While some Toronto transit users yearn for outside-the-box thinking when it comes to the Red Rocket’s initiatives to save money and boost ridership, the TTC vice chair says the implementation of new, more efficient technology is still years away.
The TTC faces $100 million in red ink on its 2010 operating budget, forcing transit officials to propose a fare hike of up to a quarter on cash fares for the New Year. The increase would raise the cost of a Metropass to $126 from the current $109.
Nicole Winchester, the organizer of Friday’s planned TTC riders’ strike, believes an automated Smart Card fare system would save the commission cash and benefit riders.
“I’d like to see a lot of Chicago’s transit system replicated here,” she told CityNews.ca.
“I don’t want anyone to lose their job, but I mean at the same time staffing does cost a certain amount of money at the station and if people want service expanded there’s certainly people who could be out on the route as opposed to collecting tickets.”
Smart Cards Years Away
TTC Vice Chair and City Councillor Joe Mihevc said the TTC plans to use Smart Card technology, but implementing the new system is still about five years away.
He said the provincial government provided a $140 million “down payment” for the new transit technology, but that still isn’t enough for a full rollout. It’s not known yet where the rest of the money would come from.
“When we introduce it we’re going to do it right and we’re going to do it in conjunction with rear-door entry vehicles,” he told CityNews.ca. “There’s a lot of things you can do once you have the Smart Card technology.”
The passes could allow the TTC to play with ideas like offering slightly lower fares during off-peak times.
Riders can expect to see new fare machines in stations in the near future that would allow customers to swipe their credit card to purchase tokens or passes. Mihevc said other, more efficient cost-saving measures will also be rolled out soon.
“It’s everything from the supervisors that you see on the route … the back office staff that support the TTC, where can we have efficiencies there, where can we save money? We have to review and we do that on an annual basis, but this year we’re going to have to do that even more,” he said.
Fare Hike TTC's Only Option
When it comes to dealing with the massive hole in its 2010 operating budget, in the short term, Mihevc insists the fare hike is the only viable option to raise money as increased funding from the city and province isn’t available. Service cuts are also out of the question.
“We did that before in the 1990s when we were in the middle of a recession and what we found was that it takes a long time to bring those routes back,” Mihevc said.
“The whole system spirals down.”
Winchester, meanwhile, wants more public consultation before fare hikes are approved.
“When fare increases are announced or when things like this have to happen at least talk to the ridership about it, explain why it’s happening, explain why the only options are fare increases or service cuts, explain what the situation is and what other options have been considered and rejected so we can understand that,” she said.
Mihevc believes the TTC adequately explained the issues surrounding the proposed hike through the media.
On Winchester’s Facebook event page, thousands of people have confirmed they’ll be taking part in Friday’s TTC riders’ strike. She said some protesters also plan to attend the commission’s Nov. 17 meeting.
“I like the TTC, I love the TTC, that’s part of the reason I get upset,” she said.
“For the most part, the operators are great, it’s pretty good service, but it’s just we can’t keep paying for it.”
shawne.mckeown@citynews.rogers.com