Rochelle Braham
Contributor
Aside from having to wait even longer for bus service with the proposed service cuts, TTC commuters may have to dig even deeper into their pockets to match the 10-cent fare increase.
The fare increase, says TTC spokesperson Brad Ross, will be voted on December 14 and will be in effect in 2012.
“The increase would affect tokens and passes, including student and post-secondary student fares,” says Ross.
The 10-cent hike comes after the 25-cent fare increase from January 2010.
Third-year student Leana Plummer does not feel the annual fare hike is fair to commuters.
“Why are they expanding and using resources recklessly if there is a deficit, and ‘The Better Way’ is burning a hole in citizens’ pockets?” she says.
“The TTC has done all it can to balance its budget,” says Ross. “The added 10 cents will give us $30-million in revenue to fully balance the budget.”
Riders must also brace themselves for a longer wait in the cold. Despite the constant cry for increased service, the TTC will be cutting service on 62 routes, including the 60 Steeles West bus.
“The long lineups to get on the 60 and the 196B a lot of the time are unbelievably frustrating,” says fourth-year English major Rachel Cardozo. “Actually, more so than the line, it’s the actual wait time.”
Cardozo says the wait times will occasionally exceed an hour. “Service cuts will only intensify the frustration because service is lacking to begin with.”
Ju Hyu Park has to wait in the route 60 lineup, and is not impressed that the route will be seeing service cuts.
“Especially in rush hour, the line up is so big and usually it’s a 30 minute wait minimum,” she says. “With winter coming, it’ll be even worse. The bus route service is already really inconsistent and now they want to cut service down?”
Ross hopes that the ridership will be understanding of the inconvenience.
He also points out that by 2015, the subway would be extended onto Keele campus.
“We understand that there is a need for more service,” says Ross. “But our subsidy was cut [by] 10 per cent and so savings needed to be found. We did this without cutting routes outright.”
