The Toronto Transit Commission

TTC chair Adam Giambrone

The Toronto Transit Commission

1900 Yonge Street,

Toronto, ON

CANADA M4S 1Z2

Monday, June 29, 2009

Dear Sir,

I write to draw your attention to the repulsive state of the TTC’s web site, in particular the mechanism currently in place which thwarts all reasonable attempts to determine an appropriate bus journey in Toronto.

Before giving a specific example I would like to compliment “Anne” of the help line, not because she agreed with me (I’m unbeatable when it comes to logic), but because she listened to my points and could see just how frustrating it must be for a long-term resident (26 years) or a short-term visitor to make any coherent sense of your system.

The example:

I need to be at Carlson Court by 7:00 p.m. this Monday evening. I live at Bloor Street and Mill Road.

I study the recent PDF route map and see that a 112C is my obvious choice. I used to live at Bloor/West Mall, so the 112C is known to me as one of the two routes that could get me home from Kipling Subway station.

I go to my book marked page ( http://www3.ttc.ca/Schedule/schedule.jsp?Route=49E&Stop=n.b._on_MARKLAND_at_BLOOR ) and switch immediately to the 112C route ( http://www3.ttc.ca/Routes/112/Northbound.jsp ). Bloor Street buses will still be running at frequent intervals, so it’s the 112C route that governs my journey.

I elect to “Read the detailed description of 112 West Mall” and find myself at http://www3.ttc.ca/Routes/112/Routemap.jsp where the second paragraph tells me that “The 112C (Kipling Stn-Disco Rd) is the main branch, and operates at all times, seven days a week”.

Comforting to know.

I choose the Kipling Station link ( http://www3.ttc.ca/Schedule/schedule.jsp?Route=112N&Stop=KIPLING_STATION ) and determine that 112C buses leave at 6:04 p.m., 6:22 p.m. and at 6:40 p.m.

I choose the West Mall at Bloor link ( http://www3.ttc.ca/Schedule/schedule.jsp?Route=112N&Stop=n.b._on_WEST_MALL_at_BLOOR ) and see that buses depart at 6:15 p.m., 6:33 p.m. and at 6:51 p.m. That is, about eleven minutes from Kipling subway to The West Mall. That makes sense.

I choose the Renforth at Eglinton link ( http://www3.ttc.ca/Schedule/schedule.jsp?Route=112N&Stop=n.b._on_RENFORTH_at_EGLINTON ) and see that buses depart at 6:30 p.m., 6:48 p.m. and who-knows-when. That is, about fifteen minutes from The West Mall to Eglinton. That makes sense.

An appropriate major intersection for Atwell & Carlson Court is Skyway and Dixon, but when I click that link ( http://www3.ttc.ca/Schedule/schedule.jsp?Route=112N&Stop=n.b._on_SKYWAY_at_DIXON ) I learn that there are no Northbound buses after 12:09 p.m.

That makes no sense. It is non-sense or, if you prefer, insane.

Where do all the afternoon buses go?

A call to the help line (again, I must compliment “Anne”) reveals two vital facts:

1. The TTC help line has access to data that we mere mortals do not share. One feels humiliated when the help line tosses off bus times that are sacred and private to them. Why should the public not have access to the scheduled times of publicly-funded buses.

2. In order to determine the remainder of the route one most retreat one page, back to http://www3.ttc.ca/Routes/112/Northbound.jsp , click on the Southbound tab to reach http://www3.ttc.ca/Routes/112/Southbound.jsp , and then click on Skyway at Dixon to reach http://www3.ttc.ca/Schedule/schedule.jsp?Route=112S&Stop=n.b._on_SKYWAY_at_DIXON .

It is, for the time being, beyond my comprehension why one should have to click on a Southbound tab to learn the details of the final stages of an otherwise successful trip on a Northbound bus. I was raised in Australia and despite being known collectively as Down Under, no Australian city has had to resort to this trick.

I could almost weather that blow were it not for the indisputable fact that the Southbound page, most immediately clicked upon, has as its heading “Northbound on SKYWAY at DIXON”.

What conclusions can one draw from this experience?

1) The TTC web site is not to be trusted, and by extension the TTC is not to be trusted.

2) Riders of 26 years experience cannot fathom a system which causes one to switch from a Northbound route to a Southbound route.

3) Visitors, newcomers and tourists alike should avoid using the TTC as much as possible, take taxis, and curse Toronto for being such an expensive city.

At 3:20 p.m. on Monday, June 29, 2009 I remain convinced that a taxi-cab ride will be a shorter, more precise and more secure way of getting to Carlson Court by 7:00 p.m. this evening.

I end this long letter with a confirmation that one of your own employees, Anne, most graciously conceded it must be frustrating for a long-term resident or a short-term visitor to make any coherent sense of your system.

Most sincerely

Christopher Greaves

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