Comments on: Suffer not the transit strike http://www.nuncscio.com/2009/11/12/spare-me-the-transit-strike/ Politics. Media. Culture. Now you know. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:34:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Tim http://www.nuncscio.com/2009/11/12/spare-me-the-transit-strike/comment-page-1/#comment-12158 Tim Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:12:35 +0000 http://www.nuncscio.com/?p=3052#comment-12158 This "Transit strike" supports my theory that "activists" are getting lazy. These days it seems like activists create facebook groups that nobody joins and their job is done. If they are feeling really passionate about an injustice they may leave a comment on an online article or even blog about it. Another reason "This would be a great idea if it weren’t so stupid."... TTC fares are actually cheap. "What?" you ask... I realize that price increases in the past several years would indicate that TTC fairs are going up way faster than inflation, but I still don't feel that $3 per fair is too far out of line for the service provided. I actually feel that the fares have been greatly deflated for a long time. Sure the TTC isn't perfect, but it's getting better. Cars certainly aren't perfect, so I'm not sure what the cheaper/better alternative is. In fact the average TTC rider is saving a pile of money by riding the TTC instead of driving a car. Even if they are currently leasing or making payments on a car, taking the TTC and leaving the car in the driveway is still usually the cheaper option. (in rush hour also the TTC is also the faster option even if it doesn't feel fast) With the fair hike the adult fare will rise to $3 and the adult Metropass to $121. Assuming a rider uses the TTC to get to and from work and uses a metropass they will pay $1452 per year. In terms of percentage of annual income that seems like a low number compared to the average spending on transportation. Just as an example, check out this chart <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/05/03/business/20080403_SPENDING_GRAPHIC.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/05/03/business/20080403_SPENDING_GRAPHIC.html</a> (I couldn't find an equivalent Canadian diagram, but would venture to guess these numbers arn't that far off for Canadians) I highly doubt that the average TTC riders is spending more that 18% on transportation, likely they are spending less than half of that. Even if you used mertopases and rented cars a few times a month for groceries and weekend trips you are still way under the cost of car ownership. Sure the TTC needs improvement, but it sure as hell beats walking. This “Transit strike” supports my theory that “activists” are getting lazy. These days it seems like activists create facebook groups that nobody joins and their job is done. If they are feeling really passionate about an injustice they may leave a comment on an online article or even blog about it.

Another reason “This would be a great idea if it weren’t so stupid.”…

TTC fares are actually cheap. “What?” you ask…

I realize that price increases in the past several years would indicate that TTC fairs are going up way faster than inflation, but I still don’t feel that $3 per fair is too far out of line for the service provided. I actually feel that the fares have been greatly deflated for a long time. Sure the TTC isn’t perfect, but it’s getting better. Cars certainly aren’t perfect, so I’m not sure what the cheaper/better alternative is.

In fact the average TTC rider is saving a pile of money by riding the TTC instead of driving a car. Even if they are currently leasing or making payments on a car, taking the TTC and leaving the car in the driveway is still usually the cheaper option. (in rush hour also the TTC is also the faster option even if it doesn’t feel fast)

With the fair hike the adult fare will rise to $3 and the adult Metropass to $121. Assuming a rider uses the TTC to get to and from work and uses a metropass they will pay $1452 per year. In terms of percentage of annual income that seems like a low number compared to the average spending on transportation. Just as an example, check out this chart http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/05/03/business/20080403_SPENDING_GRAPHIC.html (I couldn’t find an equivalent Canadian diagram, but would venture to guess these numbers arn’t that far off for Canadians) I highly doubt that the average TTC riders is spending more that 18% on transportation, likely they are spending less than half of that. Even if you used mertopases and rented cars a few times a month for groceries and weekend trips you are still way under the cost of car ownership.

Sure the TTC needs improvement, but it sure as hell beats walking.

]]> By: graeme http://www.nuncscio.com/2009/11/12/spare-me-the-transit-strike/comment-page-1/#comment-12153 graeme Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:39:16 +0000 http://www.nuncscio.com/?p=3052#comment-12153 I guess my issue is that we know all of this already. Most Torontonians know that, at the very least, our Transit system could be working a lot better. Dissatisfaction with the TTC is decades old, and I can't really see this being a jumping-off point for debate. After 15 years of dysfunction, it's a bit disappointing that we haven't progressed beyond "TTC managers are bad". We don't need to talk about the fact that the TTC sucks, but how we make it better. And the strike - and the woman running it - has offered nothing in that regard. Furthermore, while it is widely held that the TTC management is inept, there isn't any real evidence to support it. But there is plenty of evidence that it is underfunded. So, she has neglected the obvious problem to focus on the anecdotal one, and that gets us nowhere near a solution. Also, if you have any examples of "intelligent dialogue" on TV or in the newspapers, I would love to see them. I guess my issue is that we know all of this already. Most Torontonians know that, at the very least, our Transit system could be working a lot better. Dissatisfaction with the TTC is decades old, and I can’t really see this being a jumping-off point for debate. After 15 years of dysfunction, it’s a bit disappointing that we haven’t progressed beyond “TTC managers are bad”. We don’t need to talk about the fact that the TTC sucks, but how we make it better. And the strike – and the woman running it – has offered nothing in that regard. Furthermore, while it is widely held that the TTC management is inept, there isn’t any real evidence to support it. But there is plenty of evidence that it is underfunded. So, she has neglected the obvious problem to focus on the anecdotal one, and that gets us nowhere near a solution.

Also, if you have any examples of “intelligent dialogue” on TV or in the newspapers, I would love to see them.

]]> By: The Forbes http://www.nuncscio.com/2009/11/12/spare-me-the-transit-strike/comment-page-1/#comment-12152 The Forbes Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:08:13 +0000 http://www.nuncscio.com/?p=3052#comment-12152 So good to have you back. I must say though, I saw the organizer of the strike/facebook group in an interview and she had some pretty intelligent stuff to say. Mainly that she recognized a significant portion of the underfunding was due to lack of federal/provincial support but she organized the 'strike' to bring awareness to, what she feels is, the pretty inefficient and incompentent management. She didn't like how their mismanagement was fixed by our pocket books. She also said she had no illusions of financially hurting the TTC but was happy with the amount of support it was getting. Right or wrong didn't she accomplish what you said? I.e. She has organized this strike which has gained enough popular support that she was able to start a meaningul debate on TV. Would it have been more effective to submit a report to her MP or the TTC itself? I think this 'strike' is a pretty decent way to open up an intelligent dialogue. How else would she have gotten a forum on TV to start talking about this? Should she have just left it to the 'experts'? So good to have you back.

I must say though, I saw the organizer of the strike/facebook group in an interview and she had some pretty intelligent stuff to say. Mainly that she recognized a significant portion of the underfunding was due to lack of federal/provincial support but she organized the ‘strike’ to bring awareness to, what she feels is, the pretty inefficient and incompentent management. She didn’t like how their mismanagement was fixed by our pocket books.
She also said she had no illusions of financially hurting the TTC but was happy with the amount of support it was getting.

Right or wrong didn’t she accomplish what you said? I.e. She has organized this strike which has gained enough popular support that she was able to start a meaningul debate on TV.

Would it have been more effective to submit a report to her MP or the TTC itself? I think this ‘strike’ is a pretty decent way to open up an intelligent dialogue. How else would she have gotten a forum on TV to start talking about this? Should she have just left it to the ‘experts’?

]]> By: Paul http://www.nuncscio.com/2009/11/12/spare-me-the-transit-strike/comment-page-1/#comment-12150 Paul Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:14:01 +0000 http://www.nuncscio.com/?p=3052#comment-12150 Dear Graeme, I missed you blogging so very much. Never leave me again. Ever. -Paul Dear Graeme,

I missed you blogging so very much. Never leave me again. Ever.

-Paul

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