Toronto Public Transit

The sorry state of Toronto's public transportation

Public transportation in Toronto comprises a subway and ferry system, paratransit, commuter rail, streetcars, buses, and an airport rail link. While residents and visitors are offered diverse modes of transportation, Toronto’s network is plagued with problems such as practicality, affordability, and coverage.

Coverage

The first bus routes linked St. Lawrence Market and Yorkville, and the public transit network began to expand outwards. As a result of this, transport links are mainly concentrated in the city centre and around wealthy neighbourhoods. This is especially true for the subway system, which comprises Line 2 (Bloor – Danforth), Line 1 (Yonge – University), and Lines 3 and 4.

There are parts of the city that are not covered, and commuters rely on bus services. Given the fact that Toronto is a fast growing city, this results in subway and bus overcrowding, with many buses being jam-packed. Service delays and long commute times also show that the transport system is in a sorry state. To top this, the service is expensive, unreliable, and plagued by structural issues.

Low-Income Immigrants in Underserved Areas

Population growth is mostly attributed to immigration, with immigrants mainly coming from Sri Lanka, Philippines, Pakistan, China, and India. About 25 percent of immigrants who came to Canada chose to settle in Toronto between 2001 and 2006. The city’s inner suburbs are mainly inhabited by low-income workers, many of whom are immigrants. They rely on public transport and punctual services to go to work. More immigrants (36 percent) rely on public transportation than non-immigrants (21 percent). The problem is that many low-income workers live in underserved areas which are known as transit deserts. Many studies confirm the fact that visible minorities and low-income immigrants live in neighbourhoods that are away from subway lines. This affects their employment prospects, and many underserved areas are also plagued with problems such as poverty and high crime rates.

Reforming the Public Transportation System

For many, underinvestment is the main culprit for the lack of coverage and sorry state of public transportation in Toronto. Underinvestment can be explained by the fact that transportation is a public service that competes with healthcare and other services for funding. A major problem is the fact that public transit is under-subsidized. The current per rider subsidy is 79 cents, down from 93 cents in 2010, which is low compared to subsidies for other networks in major cities in Canada and the U.S.

Investing in network expansion is essential in order to keep up with population growth. This includes investment in design, planning, and construction of subway lines. The transportation strategy should also focus on immigrant populations and their needs. It is also important to study the factors that contribute to population growth and concentration in different areas, including employment prospects, income, and preference for urban living. Millennials, for example, show preference for urban areas and use public transit to help contribute to environmental protection, explore new places, and meet with others.

It is important to invest in the expansion of the public transit system and improved quality of services. Reducing overcrowding and wait times is essential and can be achieved by subway expansion and the addition of more buses. Ensuring a reliable and predictable service is also a way to improve customer service and make commuting more enjoyable.

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