TTC overcrowded or delayed? Call the mayor, say transit advocates

Transit advocates who wantmore stablefunding for the TTCtook their campaign tosubway stations, bus stops, streetcar routes and major intersections on Monday.

Members of three advocacy groups TTCriders, Scarborough Transit Action Group and Fair Fare Coalition are handingout postcards and talkingto riders atmore than 10 locations on Monday.

The groups are opposed to planned service cuts.

Riders are being urged to contact Mayor John Tory, plus their local councillors, to complain directly about delays, overcrowding, and breakdowns.

"If we really want to get Toronto moving, we need all levels of government to increase funding to the TTC, John Tory included," TTCriders spokesperson Jessica Bell said in a news release.

The transit advocates are calling it a day of action. It began Monday morning and will end Mondayevening.

The day of action was planned to take place before city council votes on its 2017 budget, which is expected to be finalized in February.

In November, the TTC implemented a fare increase that took effect at the start of this year.

The increaseaffects the single adult ride fare, which will increasefrom $2.90 per token to $3. All other fare media, including Presto rides and weekly and monthly passes, will also be increasedproportionately, with the exception of cash,which was raised from $3 to $3.25 in 2016.

The fare increase is expected to generate $27 million. But even if it does, the TTC faces a shortfall of about $61 million. The TTC saysthe shortfall is partly due to a decline in TTC ridership and an increasein the number of people using Wheels-Trans.

It's the sixth fare increase in six years.

Service reduced on 28 routes

According to TTCriders, the TTC reduced service on about 28 routes in November and January, and allowed overcrowding on 43 TTC routes to exceedits standards.

The transit advocates said they planned to hand out postcards atPape,Broadview,Sherbourne,Bathurst,Dufferinand King stations.

They also planned to go to:

• The 102Markhambus stop at Warden Station.
• The 501 Queen streetcar and 22Coxwellbus stop at the corner of Kingston Road and Queen Street East.
• OakwoodAvenue and Vaughan Road.
• BathurstStreet and Lawrence Avenue West.
• MorningsideAvenue and Ellesmere Road.
• BathurstStreet andSheppardAvenue West.
• WinonaDrive and Vaughan Road at the 90A Vaughan bus stop heading south.