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CodeRedTO
@coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
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[bridged from https://mstdn.ca/@CodeRedTO on the fediverse by https://fed.brid.gy/ ]
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coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
Surface transit can be more reliable, and can move more people, if we do it right.

@ttcriders.bsky.social is hosting a "Save Our Streetcars Summit" on November 23rd - come chat with @CodeRedTO and your fellow transit riders!

https://www.ttcriders.ca/save_our_streetcars_summit
Poster for linked event which reads: “Why can I walk faster than my streetcar?" On-time performance of streetcars is an embarrassing 61% system-wide. Toronto's streetcars are in trouble. We need solutions. Join us & a panel of speakers to discuss how we can keep streetcars running. Nov 23 1-5 PM Cecil Community Centre TTC riders
November 5, 2025 at 3:30 PM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
TTC Riders ( @ttcriders.bsky.social ) is hosting a ‘Save Our Streetcars Summit’ in Toronto on November 23. This is a free event with coffee, snacks, and TTC tickets upon request.

Register here:
https://www.ttcriders.ca/save_our_streetcars_summit?recruiter_id=16210 […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
Poster for linked event which reads: “Why can I walk faster than my streetcar?" On-time performance of streetcars is an embarrassing 61% system-wide. Toronto's streetcars are in trouble. We need solutions. Join us & a panel of speakers to discuss how we can keep streetcars running. Nov 23 1-5 PM Cecil Community Centre TTC riders Screenshot of linked registration page, which reads: Noticed that streetcar service has gotten more unreliable, slow, and delayed? It's not just you. For many riders, walking can be a faster option than taking the streetcar in Toronto. This past summer, a runner was able to beat five streetcar routes travelling terminal-to-terminal on-foot! The data confirms it - a 2024 study found that Toronto's streetcar system is among the slowest in the world. According to the TTC last month, only 61% of streetcars showed up on time. Over the last several years, the speed and reliability of all streetcar routes have declined significantly, coinciding with ever-increasing traffic congestion. Projects like the King Streetcar Priority Corridor have been successful at improving service in the past, but are no longer working to keep commutes reliable and fast. It's time for a fulsome discussion about what is needed to bring better streetcar service.
October 29, 2025 at 9:54 PM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
MEDIA RELEASE: CodeRedTO researchers have calculated the impact to worker pay and productivity as–at a minimum–over 20,000 hours and over $496,000 from this single two-hour incident […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
Screenshot of linked article on CodeRedTO site
October 1, 2025 at 8:07 PM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
"Car costs are also baked into almost all the prices we pay: If you take the bus to a suburban shopping mall, the prices you pay include all the costs of the vast parking lot you didn’t use. If you drive to the mall, bus riders subsidize you."

@humantransit on the […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
Screenshot of linked article, with photo of bus riders behind a sign reading "Thanks for riding SEPTA". The headline reads "Should We Let Public Transit Die?" and the subheadline reads "Urban-rural hostility is fueling a public transportation crisis in US cities. But demands to abandon bus and train riders ignore the economic and social costs of cutting service." The photo is captioned "SEPTA bus riders in Philadelphia in August. The transit system faces a severe funding crisis. Photographer: Ryan Collerd/Bloomberg"
September 21, 2025 at 11:09 PM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
Tunnel connecting UP Express to TTC's Dundas West station under construction after long delay

CodeRedTO: "it should be something that we are able to pull off in a little *less* than 10 years"

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/up-express-ttc-tunnel-1.7563769 […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
A colourful mural painted over hoarding blocking a construction zone at Dundas West TTC station. CBC caption reads: Signage at UP Express Bloor Station shows where the passenger tunnel to the Dundas West subway station will be when it opens.
June 21, 2025 at 12:02 AM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
TTC streetcar detour timeline:

Jan 2025: detour, but parking/ stopping/ loading restrictions + dedicated transit lanes.

March: transit lanes removed from plan

April: restrictions removed from plan

May: detour begins poorly

@GraphicMatt in the Toronto Star […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
Screenshot of linked article with headline, photo of streetcar, and caption as follows: Opinion | Matt Elliott: There was a better way — 'transit hell' from streetcar detour is a cautionary tale Photo And along Richmond and Adelaide, where King streetcars are now sharing track with Queen streetcars that are also on a construction-related detour, the jam-packed street full of streetcars and other vehicles resulted in very slow movement, Matt Elliott writes.
May 19, 2025 at 8:57 PM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
"Removing subsidized street parking to speed up the trip for tens of thousands of bus riders is so self-evidently logical it shouldn’t require debate."

Globe editorial supports transit improvements on Dufferin and Bathurst […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
Sometimes weighing the greater public good isn’t complicated. Removing subsidized street parking to speed up the trip for tens of thousands of bus riders is so self-evidently logical it shouldn’t require debate. Unfortunately, as Toronto is finding, the status quo is stubborn. Some residents are pushing back on a plan to create transit priority lanes on a few of the city’s busiest surface routes – including Dufferin Street, where Toronto Transit Commission buses carry as many as 40,000 riders daily. It’s a version of NIMBY (not-in-my-backyard) that might be dubbed NIMPS: not in my parking spot. What these residents forget is that these parking spots are not actually theirs. As similar debates play out across the country, it’s worth remembering two things. One, public roads are public resources, to be used in the way that offers the greatest benefit. And, two, the current use is not necessarily the best one, no matter how entrenched it may be. Canadian cities are growing and struggling with congestion. Subways are expensive and can take many years to build. Transit priority lanes in Toronto could help make the case that there is, in the short term, a cost-effective way to speed up traffic in a major way. However, the controversy in Toronto also illustrates the difficulty of these debates, as residents fight hard to protect street parking. Their zeal is understandable. They’ve become accustomed to using public land as cheap storage for their personal vehicles. Of course, the fact that parking is underpriced leads to demand outstripping supply. North Vancouver voted last month to tackle that by adding a charge to some streets while boosting the cost of a permit fourfold, to $8.33 per month, to park on others. That’s not nearly enough, but it’s a start. One of the greatest resources for cities is the vast swaths of public land, including curb lane parking spots that residents tend to see as their own. Cities reclaim that land by using a price to manage demand – or decide there’s a better use for curb lane. In Toronto, the best use of those lanes on Dufferin is turning two of them into spaces primarily for transit buses. Also allowed access under the plan would be emergency vehicles, transit for disabled people, school buses and bicycles. This change would save transit riders up to 10 minutes for those going the full route, according to a TTC report, while improving on-time reliability for buses by 17 per cent. For comparison, Toronto politics was convulsed early last decade with debate over whether to build a light rail line in Scarborough or extend a subway, the latter approach costing a premium then pegged at $1.1-billion. Coincidentally, that subway extension was projected to save downtown-bound transit riders 10 minutes. While the capital costs to put bus-only lanes on Dufferin are not yet public, it’s safe to say that it would cost an awful lot less than that subway extension. Not having the Dufferin bus stuck as much in traffic would also save the TTC money, the report says, while the improved service is expected to attract nearly 3,000 new daily transit riders to the route. Net annual benefit to the agency: more than $3-million. A counterargument, from a group Protect Dufferin that speaks for some homeowners on the route, is that their parking needs are being ignored. One way to assess the competing needs is to look at the relative benefit of better transit versus convenient parking. The value of the bus improvement is reasonably easy to quantify. It is projected to go faster, be more reliable, carry more people and boost revenues. The true value of the parking spaces is harder to determine, because Toronto has long underpriced its public land. As in much of the central city, parking spaces along Dufferin are a mix of free, metered and permit parking. Permits in Toronto are priced below market rates and work out to less than $1 a day, if the homeowner has nowhere to park on their own property, or about $3.50 if they do. Urban curb lanes are valuable real estate. If they were priced accordingly Toronto would quickly find out how much NIMPS really want those spaces. And that should demonstrate that city hall has the latitude to roll out bus-only lanes much more broadly. The public good demands it.
May 18, 2025 at 4:12 PM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
CodeRedTO Recommends Emergency Streetcar Route Protections

https://coderedto.com/coderedto-recommends-emergency-streetcar-route-protections/

#toronto #topoli #TTC #metrolinx #transit #publictransit
Screenshot from linked press release with CodeRedTO branding
May 5, 2025 at 3:40 PM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
Significant streetcar diversions through downtown May-August will disrupt busiest surface transit route in Canada.

Poor line management by TTC and lack of modern switches and transit signal priority means this detour will delay riders and make surface transit less […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
Downtown Toronto streetcar map showing all Queen and King streetcars funneled onto (from west to east) Queen, York, Richmond & Adelaide, Church, and Queen again, while King street from Spadina to Broadview is served by replacement buses.
May 5, 2025 at 11:54 AM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
In the Star, @GraphicMatt on risks to Eglinton Crosstown success:

“Together, these two failures — poor route management and bad or non-existent transit priority — could easily spell disaster for the Eglinton LRT once it starts service. I hope I’m wrong. Especially […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
Screenshot of linked article headline: Eglinton Crosstown LRT finally has an opening date — but the TTC's service on the line may fall short for these two reasons. Underneath the headline is a photo of a light rail vehicle in an Eglinton Crosstown underground station. Under that, a photo of the author Matt Elliott and his bio blurb.
March 25, 2025 at 11:09 AM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
Toronto Star feature article on the history and potential of Toronto's streetcar network.

"Toronto grew up around its streetcars. Do they fit into its future? Does Toronto have the faith — and money — to restore a transportation network that’s been on the decline […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
Screenshot of linked Toronto Star article, showing the headline quoted in the post, and a photo of a streetcar which is derailed on a sunny winter day. The photo is taken from about 25m ahead of the streetcar, at ground level, so snow is blurry in the foreground and we can't see the streetcar's wheels or the rails. By Andy TakagiTransportation Reporter The ding-ding of a streetcar means something different to every Torontonian. For Laurence Lui, it evokes memories of nighttime rides on the classic streetcars, during which the TTC worker watched the sparkling streets of the city go by. For Shoshanna Saxe, it’s a reminder of chugging along the smooth metal tracks that carried the civil engineering professor to school as a child. For Steve Munro, it’s the soundtrack of a transit enthusiast first learning the city’s winding streets. For others, the familiar sound brings irritation and outright anger, the noise punctuating interrupted commutes and interminable delays. To name only a few recent examples: a garbage truck derailing the commute of tens of thousands for most of a week after clipping streetcar wires at King and Spadina. Or, over the span of 10 hours, 23 cars blocking streetcars throughout the city as Toronto reeled from consecutive snowstorms. It could also be, some experts contend, the sound of a solution coming to whisk away Toronto’s paralyzing congestion — that is, if we put faith, and money, back into a city transportation system that has been on the decline for decades. Article excerpt followed by two maps of the streetcar network. The 1929 map shows a huge network of red lines across Toronto, while the map of 2016-2025 is far more limited. The excerpt reads: “Fundamentally, as a city, we grew up around the streetcar,” said Lui, the TTC’s head of service planning and scheduling. “The streetcar could be shaping our future Queen Streets, Dundas Streets and College Streets, where people want to live, work and be part of the city.” A past performer While the streetcar has persisted, it hasn’t always thrived. Ridership for streetcars has yet to rebound to pre-pandemic levels and lags behind buses and the subway lines. Although still some of the city’s busiest routes, the dozens of streetcar lines that the city had at its peak in the 1920s have been whittled down to just 18. The network has taken a back seat to the needs of the subways and the shiny new Ontario Line, all while becoming a target of drivers who blame streetcars gumming up the roads and cyclists whose tires can get caught in the tracks. “Streetcars carry more people, more consistently, faster, more evenly. It feels better,” Saxe said. “Getting rid of the streetcar is just talking about making the city smaller (and) worse.” Lui agreed, emphasizing the important role the streetcar continues to play as part of the city’s transit network. “If one streetcar is carrying close to 200 people when it’s full, imagine if that was four or five buses and what that would mean in terms of congestion levels,” Lui said. In the short term, the city’s transit solutions lie in the realm of buses and bike lanes, Saxe said — “things that we can do this decade to make (transit) better.” That longer-term future includes LRTs, which depending on who you ask, is essentially the same as a streetcar. (Others argue that LRTs have distinct features, like right-of-ways and more distance between stops.) On top of the long-awaited — and long-delayed — Eglinton Crosstown and Finch West LRTs, the city has plans for Eglinton East and Waterfront East LRT, both of which remain in the design stage without long-term funding. The problem, as with most services in the city, is money, Lui said. With the TTC’s existing streetcar fleet, he explained, the city could run five-minute service throughout Toronto — if it had the money to pay drivers. All the while, the streetcar is one of the TTC’s most profitable modes of transit.
March 17, 2025 at 8:02 PM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
"Meet this 11-year-old boy who is an expert in all things TTC" - CP24 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kwKAjeEB2s

You can buy Luis-Mario Carrington's book about TTC buses from CodeRedTO and transit supporter Spacing […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
Screenshot of linked video showing young boy in front of TTC buses, pointing at his book titled "Have you seen a TTC bus?" Front cover of Luis-Mario Carrington's book, "Have you seen a TTC bus?" which features a large photo of a TTC bus on route 65 Parliament.
March 14, 2025 at 5:43 PM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
“After 13 years, sources close to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT project say the long-awaited line is finally expected to welcome transit riders in September.” - Toronto Star […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
Screenshot of Toronto Star headline over image of a Crosstown LRV
March 13, 2025 at 10:19 PM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
The TTC has plans to install bus-only lanes along Queens Quay East and Front Street to get buses out of traffic congestion. New bus lanes would reduce travel times by 30% and could be rolled out in May 2025 if approved - but will need your support!

Fill out the […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
TTC route map showing the eastern harbourfront from around the SkyDome to Cherry Beach. Existing bus routes are shown, and the section of Queen’s Quay East which would gain bus lanes is highlighted. The routes which would benefit from the bus lanes are 65, 75, 114, and 202.
February 17, 2025 at 10:29 PM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
Updated bus route signage beginning to appear around Toronto to prepare for the opening of Line 5, surprisingly early given lack of government communication.

In an interesting wayfinding choice, in this location only the future route number is listed, not the […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
TTC bus stop sign with route 51 listed. Temporary TTC sign attached to telephone pole which reads: Service Change Service changes coming to this stop This stop has been updated in preparation for the opening of Line 5 Eglinton. The routes shown above reflect future bus service at this stop. Current routes will continue to stop here until Line Eglinton opens. Scan this QR code or visit ttc.ca for the latest information. 10 / 1-1
January 15, 2025 at 2:15 AM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
GTHA Transit Trip Planning: Metrolinx is quietly shutting down their centralized trip planning Triplinx.ca website and app on January 10, 2025.

Transit riders seeking trip planning are now directed to individual agency websites, or private sector offerings for […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
Screenshot of notice at linked website, which reads: Important Update from Triplinx As of January 10, 2025, the Triplinx app and website will be permanently shut down. If you need help planning your trip on public transit, check your local transit agency's website or use another journey planning website or app, such as Citymapper, Google Maps, Apple Maps, Moovit, Transit, Transit Now or TransSee. Any customer information collected through Triplinx will be securely deleted once Triplinx is shut down. Screenshot of Toronto Star article heralding the arrival of trip planning website triplinx.ca in 2015
January 2, 2025 at 1:28 AM
coderedto.mstdn.ca.ap.brid.gy
This is an excellent short video from BC Translink showing how dedicated transit lanes move more people than mixed traffic lanes, allowing those who have an option to choose transit.

This same concept applies to dedicated space for active transportation like […]

[Original post on mstdn.ca]
An illustration of a two lane roadway, with private cars containing 1-2 people in one lane, and a dedicated red bus lane carrying only buses with 25+ passengers each. A counter is displayed for each lane, showing how the crowded car lane only has allowed through 17 people so far, while the allegedly empty bus lane has allowed through 48.
December 23, 2024 at 1:18 PM