Updated September 21, 2014 at 11:20am: Details of subway operational changes have been added to the article, and the summary table showing all schedule changes is now included.

2014.10.12_Service_Changes

Original article from August 27, 2014:

The TTC has just issued its memo describing service changes effective on Thanksgiving weekend. A few changes caught my eye and are worth talking about before I publish the complete route-by-route details.

The Crisis in Bus Fleet Capacity

The shortage of buses on the TTC network is now severe enough that several routes will revert to their summer schedules to save vehicles:

Route AM Peak PM Peak Before After Before After 6 Bay 3'15" 4' 20 Cliffside 11' 13'15" 11'40" 14' 42 Cummer 5' 5'38" 5'45" 7' 125 Drewry 6'30" 7'30" 122 Graydon Hall 10' 12' 13' 16' 37 Islington 4'30" 5'15" 5'20" 6' 110 Islington South 5' 6' 5' 6' 41 Keele 4'47" 6' 4'51" 6'06" 59 Maple Leaf 11' 12' 12' 14' 16 McCowan 8' 9' 7'30" 9'30" 57 Midland 6' 7'15" 7'30" 8'20" 70 O'Connor 7' 8'30" 7'30" 8'30" 79 Scarlett Road 4'15" 4'30" 112 West Mall 5' 5'38" 5'45" 7' 91 Woodbine 6'55" 7'22" 95 York Mills 2'31" 2'51" 3'11" 3'34"

Some planned service improvements remain on hold because there are no buses with which to operate them.

Subway Schedule Changes

Both the Yonge-University-Spadina and Bloor-Danforth subways will see changes in their scheduled running times to better match actual conditions, and the implementation of step-back crewing at terminals to aid with quick turnarounds during peak periods.

Updated: Trains that are going out of service at the end of peak periods can produce queues and lockouts at terminals during the transition from peak to off-peak headways. These trains will now run out of service in a different manner:

1 Yonge-University trains that leave service from Finch Station southbound to Davisville Yard (AM peak): These trains will now go out of service northbound at Lawrence, dead-head north to the pocket track at York Mills, and then dead-head south to Davisville.

1 Yonge-University trains that leave service southbound from Downsview Station to Wilson Yard (AM and PM peaks): These trains will now go out of service northbound at Wilson.

2 Bloor-Danforth trains that leave service westbound from Kennedy Station to Greenwood Yard AM peak): These trains will now go out of service eastbound at Donlands.

Step-back crewing will be implemented at terminals on the YUS and BD subways so that crews are ready to take trains out as soon as they arrive. Running times are increased on both routes to better reflect actual operating conditions.

[End of update.]

St. Clair Transit Signal Priority

The signal priority on St. Clair is not working in so many locations that the TTC must adjust schedules to provide more running time for the streetcars. Up to 8 minutes of additional round-trip time will be added to the schedules, and headways will be widened to accommodate this.

This is a perfect example of how capital spending — provision of a transit right-of-way — can be sabotaged by operational decisions, in this case by a separate agency — City Transportation Services — regarding the priority of keeping TSP working.

Spadina/Harbourfront Streetcar Service

Streetcars will return to 509 Harbourfront, and there will be some improvements to service relative to the pre-construction schedules to handle increased demand.

The 510 Spadina route will resume operation to Union Station, and its short-turn at King will be reinstated (during September, all service is scheduled to run to Queens Quay).

Whether the signal priority for Spadina and Harbourfront cars actually works when they return remains to be seen.