[URBAN NOTE] "TTC blames service cuts on streetcar delays"
The Toronto Star looks at one way Bombardier's late delivery of streetcars is affecting service.
Starting Monday, the transit agency has reduced morning rush hour service on 13 routes. The changes mean that buses will come less frequently, with customers on most of the affected lines facing wait times one or two minutes longer than usual. One route, the 51 Leslie, will also have service cut back during the afternoon rush hour.
TTC spokesperson Brad Ross said the root cause of the service reductions is the delayed delivery of new streetcars from rail manufacturer Bombardier. He said that the shortage of new streetcars, combined with the need to run buses on portions of streetcar routes due to construction projects, has overstretched the bus fleet.
“We simply don’t have the number of buses that we need,” he said.
According to Ross, the TTC trimmed service on routes where doing so would have the least impact. “Our customers will notice minimal difference, if any,” he said. He conceded that less frequent service could mean some of the routes will exceed the TTC’s crowding standards, however.
Some of the routes that will see less service are among the TTC’s busiest, including the 32 Eglinton West and 85 Sheppard East. The Eglinton West line will be served by about 27 bus trips an hour instead of about 28, while the Sheppard East will have its headways increased by one to two minutes.
Starting Monday, the transit agency has reduced morning rush hour service on 13 routes. The changes mean that buses will come less frequently, with customers on most of the affected lines facing wait times one or two minutes longer than usual. One route, the 51 Leslie, will also have service cut back during the afternoon rush hour.
TTC spokesperson Brad Ross said the root cause of the service reductions is the delayed delivery of new streetcars from rail manufacturer Bombardier. He said that the shortage of new streetcars, combined with the need to run buses on portions of streetcar routes due to construction projects, has overstretched the bus fleet.
“We simply don’t have the number of buses that we need,” he said.
According to Ross, the TTC trimmed service on routes where doing so would have the least impact. “Our customers will notice minimal difference, if any,” he said. He conceded that less frequent service could mean some of the routes will exceed the TTC’s crowding standards, however.
Some of the routes that will see less service are among the TTC’s busiest, including the 32 Eglinton West and 85 Sheppard East. The Eglinton West line will be served by about 27 bus trips an hour instead of about 28, while the Sheppard East will have its headways increased by one to two minutes.