Crowded subway platform shows TTC needs to do more to make transit safe
As the TTC faces the prospect ofeven further service cutsto assuage thetens of millions in lossesit incurred during the health crisis, transit-goers continue to call for the complete opposite, citing overpacked vehicles and subway platforms that make sufficient physical distancing nearly impossible.
尽管该委员会有几个新措施place —such as passenger limits andmandatory face masksfor riders — residents still have health concerns because of the serious overcrowding they've encountered while waiting for or riding transit in the city.
@TTChelpscam we have more bus service along finch bet 5-6 am. Like 336 bus is always full and sometimes dont pick up commuters. People do need to get to work on time.
— floreo1 (@floreo16)September 9, 2020
Photos of commuters packed into busses like sardines have beenpopping up on social mediaformonths now, but it appears thatnot much has been doneaside frommonitoring certain busier routes— namely, full pre-pandemic service has yet to be restored despite TTC staff calling for it to be.
“Public transit workers are reporting regular overcrowding on more TTC routes, putting themselves and riders at risk of catching coronavirus,” readsa statementfrom transit workers union ATU Local 113 last month.
“Toronto needs more TTC vehicles on the road to keep up with demand while providing as much physical distancing as possible."
So@JohnTory#rickleary@TTCStuartschool buses have seat behind driver blocked off & one child 2 seat good for them to stop#COVID19#pandemic#2ndwaveyet if same kids get on@ttcridersthey face this why?@blogTO@NarcityCanada@TorontoStar@TheTorontoSunpic.twitter.com/VwO1NNpIAQ
— Rocco Signorile (@imthedarkknight)September 8, 2020
There are also parts of thecommission's planfor tackling overcrowding amid the pandemic that haven't seemed to be implemented properly, such as their mandate to "disallow customers from waiting on subway platforms in cases of emergency overcrowding" and "direct customers to leave subway or bus stations in cases of emergency overcrowding," as complaints continue to arise.
Right? Yet@JohnTorydoesn’t respond to a single tweet addressing our concern or why the ttc is being permitted to allow both no masks and overcrowding. Can’t see the@cityoftorontowon’t be responsible when the second wave hits and more people die.
— Linds W (@lindshopewalsh)September 9, 2020
The transit agency has said it will consider ramping up scheduling when ridership reaches half of what it was pre-COVID, but people still seem wary of taking transit (or no longer need to now that they're working from home) and thesenumbers are still not rebounding: ridership was down 75 per cent from typical levels in June, the most recent month of such datafrom StatsCan.
The TTC, as a result,has been running at around 85 per centof its usual capacity, and 450 workers remained laid off.
When are the Express routes going back in service? That would help with the overcrowding on buses which is not keeping anyone protected right now!!
— Joanne (@Jo0318)September 8, 2020
It didreceive $400 millioninmuch-neededemergency funding from the province in August, but that means it is subject to some guidance from Premier Doug Ford and his team for things like substituting micro-transit for lesser-used routes.
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