Comments on: Blame games. http://w0rd.ca/2009/11/blame-games/ Carbuncle. Sun, 01 Jan 2012 23:11:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: kearneycation http://w0rd.ca/2009/11/blame-games/comment-page-1/#comment-737 kearneycation Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:23:11 +0000 http://w0rd.ca/?p=1255#comment-737 Great post. I find it frustrating that this isn't a bigger discussion and people aren't holding the governments accountable for this. Matt, you're 100% right that the TTC needs sustained funding. On top of that, we need to be encouraging ridership, in order for expansion and in order to show the provincial and federal governments that this city desperately needs to fix it's shameful public transit system. Great post. I find it frustrating that this isn’t a bigger discussion and people aren’t holding the governments accountable for this. Matt, you’re 100% right that the TTC needs sustained funding. On top of that, we need to be encouraging ridership, in order for expansion and in order to show the provincial and federal governments that this city desperately needs to fix it’s shameful public transit system.

]]> By: Dogleash http://w0rd.ca/2009/11/blame-games/comment-page-1/#comment-733 Dogleash Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:50:44 +0000 http://w0rd.ca/?p=1255#comment-733 Well, technically there are come bullets above that have premises that follow to conclusions. But for the most part, yes, a series of well structured statements, rather than an argument. 6 dollars to and fro? Man alive! Or broke as fuck... It seems almost just as much of a hassle as having a car, seems more expensive, at least in terms of money put into travel per kilometer. Well, technically there are come bullets above that have premises that follow to conclusions. But for the most part, yes, a series of well structured statements, rather than an argument.

6 dollars to and fro? Man alive! Or broke as fuck… It seems almost just as much of a hassle as having a car, seems more expensive, at least in terms of money put into travel per kilometer.

]]> By: Matt http://w0rd.ca/2009/11/blame-games/comment-page-1/#comment-732 Matt Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:07:33 +0000 http://w0rd.ca/?p=1255#comment-732 You're so very right, Dogleash. To paraphrase something I read somewhere recently, a transit system that doesn't cater to the poorest within a city's population is a shitty transit system. Six dollars for a round trip on the TTC is absurd, and it actually causes people and families on a limited income real financial strain. Plus, from a public conception, a fare hike just seems asinine in the wake of all these service improvements; busses until 1:30am, more of them generally, dedicated bus routes (like the new one at York), going ahead on Transit City. But, of course, as Dipp explained, the funds for those projects were capital budget items, funded through whichever levels of government, funds not dedicated to actually running the system. It's like building a big house without a solid foundation. I seriously wonder if Toronto has any legal recourse in getting the provincial government to pony up half the operating budget again. That would be such a tremendous boon to the system - maybe they'd even lower fares! Sadly, nothing of the sort will happen. I don't even want to think what it's going to be like for the Pan Am games (I know it's a smaller event but it's still international sports). Transit is one of those things you can only complain about. Dogleash, I actually disagree with your "well argued" nod. What Dipp wrote wasn't arguing anything. It was pointing out the realities of a decaying transit system. We might have new streetcars but tunnels are crumbling. God forbid the TTC layoff any workers or "cut service" to fix it. Riders (and their money) are seen as a given, their acceptance of the hike taken for granted. You'll bitch, alright. But you'll pay it. Like Dipp, the TTC suits me fine. I don't drive. I don't want to. But if the TTC is just going to, as if by reflex, hike fares every time there's an operating shortfall (which, with all the improvements being built, there always will be), fewer and fewer people will take it (which will cause further shortfalls). Piddly one-time payments from the province or the feds are well and good, but sustained funding is what's needed. Period. /rant You’re so very right, Dogleash. To paraphrase something I read somewhere recently, a transit system that doesn’t cater to the poorest within a city’s population is a shitty transit system. Six dollars for a round trip on the TTC is absurd, and it actually causes people and families on a limited income real financial strain. Plus, from a public conception, a fare hike just seems asinine in the wake of all these service improvements; busses until 1:30am, more of them generally, dedicated bus routes (like the new one at York), going ahead on Transit City. But, of course, as Dipp explained, the funds for those projects were capital budget items, funded through whichever levels of government, funds not dedicated to actually running the system. It’s like building a big house without a solid foundation.

I seriously wonder if Toronto has any legal recourse in getting the provincial government to pony up half the operating budget again. That would be such a tremendous boon to the system – maybe they’d even lower fares! Sadly, nothing of the sort will happen. I don’t even want to think what it’s going to be like for the Pan Am games (I know it’s a smaller event but it’s still international sports).

Transit is one of those things you can only complain about. Dogleash, I actually disagree with your “well argued” nod. What Dipp wrote wasn’t arguing anything. It was pointing out the realities of a decaying transit system. We might have new streetcars but tunnels are crumbling. God forbid the TTC layoff any workers or “cut service” to fix it. Riders (and their money) are seen as a given, their acceptance of the hike taken for granted. You’ll bitch, alright. But you’ll pay it.

Like Dipp, the TTC suits me fine. I don’t drive. I don’t want to. But if the TTC is just going to, as if by reflex, hike fares every time there’s an operating shortfall (which, with all the improvements being built, there always will be), fewer and fewer people will take it (which will cause further shortfalls). Piddly one-time payments from the province or the feds are well and good, but sustained funding is what’s needed. Period.

/rant

]]> By: Dogleash http://w0rd.ca/2009/11/blame-games/comment-page-1/#comment-724 Dogleash Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:53:17 +0000 http://w0rd.ca/?p=1255#comment-724 Dude, well argued. It sucks when being so critical bears no fruit, Transit will never quit in terms of fucking over its main demographic. Dude, well argued. It sucks when being so critical bears no fruit, Transit will never quit in terms of fucking over its main demographic.

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