The Joy of Commuting

In the 12-plus years that I've been riding the TTC, I've never really been a major fan of the system. It's certainly better than the public transit in the suburbs where I grew up but that's not saying much.

Over that time, the fare has doubled and the level of service is about half what it once was.

With all the annoying experiences and typical inconveniences that seem to be just part of the bargain, I've managed to avoid blogging about it - until now.

But after today I had to write about what a joke our public transit system seems to have become.

Here's the story...

I came to a busy TTC stop in the early part of the evening and looked forward to a short wait based on the number of people who were already there. Yet 15 to 20 minutes later there was not a streetcar in sight.

My fellow commuters were starting to give up and get into taxis but, seeing as it was a nice day, I decided to walk ahead and just catch it at further stop.

Passing a pizza place, I decided to go in and grab a quick slice. I ate the whole thing while watching out the window and still no streetcar.

My walking resumed and finally a single "red rocket" approached with faces pressed against windows and backpacks leaning against the doors. Naturally no one could get on and it passed us by.

Typically in these situations you find a group of cars right behind - having all been delayed by something blocking the tracks earlier down the line. Not today however.

So I kept on walking... past one major intersection, then another, and another. Past the clubs and the fashion district.

2.7 km later (confirmed by Google Maps) and almost an hour after arriving at the first TTC stop I was almost home. Right then another street car passed by simply to mock me as I'd already reached the end of my daily commute.

That is what people will try to sell as "the better way".

For only $4.10 a day, you get the privilege of crowding onto an ancient wannabe train car that takes you to work in the morning at a speed slightly above that of the Earth's shifting continental plates.

In the evening you get to enjoy a long wait on the sidewalk and if you're lucky, you may get home somewhat slower than most cyclists and four times slower than by car/motorcycle/scooter or other motorized form of personal transport.

If you're unlucky, you find that you can get home just as fast by foot or you get onto a streetcar that ends up "short turning" only half-way to your destination - meaning you have to get off and wait yet again for the next to be doubly crowded with your fellow urban-astronauts.

Yes indeed. Ride the Rocket. It's the better way don't ya know.