant>
How can a transit system that seems to have riders crammed in its subway cars between 7 am and 9 am and again between 4:30 and 6:30 be losing money? When you try and get on the car, its already crowded and your just adding to the mass of people, every inch of space is taken up, thats what I look forward to each morning :S. Honestly how much fracking money does it take to run a transit system that works? The union needs to stop whining about working conditions and wages, how much work and special training/schooling does it require to call out subway stops and turn a knob on a control board, honestly? They need to be making more decisions that will benefit the company in the long term such as not extending the subway to York and using the extra funds to increase service on its above and below ground services.</rant>
This happens to me almost every day on the 509 Streetcar. I'll be travelling west and an oncoming streetcar travelling east will stop and chat thru the window to the driver driving my streetcar.
This happens ALL THE TIME. I am sure that this causes delay across the grid when many drivers do the same thing.
Oh but, I suppose minding the gap is more important to minimizing delay... riiiiigghht.
Those people cause delays like nobody's business. Are they afraid to move to the back of the bus/streetcar? Is that where all the "mean" kids are? Man, grow up, we're not in gradeschool anymore, move to the back of the bus and or streetcar and we can all move along.
Throw in a union mentality and ultimately they have no real incentive to care, and as long as thats the case their PR will be lacking.
Posted by: some a-hole at March 7, 2007 9:41 AM........
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<b>lol, PSYCH!</b>
I was actually going to do a post about this awhileback, but couldnt get the anger toned down enough. A few months ago, we were jammed like sardines but everyone insists on reading their papers. One guy couldn't get out because of this one chick blocking him. So I said, "Ma'am you are just going to have to put the paper down for one moment to let this guy through" and she freaked out on me. But at least she turned on me long enough to allow the guy to slip by.
Sometimes I wonder if we are really Toronto the Good and not Toronto the Stupid.
It's great blaming the TTC, but I'd like to see a little more personal accountability with the riders.
However, there's no disputing the selfishness of a lot of people using the TTC--usually in the form of trying to cram themselves in and thus holding it up for everyone, or blocking the doorways. At the same time, the TTC also has some communication issues; rarely will you get an explanation of what the delay is, or how long it will be.
Another pet peeve: Why is it I wait 30 minutes for a streetcar or buss, and then 4 will come long, bumper to bumper, the first two CRAMMED with people that have also been waiting for 30 minutes, and the next two empty. SO efficient.
Look, the TTC is really broken and hopefully young Adam can fix it. Otherwise, it's time to look into other options.
God, I pray for the day that I do what you did (occasionally) and find someone that ignorant for me to go off on.
maybe if the train came more often and on time, people wouldn't be blocking the doors... have they not noticed these are reaction from frustrated ttc passengers? oh those ill passengers, could they not just get off the train, but instead, they have to press the emergency button and paralyze the whole system
The Davenport 127 bus was at the station so I decided to change it up and take the 127 northbound to Bathurst & Davenport to make my connection to the Bathurst 7 bus. (I wanted to enjoy the sunshine instead of taking the subway one stop to Bathurst to grab the bus there).
I arrived at Bathurst & Davenport, transfer in hand and waited, with about 5 other people, for the Bathurst 7 to arrive. When it did I showed the driver my transfer and before I could make another move the driver began yelling and berating me because he was now late because he had to stop at Davenport.
"You should've gone to Bathurst station...that's the proper way to go"
(yup he actually said that)
When I pointed out that he would've had to stop anyway because of the other people waiting for the bus he went postal continued to yell at me and critize my lack of knowledge as to the "proper" way to travel on the TTC
When I pointed out that he was holding up traffic because he was too busy yelling at me he floored it, jerked the bus and almost knocked half the crowded bus over.
Better way my ass
I get to union station today, and head to the streetcar waiting area (you know, that decrepid looking area where there is no ceiling anymore?). Well, the 509 streetcar is supposed to arrive at 1:30pm. From 1:30pm - 1:42, 5, YES FIVE, 510 Streetcars come, FIVE!!!!! And the 509 never comes. In fact, it completely skipped it's 1:30pm pickup time and instead came at it's next pickup time, 1:50.
So, I wonder if "minding-the-gap" caused this delay?
-Craig
Imagine how smoothly things would be if the TTC, the city's public transit system, didn't have to deal with the public (that's you and me, folks!) Subways could zipping from Kipling to Kennedy in 15 minutes! Clean, footprint-less floors! Fresh-smelling upholstry! Empty seats for all! Parades and candy for the kids! TTC Commissioners congratulating themselves for running a clean, efficient, timely transit system! Oh, wait, there would be no TTC without its ridership.
Next TTC public education campaign: People who get yelled at by TTC employees only have themselves to blame for expecting decent treatment. and crime victims are to blame for any crime on the system (if the victim wasn't there he/she wouldn't have been a victim of crime!)
Luckily, resourceful TTC transit workers have ingeniously come up with a solution to battle the world's apparent lack of regard for them. Smoking and eating on the bus or streetcar! Wonderful! Now when I board the streetcar on Queen I am greeted by the aroma of cigarettes and the warm feeling one gets from knowing that your driver has sated his vices. What a relief for me to know that I have not added to the hardship this beleaguered civil servant endures. oh, and please sir or madam, stop your streetcar and treat yourself to a slice and a coke while we wait. I insist. Pish posh, do not even think to offer a most gracious apology for my 40 minute wait at the stop. One can hardly make ado about such things. Why, the schedule says you should run every 5 minutes but as long as you are within an hour of that time who am I to complain?
Gee, I sure am enjoying my ride! What is that you yell? Get off? But my stop is still 20 minutes away. Oh goodness! I am sorry! I should have read your mind and known that this streetcar was short-turning. How imbecilic of me and how correct of you to verbally abuse me. Good show! Why are we short-turning sir, may I humbly ask? Don't get into it with you, you say? It's because you are late, you say? So, after waiting 40 minutes for you I must now wait 20 minutes more because you were late. I see, sounds fair.
Damn those riders. Look what you have done! Yes sir, I shall screw myself! God bless you Mr. TTC man, God bless you.
The TTC is a *joke* in comparison. What's more, the subway here is run by multiple public corporations. And there's barely any advertising in comparison.
Pet Peeves,
1. Inconsistent typography across ttc signage.
2. TTC advertising which appears to have been done in house. It is consistantly ugly, stupid and patronizing.
3.The spilled pop thats been left on the wall at Spadina Station street car area for 3 years.
4. The putrid smell of (rotting dead rats?) in the starwell to the streetcars in Union Station.
5. No underground cellphone reception.
> is no direct competition for a business.
> What are regular riders of the TTC going
> to do instead? Cabs? Buy a car if we
> don't have one? Bike a 40 min transit
> ride?
A 40-min transit ride usually means 15-50 min bike ride. So it's actually a feasible and cheaper alternative. :-)
awesome blog. made my day. especially after getting kicked off the subway at chester because the subway in broadview caught fire. hoooray! how do i get my fare back?
1. the ads with the man wearing a pig mask...and the tag that goes you don't do it at home, don't do it here...please...FFF$%#&#*&!!!
2. when in the world are we getting cash-loadable swipe cards like new york and eliminating our dead weight ticket collectors?
I have watched people finish their messy food on the bus and then nonchalantly toss their refuse onto the floor as if that is acceptable.It's not just the kids doing this either, adults are just as culpable. I usually tell these folks to pick up their trash or throw on their lap- a little more aggressive than the TTC but when you are dealing with animals you must be more primal. Why should I or any of the other good people be forced to wade through garbage?
One other thing, did everyone forget how to line up since leaving grade school? How does order break down completely once a transit vehicle approachs? If someone is in front of you, wait your ass in line don't rush the doors.
We had been in Toronto for maybe a couple of months and lived on campus at York.
I wish I had had the hutzpah to get the bus number then, but we were little Toronto newbies...
The 510 and 509 street car schedule seems to have gone to the dogs...in RUSH HOUR morning and evening but it doesn't stop the drivers hopping off and getting their muffin and coffee at the Coffee time, and finish up with a quick fag while we paying riders shiver in the cold - at 7 am in the morning.
And let's not forget the unexplainable "short turns".
The TTC needs to get out more and see how other cities run their public transport. They are far too complacent and blaming customers is a sign of it. Pity there's no competition.
If you make it without any of your limbs getting caught between the closing doors and thus do not cause a delay - what's wrong that?
Am I missing something?
I like the TTC. Hell, I take it almost everyday. But for every jackass holding the doors (yes, very annoying) or not moving to the back of the streetcar I see a driver slowing down to chat out the window, or taking a coffee break en route, or just being a jerk for no good reason. Spread the blame around TTC. You have the riders (we have no choice) so make us feel a little bit more appreciated.
In return, I promise to mind the gap with the utmost seriousness and consistency.
This woman doesn't address you when you board, waves you away dismissively with "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" when you ask her a question, and scares the living daylights out of the nice little old Jamaican ladies I ride with every night home from work.
I also appreciate the "F**king yeah, I know, I needa smoke so bad, this sh&t is f*cking gay" conversation she is having, at "inside-a-Norweigian-black-metal-concert" volume. I really need to hear that kind of awesome verbiage on my way home from ork. And I'm sure the little old ladies love it too. You can never get enough loud swearing!
Also, I have no idea how it takes me TWO AND A HALF HOURS to get to work from my house. Yes, I know it's faster to take the Allen and the bus can't do that, but really...from Eglinton West station to Finch station to the 42 Cummer bus...at rush hour...2 and a half hours? Is that really necessary?
A month ago I visited a friend of mine in the finch and islington area by way of the 37 Bus. After going out to a movie, I had to take the bus back home (at this hour it would have been the 311 blue night bus).
I get to the bus shelter to see the 311 bus going northbound on the other side of the road "Great, it should be back here shortly. Good timing." It didn't come back. Perhaps it was at the end of its shift. So I wanted another half an hour+ (in the freezing cold mind you), and see a second 311 bus going northbound. This one was sure to stop on the way back.
Nope.
I waited for another half an hour+, in the cold (it was close to an hour and a half total at this point) when a third bus appears going northbound up islington. He stops at the bus stop adjacent despite nobody being there, so I run over to ask him when the next bus plans on coming.
It wouldn't be. Apparently with no notice a week or two prior, the TTC decided to run its 311 blue night buses up islington to Steeles, and instead of coming back down Islington it goes all the way down Kipling until finch instead.
There were no notices at the bus stops, no updated maps, nothing. 2 Drivers passed by without thinking "Hey, this guy will be sitting outside indefinitely, perhaps I should let him know?" The TTC decided to make this change without posting any notices up at the 3 or 4 stops affected (They're not that broke).
Just ridiculous.
If anyone was trying to catch a westbound 501 Queen car today in the early afternoon, they probably noticed the line of streetcars conked out at Logan. A string of buses were arranged, but the one I got on for some inexplicable reason was not running the whole line, short-turning at Broadview. When someone unsure asked the driver whether she was going to Carlaw, she only repeated, "I'm going to Broadview" adding, "I don't know where Carlaw is. I'm from Scarborough."
At Broadview, no one informed any of the passengers that the streetcar we were boarding was the King car, not a special Queen car ... most of us knew, but no driver attempted to call it out, to help direct any passengers lost in the confusion, despite the fact there were four drivers in total standing around.
TTC, please improve your customer relations. You need to take the initiative in asking passengers if they need help in a situation like this, or giving clear instructions. Lots of us are seasoned riders and don't need it, but lots of people aren't. I've met people confused by the concept of eastbound and westbound, etc.
and TTC? so far I have never heard anyone said out loud that they love TTC yet.
so, we did, and everyone walks upstairs and tries to find the shuttlebus. none of the ttc employees can tell you anything about where to board the shuttlebus (i've never taken a bus from davisville, so i'm totally clueless). the employee at the ticket counter can't tell us anything other than there are shuttle buses going north and south. there's a crowd of people surrounding a ttc employee near the platforms, and she has no clue what is going on because her shift has just started (WTF??!!). so, we go up and we crowd around the bus platform, not knowing where to line up for the northbound bus to eglington station, absolutely no crowd control, no delination as to where to line up for north or southbound shuttlebuses. and there's no real line up really, just a glut of people on a platform.
3 weeks later, the same thing happened between warden and victoria park station, where you had to get off warden station, and take a shuttlebus to victoria park station. except this time they warned us of the problem over the telecom, so we weren't sitting on the train thinking "WTF? why aren't we moving for 30 minutes?" but once you got off the train, same story. NO INFORMATION AS TO WHERE TO LINE UP FOR THE SHUTTLE BUS. but this was slightly better than davisville since warden has individual platforms and are used to large numbers of bus riders, so the confusion wasn't as bad.
sunday morning subway is closed until 9
it very irritating also most of the buses go upto yorkmills only. will some of you take this matter seriously
and give confort to passengers. thanks
I'm not saying that all bus drivers are like this, some are actually really nice and polite. But considering that you're gonna work with people all the time during your shift, shouldn't you be more polite? I mean you're working in the service industry, honestly. If he were polite and listened even if he says that i have to pay more i would, but considering on his attitude and politeness, I refused to pay double.
- ppl riding 20 stops and ppl riding 2 stops pay the same rate. I think that should be changed. (ttc comissioners would get more money outta that too sot hey won't complain)
- BE NICE. seirously. i was 12 when i got yelled at because i got on the wrong bus. it was a bus that only goes to seneca college and turns back. heck i didnt know it was my first time riding alone on the bus. I WAS 12. and so im like on the verge of crying cuz i have no idea what i should do since i got kicked off the bus.. i asked the bus driver "which bus should i take now i need to go to this place (i can't remeber)"
he says "how should i know.. "
like..WTF. fucking old bastard.
- ppl stop the doors cuz lke other ppl said...the subway doors open for 10 seconds..event he ppl who wants to get out CAN'T.
- some ttc commissioner worker whatever u call them...are just plain old jerks who has no life. they yell at you because you're young. even when u didn't do anything wrong. ...FUCK YOU! they don't need a raise they need anger management.
- i waited for a bus for an hour (thy're suppose to come every 25 min) and i had my transfer that i got frmo another bus... and when the bus pulled up..the driver was like "you can't use that ttransfer. " "i said well there was no bus that came by for an hour.."
"nope you cant use it. it's been too long."
and the woman who came later than me said "no i saw her 40 min ago she's been here around an hour for sure. and i've been here for 40 min and she's right. "
"no. you're not getting on the bus. period."
THIS is how buses get delayed. DRIVERS are jerks.
i also agree on how riders can be rude selfish and stupid.