Long-term transit projects have been a hot topic in the ongoing Toronto mayoral campaign, but a new report from the Toronto Transit Commision focuses on short-term improvements that could start as early as January.

The Opportunities to Improve Transit Service in Toronto report — released on Friday in advance of Tuesday’s TTC Board Meeting — aims to address immediate, short-term projects that could ease stress on the service through nine changes to bus and streetcar service.

Here’s what you need to know about that plan.

1. The nine recommendations:

Implement all-door boarding and proof-of-payment on all streetcar routes

Reduce wait times and crowding on bus and streetcar routes

Establish a city-wide network of Ten-Minute-or-Better bus and streetcar services

Expand the Express Route Network with new and improved express bus routes

Implement more transit priority measures, like programming traffic lights to change for approaching buses and streetcars

Add resources to improve service reliability and route performance

Operate all routes all day, every day across the city

Change the one-trip-per-fare to a two-hour-travel-privilege-per-fare

Expand the overnight bus and streetcar network

2. When these initiatives, if adopted, would start: All-door boarding and time-based transfers could begin in January of 2015. Other initiatives will roll out later, as infrastructure and staff would need to increase.

3. How much it would cost: Service expansions would start at $19 million in 2015, growing to $69 million per year annually by 2018, with the majority going to labour, fuel, and maintenance of vehicles. Another $288 million in additional capital funding for infrastructure will need to be spent, spread over five years.

4. What the time-based transfer would cost the TTC: An estimated $20 million in lost revenue.

5. Who has the final say on whether the report is implemented: The report will be discussed at the TTC meeting on Tuesday, but would need to be passed by city council.

Would you support the new report and the proposals? Vote below and have your say.

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