Schoolin' the donkeys

It's Wednesday -- how about some more bare feet? How about a naked foot right next to your elbow?

GO electrification possible in 10 years, confirms Metrolinx CEO

For the first time, the CEO of Metrolinx has confirmed that the province’s promise to electrify GO trains within 10 years is achievable. But that doesn’t mean the entire system will get all-day, two-way, 15-minute service in that time. Bruce McCuaig, who had previously called the timeline “aggressive” and “constrained,” now says it’s do-able. But in…

This kid. Grade 4.

The posters GO Transit forgot

Drinking alcohol on the express train ride home despite GO Transit not having a liquor licence



Exposing your feet to everyone, despite the train not being your personal space

Enough with the feet! Gross.

I like the part where the media was copied in the description

To quote Quagmire... Giggity

Make it $20 or less for UP Express: poll

A new poll suggests that $20 could be the most agreeable rate for a one-way ticket on the incoming Union-Pearson Express train. The results come a week after the Star conducted a reader survey online that produced similar findings. In the new telephone survey conducted by Forum Research on Monday, more than 900 randomly selected Torontonians…

My job is pretty stressful, does that entitle me to behave like this?

Who else can't wait for the CNE to be over?

Um. That's not how priority seating works on the GO bus

Who's Not Been Serving Us Lately? Part 6

Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5
by Chris P. Bacon

In this installment of Who’s Not Been Serving Us Lately? I look at who has been serving you.  Previously, in this post and this one, ThisCrazyTrain dredged up some dirt and exposed the debacle that is Burlington station today.  One of the mainstream media followed suit with their article.  You're welcome Toronto Star.

Back in this post, I asked why Metrolinx hadn’t been pressured to operate hourly bus service between Burlington and Niagara Falls during the week, as is done on weekends.  Well, it appears Metrolinx picked up on that recommendation, because commencing with the next Board Period – August 30 – GO Transit will be operating almost-hourly buses on Route 12.  Here's the schedule.

This should "GO" a long way to alleviate those bus overflow situations, and the missed e-mail notifications that accompany them.

You’re welcome Metrolinx and residents of Niagara region, but there really is no need to thank us.  You see, with CJ as our mentor, we at ThisCrazyTrain pride ourselves with making your commuting experience better.  It’s our mission to serve you, and we do it pro bono.  That’s right, we work for free.  You won’t find our names anywhere on a SunshineList.  I’d like to thank CJ for allowing me to contribute – in a small way – to "The Cause".

Stay tuned for upcoming articles, including a long overdue exposé of St. Catharines, and who’s not been serving us there.  And remember folks, stay classy, and keep your feet on the floor

Feed it peanuts

Ugh

from:		MH
to:		"cj@thiscrazytrain.com"
date:		Fri, Aug 22, 2014 at 3:38 PM
subject:		Blog O'shame?

I was told you posted pictures of people disrespecting the commuter environment on the GO train?   Here is a picture of a lady painting her nails (gotta love the toxic smell of nail polish in a confined area!) and her feet on the seat.  This is the Lakeshore East line in the afternoon.

Thanks,
From a fellow commuter wishing they'd hurry up with teleportation machines.

Is John Tory's SmartTrack on track for seven-year delivery?

John Tory’s mayoral election campaign is riding on the provincial Liberal promise to electrify the GO trainsystem in 10 years. Tory’s SmartTracktransit plan features an even more stringent schedule: 53 kilometres with 22 stops of “surface subway” for $8 billion — in seven years. It would provide electric trains every 15 minutes on a U-shaped line…

Stop with the lies

It took 7 months for the Presto website and its database that feeds our card information to us to finally display the correct balance on my PRESTO card. THERE WAS NOTHING CONVENIENT ABOUT THAT.

Shake it girl. That's how we should all wait for the GO train

GO (aka Metrolinx) would never be this aggressive in any PSA. They still pander to smokers for God's sake

Philadelphia Tansit ad

Lemme guess. He`s on his way to the CNE

Bare feet belong on a beach -- put your bloody shoes back on

NO.

Men taking up too much space on the train

Via email from JY

The subject basically explains the whole blog but my gosh, some of these men act like they have no spine. http://mentakingup2muchspaceonthetrain.tumblr.com/ 

I see this kind of bullshit on the GO Train all the time -- nobody wants to see your fruit basket wide and open.

Some of these men's excuses are simply because they have testicles between their thighs and they need to make room for them. As a gender that possesses testicles, I can tell you that you indeed can sit with your damn legs closed and have your testicles be okay. Theress just a simple technique and you gotta make sure your pants aren't so tight.

Lazy, lazy, lazy men!

GO Transit strives to please while enforcing fare system - Toronto Star

Even among the throng of commuters in Union Station it’s tough to miss GO Transit’s safety enforcement officers Their Kevlar vests, handcuffs, batons — and more recently, even their bicycles — are visible trackside on sleepy workday mornings and as a sobering safety reminder in the aftermath of late-night sporting events and concerts. Rule benders and…

Tara and GO Transit have made amends

Comedian shows how it's done (Crashing public mobile conversations) - anyone willing to try this on a GO train? (My hand is up)

Don't know about you, but I don't find a fine funny or brag-worthy (especially considering what I pay monthly in fare)

I don't even WORK for GO Transit yet I feel ashamed - this is not how we should treat others (bus driver leaves disabled woman behind)

Below is a copy of the passenger charter that GO posts on all its buses. Note the failures.

You suck if you do this

Accidentally deleted 17 comments

Damn, I suck ... So I have to wade through hundreds of emails in my spam folder from Blogger trying to find them among all the, "Hey I like your website, here's mine, {insert link to penis enlarger}.

I found about seven but 10 are AWOL. I'm really sorry. If you left a comment and I didn't re-publish it, please try again and I'll try not to be so stoopid.

It's my understanding the province is making the move to include these under the Smoke Free Ontario Act

Years ago, someone bought me a poster of this train wreck

I knew nothing about it, or the photographer, or the event, until I started this blog and train fanatics and rail nerds began to contact me, sending me emails filled with links about rail facts, history, stories, etc., and usually I'm like, pssssh, so not my thing. Until today.

RF sent me a link to this famous train crash, known as the Montparnasse derailment, when I jokingly responded to an email from him that my life is a living train wreck. He sent this image which is a famous event - for rail folks, seeing as I didn't know it was famous. Coincidentally, I had a very large poster of this photograph that hung in my first apartment until I gave it away. Who knew?

I wish I still had it. It's a marvelous train wreck and RF nailed it. It's how I feel at the moment about life and the fact that my husband and I are on a train we have no control over -- we own two houses at the moment after a real estate transaction failed to close -- hope is dying as Friday is when house #1 is returned to us to keep "owning". It's a frozen asset at the moment.

I am at a loss. I can only hope for a miracle.

Meanwhile, in Australia

Douche, meet bag

Presented without comment

There's nothing I love more than a bragging foot rider

This video is funnier if you watch it while you're drunk

Whole lotta entitlement going on at Centennial GO parking garage

Hi CJ,

Just want to let you know that uncivilized drivers had been a perpetual problem at Centennial Station. Quite a few "regulars" take a "shortcut" to the upper floors by driving up the down ramp, and I've witnessed a few near-accidents and physical confrontations. I've discussed this with a GO personnel at the station and she said the parking structure is managed by the City of Markham and thus out of their hands.

And see attached, taken at 8:04am today. The car will probably be at the parking structure for the rest of the day. Please post this - like to know if anyone from GO or the City would do anything about it. I'm not holding my breath...

(Please do not post my name or email address... Call me "Jarrod". :) )

Don't care about your problems ... get your shoes off the seat!

GO Rider comes to the Church of the Crazy Train with his Confession

I ride the GO Train at least twice a week as my girlfriend lives out of town, and I normally spend weekends with her.  As we have been together five and a half years, I have been riding the GO with that frequency at least that long.

So here is my confession.  For the first time in five and a half years last Thursday July 30, 2014 I got busted without paying.  It was not on purpose, but I feel the need to confess because I don't see the following as being an excuse:  Basically I took work off early at 12.30pm, and my train was at 12.47pm.  I booted it from my office to Union and sprinted up the stairs onto my train.  Once I caught my breath, and settled in it hit me as the train was pulling out that I never tapped on.  This has happened to me twice before, but I dodged a bullet those two times.  Not this time though.  Sure enough just after the train pulled out of Oakville, I was in the second car from the locomotive, and a fare check came around.

I didn't do the searching my pockets "where is my presto card" routine,  I didn't ask "I was supposed to tap on?" or "I was sure I paid for a ticket all the way to Burlington" routine, these are all tactics that I have seen several times by people….my compliments.  I simply explained the truth that I was in a rush, and completely forgot to tap on.   The fare checker was stern, saying it only takes a second to tap on, and she was right, it does, there is no excuse.  I handed over my ID and spent the rest of the trip looking at a written warning feeling absolutely sheepish.

I guess I write this as proof of the "honour system" working.  It wasn't pleasant at all.  It's downright embarrassing.  Even though it wasn't rush hour, there were still people in my section of the train that saw it all go down.  The embarrassment factor alone during rush hour has me being vigilant, making sure I pay, cause I can only imagine how extra embarrassing that is during peak time.   Now that I have that warning, the next time I get caught without paying it's a fine, and it escalates after that.  So there it is GO Train peeps, this Toronto snob got busted, and will be on his guard to make sure something like that never happens again.

- VA

You are forgiven my son! Be sure to put your money in the bowl for Jesus.

Washington LRT riders band together to end a woman's annoying cell phone call

Your Monday Morning "NO"

From @gooverheard on Instagram

This better work

Well kiddos, what you see below is a screenshot of scheduled posts for the week. Blogger screwed me over with scheduled posts a few months ago, but I'm a sucker for punishment I guess, because I'm willing to give it another shot.

Posting everyday is a pain in the boob. It's better if I plan out your weekly entertainment.

I have more content. I need to pace myself.

Will the new design include a ferris wheel?

Shouldn't they be running?

Aren't PSA ads like this supposed to be "punny"? These two look like they're out for a run. So if the train runs on a track, shouldn't the first sentence have the word run instead of walk? You know, like track and field? And how one runs on a track?

This ad is making my OCD itch, but you know what I mean ... and then the second line (or the punch line) should read, "A 1-million pound train also runs here".

And the girl looks mad. Maybe the guy ran out of gas and she's all like, "Worst date, EVER," and then there's the whole hit by a train thing.

It will cost a million dollars to take a train to the airport

This letter to the Toronto Star had the writer expressing this thought:

"... The UP Express is still being viewed as a high-end service for the corporate sector that wants fast and efficient transportation to the airport and are willing to pay a premium fare of anywhere between $15 to $25 one way.
As soon as we disabuse Metrolinx of this absurd nonsense the better. Metrolinx can charge whatever they like to international visitors passing through our great city, but for Canadians, the fare should reflect that this is a new addition to the public transportation infrastructure and must be affordable to the public — especially those several thousand working people who may be coming to and from work in or near the vicinity of the airport every day and who might prefer to take the train rather than drive their car as a daily means of conveyance."

There's also another letter on the same Toronto Star opinion page.

I heard fares could be as much as $30 one-way. That's absurd.

It's also being reported that Metrolinx is ready to unveil the UP terminal. I can't wait for a tour. I'm sure the CEO of Metrolinx has a media badge all shined up for me.

And speaking of the UP Express, below is the public YouTube video (the one BlogTO poked fun at) that was yanked for re-editing. Truth be told, it's incredibly long and bloated. You'd think Metrolinx, by the narrative alone, re-invented transit. Hardly. I think having a rail link to the airport is fantastic, but it's not as amazing as the video tries to make it out to be if it's not affordable.

Upset

I've refrained from writing publicly about this disaster I'm experiencing because on the internet, when someone posts a problem, suddenly everyone is an expert on that topic (just look at the Robin Williams depression situation). In this case, where my buyer's financing fell through last Friday, on the same day I took possession of another house, I really didn't want to listen to strangers who suddenly become real estate experts advising me of what to do. I know that sounds bitchy but it's been a roller coaster ride of a week.

I now own two houses. My husband and I had to use our own savings, rather than a portion of the proceeds of the sale of our previous property, to close on house number two. If you knew how much, you'd want to vomit. We did it without having to borrow from anyone, but it's absolutely stunning we are in this situation. It can happen and it happened to us.

I still can't believe it.

Monday is D-Day. If the buyer can't secure a mortgage and have the money to our lawyer by end of day, we have to re-list the house.

In this market, it could sell fast. It could also sell for less, or it could sell for more.

For those who don't know what happens, even I feel lost, it's my understanding our buyer is on the hook for any financial losses we sustain. Our buyer knows this. It's still not clear to me who is paying for house #1. It sure as hell can't be us. I'm told it's the buyer. Well that's great if the buyer can, but what if the buyer can't?

I know. Lots of questions. I have a pow wow with my lawyer in the morning. I'll keep you all posted.

GO Transit forgot how to French

Meanwhile, on a Toronto subway

She forgot how to umbrella

Then again, she could be preparing to head up to one of the platforms where this may actually be a wise idea. Those ghetto plywood roofs provide zero protection in this weather.

Never underestimate the strength of rail commuters (it's all that pent up rage we carry around)

I love how some people clap at the end. It's so John Hughes film of them.

Metrolinx learns tough lesson after pulling video "quietly" uploaded to YouTube about Union-Pearson (UP) Express after it gets laughed at

I can't even ... when I got a text message about this, I HAD TO SHARE (screw packing - this is important).

I am bummed, BUMMED, I didn't get to see the promotional video that caused a writer over at BlogTO to poke fun at its "epic"-ness.

If the parody video (shown below) is any indication of what the promo video was like, it most certainly was bad-ass and made some amazing claims about the UP rail line and what it services. I mean, there's a line in the voice-over for the parody that says, "The engine lasts forever".

Just how bad was the original video that caused $18,000 to produce? We won't ever know. Metrolinx's media spokeswoman said it was removed for "further editing".



The Toronto Star story has more.

Apparently the promotional video reminded the writer at BlogTO of this video, which pokes fun at branded content.

Honey badger don't care

Somewhat of a vacation notice (move update)

As you may or may not know, the website will be on semi-hiatus from August 5 to 15.

For those wanting to know, the packing is never-ending. It took three days to do the kitchen (including cleaning the appliances). My fridge was a DISASTER.

I am leaving behind the whitest kitchen and the whitest appliances - ever (and the cleanest - I did my Eastern European mother proud this weekend). I will also miss it. The kitchen is huge in this home - 12 by 14 feet - with a butler pantry. I'm moving into a home where the kitchen is open to the family room. It will be an adjustment. I liked being able to hide in the kitchen - LOL.

My hands are so dry from using so much VIM cleanser that the skin is peeling. This can't be good but  I just can't leave behind a filthy house. 

Just briefly, the first home I bought in Oshawa was left in such a state of disarray, disrepair and filth, that I carried so much resentment in my heart for years afterwards. It wasn't until we renovated it and sold it, did that resentment ever dissipate. I swore I would never do that to another home buyer -- what the people who left that home did to us. Never, ever.

So packing is going well. It does feel never-ending. The big move is Friday. I'll see if I can pop in an update. Wish me luck!

The perfect reaction to obnoxious cell phone yappers on the GO train (laugh but don't really do this, k?)

This is why you have car insurance, so you don't have to run away when you smash someone's car!

Unless you *don't* have car insurance.

This hit and run happened Friday, August 1 at the Whitby GO Station. Celina posted the incident to Twitter appealing for witnesses.

If you're the person who hit Celina's car, how do you explain the damage to your car when you arrive home to your spouse? Or your neighbours?

How do you sleep at night?

Do the right thing.

Meanwhile, in New York City

Parking rage, like commuting rage, is an unclassified mental illness. It's what drives people to do this kind of stuff.

Let's not forget this situation at the Oshawa GO Parking lot in June last year.

Withdrawal

Yeah. So be prepared.

This is my last day at work and my last week in my current home. I am on vacation until August 18.

Chad and I are moving south of the highway in our small town so our daughter can walk to school when she is able. Before her autism diagnosis, my husband and I had no concerns when we bought our current home about living near an 80 km highway with a 60 km cross street. We paid it no mind, because we saw lots of children crossing the intersection and figured our kid would be just fine when the time came. Unfortunately, we've learned many things about our daughter and one of them is her lack of situational awareness, so no, my kid is not crossing a six lane highway, coupled with a walk along a rural road with no sidewalk, to school. This may have been fine for the hundreds of kids before her but I need to be able to sleep at night.

In my walks with her to the sitter's each morning, I can tell you that drivers in rural Clarington don't give a shit about pedestrians. The car is king out here and don't get me started about the attitude towards cyclists. Drivers will run you over if there wasn't the possibility of jail time. It's not that people are bad drivers, it's drivers who can't put their phone down while driving - the texters - there are just too many. It's a deadly habit and you assholes have to stop. Because I find walking and cycling where I live to be so dangerous, I recently doubled my life insurance policy. However I am hoping, and planning, to make it to the age of 65.

After moving seven times since the age of 20, this will be my last and final move. I am both excited and anxious.

So what does this mean for you? The site may go for days without an update. The symptoms you will experience during this period are temporary. If you feel lost at any point, you can text me and we can hug it out, okay?

All your space... and a bike

via AwkwardTransit

This is the stuff people do on trains because of drank

(I don't get the "Hot Girl" part in the title... )

It pains me to confront a regular

What's a regular you ask?
A regular is what I call GO people who I see almost every day.  I don't know who you are, but I know you to see you, kind of regular.

Last night, I couldn't let something slide. I could not. Could not. Could not.  Could NOT.

I took the 643pm LSE express which is what I call the full fat express train. The light express trains are the ones that leave Oshawa and don't stop til Pickering.  The 18% coffee cream trains are the ones that make two stops between Pickering and Oshawa.

I sat upstairs. One quad over sat a regular who took advantage of the empty seat in front of her and assaulted it with her wet shoes. I should mention when she caught sight of the TSO who popped upstairs for a fare inspection, she dropped those feet and was on her best behavior, so you know what that tells me? She knows it's wrong.

Once the fare inspection was over, back up went her feet.  I said nothing because suddenly I was surrounded by foot riders. So I sat and steamed, and was busy composing an exit speech in my head, so I could tell them all off, and then bolt from the coach, when my thoughts were interrupted by a commotion beside me.

Ms. Regular with her dirty shoes on the seat got up in a huff, dramatically collected all her belongings and said, "Fucking immigrants" loud enough so we'd all hear her and made a grand and pointed exit down the stairs.

As it happened, she was annoyed by the couple who were behind her chatting in their native tongue. I heard them too, but it was quiet and nothing extraordinary.  But Ms. Regular was in the Quiet Zone. She made sure we knew that when she left.

What THE WHAT?!

I don't care that she did what I planned to do, to call her and others out for their footriding BS, but her racist comment had to be addressed. Footriding was just an aside - I mean, pot meet kettle, right? Getting pissed about people talking when you're also being rude by acting like you're in your living room? I can't even...

So when I saw her on the platform, I confronted her. I told her it was offensive and uncalled for.  She didn't apologize. She shrugged, lit her cigarette, and casually walked away.

I dislike confronting regulars. In the past, it's made taking the train emotionally challenging as I then take measures to avoid the person, especially if it was a heated exchange and that person isn't over it. I modified my schedule in the evening to avoid a certain regular (a smoker who smokes in the line for the bus) who threatened to punch me out when he saw me again, and I believed him, so I started taking an earlier train from work.

I know a lot of you read the blog and wonder why more people just don't speak up. Why we quietly take photos of smokers, seat hogs, Quiet Zone blabberwockies, foot riders, boozing passengers and bad parkers.  We're afraid.  That's why.

We see most of these people every day and unlike a subway train, you're confined to these coaches for quite a distance, with no exit strategy, so protecting your personal safety is paramount.

In my many discussions with GO Transit Security, even their officers marvel at what I am willing to take on, in person, because they see a side to this commuter subculture that is very dark, and very dangerous.

I saw Ms. Regular this morning. She walked past me like nothing happened.

Phew.

Ajax GO Station information parking sign forgot how to information

But there's apparently a Yoga class on Level 4.

Park it like it's drunk

It's time for everyone's favorite game, NAME... THAT... STAIN!!!

Queue cheesy game show music (that's right, horns and trumpets with a lively bass line).

This is the seat next to me right now. I've been policing it diligently on this express train. People have been good about it. I mean, standing is better than sitting when you see a mess like this, which my quad mates and I have determined is fresh.  We think it's coffee. But it could be colon blow.

Please shut the door of the train shitter - thanks

CJ,

I was just wondering if there is something wrong with me, because whenever I use the bathroom on a GO Train I have this weird ability to close the door behind me after I use it.  Meaning I actually close the door so it shuts.   I am wondering I am doing something wrong, because it would seem that nearly every time I am sitting the middle floor at the end of a car where a bathroom happens to be located nobody seems to have the ability to close the door behind them after they have used it.  Is this an aspect of GO Train etiquette I have missed out on?  Am I supposed to leave the door open after I am done in the bathroom, or half-heartedly appear to try close the door behind me but just give up when it doesn't?

Riding the LSW GO train to Burlington station yesterday, I happened to be sitting in the aforementioned area, and I counted seven people using the bathroom.  All of which didn't bother to close the door after they used it, or a couple of people tried to close the door but didn't make it, looked back at the door, gave up,  and decided to go back to their seats.  I understand it's been a hard day at the office, God forbid you should put an exhaustive effort into closing a measly little door behind you.  As I was sitting by the window, the gentleman occupying the outer seat in front of me who was simply trying to read his book, all seven times meekly got up and closed the door.

And we know why he closed the door right?

Because if you're sitting by the bathroom, and the door is open, sooner or later that sour bathroom solution that is in the toilet, mixed with whatever GO Train passenger has emptied into it begins to produce this wonderful "mutant funk" (credit for that term goes to a Seinfeld episode) that makes its way to the rest of the passengers in the area of the car, and I'm guessing it makes their commute shall we say….less enjoyable.

After the seventh person failed to close the door, my stop was coming up and this gentleman did it for them yet again, I thanked him for doing that all the times throughout the ride.

But I am just wondering if I am off my rocker?  Does this not bother anyone else?  Or is it totally cool to leave the door open after using the bathroom?  I know that when I am in my apartment by myself there are occasions where I will pee with the door open(TMI?). As people are having such a hard time with closing the bathroom door on the GO Train, I am wondering if this is just a first step to a whole crowd of people that will eventually devolve into peeing on the train with the door open. I know you're thinking that statement is gross or outlandish.  But the next time you sit next to a bathroom and someone leaves the door open, when that smell hit's you and you wonder what it is, just think to yourself it's all the passengers of this GO Train today peeing with the door open.

With much adoring love, V.

---

^ Okay, he didn't really write that but I like to imagine this is how everyone wants to sign off in their emails to me.

The UP express train looks like an derpy insect wearing a winter toque

Go home bench installer, you're drunk

When this photo first showed up on Hamilton Transit's Instagram feed over the weekend, I was more focused on the size of the No Smoking sign and less on the fact that new bench seating had been installed (which is what the photo was about).

I only half-heartedly read the comments and only when re-reading them, did I realize a point someone made.

Yeah, that should hold it

Somewhere in California, Richard Dean Anderson is crying salty MacGyver tears.

Your umbrella

Your umbrella is not an aspergill and we are not at Church, please do not feel you need to cleanse me of my sins.
Your umbrella is not a sword.
Your umbrella is not a walking stick.
Your umbrella is not a dead animal and you are not a lion, please do not drag it behind you like prey.
Your umbrella is not a pointer and we are not at School, please do not punctuate your sentences by pointing it at me.
Your umbrella is not a guitar.
Your umbrella is not a light saber.
Your umbrella is not a scepter and you are not Zeus, your umbrella need not be lain across your lap.
Your umbrella is not a cattle prod.
Your umbrella is not a yard stick.
Your umbrella is not an antenna and you are not a radio or a television requiring better reception.

Your umbrella belongs on the floor, in your bag or propped up against a window.

Your umbrella is wet. It does not get a seat nor does it need one.

Apologies for the post below

A rant wound its way into that story that had no busy being there and I agree, it was offensive. We should all live where we are comfortable and within our means. Unfortunately that isn't the case for everyone.

I apologize.

Zoned fares work for GO Transit, but setting Toronto transit fares according to distance would force the riders who travel farthest and have fewest choices to pay the most

Yeah, that's a long headline. But it nails it.

I have friends in Oshawa, Courtice, Whitby, Ajax and Bowmanville who find the cost of GO Transit expensive. I, myself, pay on average $315 monthly (from Oshawa with PRESTO discount factored in). Many of my friends have said it would be nice if GO was a flat rate like the TTC, so this story works both ways, right? Two friends quit their jobs and took positions at companies in town for far less salary but wound up taking home the same pay since they were just working to pay for GO fare.

TTC puts distance-based fares in no-go zone

GO does it. So does York Region Transit. Why doesn’t the TTC charge riders according to how far they travel?

Among the suggestions offered up in the Toronto Star’s Big Ideas series is the idea of zoned TTC fares that some readers see as an equitable source of badly needed TTC revenue. The roll-out of the Presto electronic fare card over the next five years makes it more technologically feasible.

But the people who would pay the most would be those who live farthest from downtown. Many of those neighbourhoods have high concentrations of low-income residents and fewer transit choices than other parts of the city, said Chris Upfold, the TTC’s chief customer service officer.

More on the Toronto Star website

Presented without comment