Here's how TTC streetcars compare to Vancouver's trolleybus

Toronto has a love-hate relationship with its iconic TTC streetcar fleet, but there used to be another electric-powered public transit network in the city.

Toronto's trolleybus network was officially retired in 1993, and it's been over three decades since buses powered by overhead lines plied local streets. Out in Vancouver, on the other hand, the trolleybus still reigns supreme for local trips, complementing TransLink's SkyTrain network with a zero-emissions option that serves the same function as the TTC's streetcar network.

blogTO put the two systems head-to-head, and while I am firmly in the pro-streetcar camp (high-capacity and better reliability!), I was a bit surprised by the advantages of trolleybuses in mixed traffic — most notably their speed and ability to pass other vehicles.

Check out how the two systems compared in this time trial.

@blogto Which is faster: TTC Streetcar VS Translink Trolleybus 🚎👀 🎙️🎥 @antonwongvideo 💻 @luiz.strina ♬ original sound - blogTO

Would you want the TTC to revive its long-lost trolleybus system? Let us know in the comments below.