TTC to replace some streetcars with buses on routes as Bombardier misses latest deadline

The TTC is looking to replace some streetcars on two popular downtown routes with busesas a result of ongoing delays with the delivery of new streetcars fromBombardier.

Brad Ross, spokesperson for the TTC, told CBC Toronto on Friday that the agencyplans to move some of the cars from the506 Carlton and505Dundasroutes to more critical routes, such as 504 King. The TTCwill put the idea to theboardin January, and if approved, itexpects the plan to take effect starting in February.

The TTC'sridership numbers rank the two routes asthe eighthand 12thmost used respectively as of December2016.

Buses have less carrying capacity than the streetcars but Ross said the TTC is forced to shuffle around the vehicles because of "fleet constraints."

Experts, however,say this type of triaging could have a ripple effect.

"These main east-west routes are really important as they provide key access into the city," MattiSiemiatycki, associate professor of urban planning at the University of Toronto, said.

"It is important that we have the full capacity that is needed to carry all the people on those routes."

Ross said the bottom line is the TTC new streetcars.

"The old streetcars that we have today are failing and failing. They're just too old," he said.

Montreal-based manufacturer Bombardier was earlier projected to deliver 65 streetcars to the TTC by the end of the year, but recently revised that down to 64 and then again down to 63. The numberfalls short of the company's initial target of 145 vehicles by 2017, according to aDecember 2016 TTCboard staff report.

"It's sort of groundhog day, unfortunately, with Bombardier," Mayor John Tory said Friday, referring to the recurring problem.

"We don't really have the choice of walking down the street and going to someplace where they can readily make streetcars so we have to work with Bombardier," he explained. "If we started with another company tomorrow morning, it would probably take them two years to get ready to make streetcars for us," he said.

More than a capacity issue

Benoit Brossoit, president of Bombardier Transport,Americas says the companyis taking drastic measures to cut down logistics and make itsproduction more efficient.

"We clearly hear the frustration," he told CBC Toronto."But at the end of the day the people in the field love our cars, we know they want more of them and we have been absolutely focused on getting the product out."

Bombardier spokespersonEric Prud'Hommetold CBC Toronto on Thursday,the company has"more than doubled the rate of deliveries" since last year.

"With the investments we made, we've steadilyramped upproduction like we said we would,"Prud'Hommesaid in a statement. "This has helped us this month to deliver our highest monthly number of cars, with sevenstreetcars being shipped out of Thunder Bay."

Prud'HommesaidBombardier executives recently met with key suppliers to "demand corrective measures to improve performance and accelerate deliveries."

Siemietycki, however saidstreetcar delivery delays pose more than just a capacity issue to the TTC.

"There was an expectation for riders that the new streetcars were going to deliver a more modern, user-friendly experience," he said.

"The TTC for the first time in a long time is facing plateauing ridership and there are concerns about whether growth is going to continue," he said, adding that the "modernized streetcars" would better equip public transit to compete against the emerging ride-share industry.

"Part of the TTC strategy needs to be to provide efficient service but also an excellent experience and I think getting the new streetcars was a really important part of that."

TTC 'eager to see who else is out there'

Ross saidthe TTC is hopeful that Bombardierwill hold to itsdelivery commitments moving forward.

"We don't pull our punches with them, we are very frank with them," he said.

The agency is pursuing a $50 million legal claim against Bombardier for breach of contract as the two companies continue their working relationship.

As for the future, Ross says the TTC isopen to alternatives. The agency currently hasa request for information open to manufacturers for60 streetcars needed in addition to what is covered in their contract with Bombardier.

"We are eager to see who else is out there in terms of manufacturers," Ross said.