November 18, 1999

Ms. Novina Wong

City Clerk

City of Toronto

Toronto City Hall

100 Queen Street West

Toronto, Ontario

M5H 2N2

Dear Ms. Wong:

At its meeting on Wednesday, November 17, 1999, the Commission considered the attached report entitled, "Toronto Perspective on GTA Transit Issues."

The Commission also received a presentation from Mr. M. Stambler, Manager - Service Planning, Toronto Transit Commission with respect to this matter.

The Commission adopted the Recommendation contained in the above report, as listed below:

"It is recommended that the Commission:

1. receive this report for information, noting that:

· most transit services in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), notably those crossing the Toronto boundary - which carry the majority of cross-boundary transit travel in the GTA - are currently "seamless" in that customers can travel on one continuous bus route across municipal boundaries without the need to change vehicles or to transfer;

· GO Transit also operates "seamless" bus and rail routes which provide direct transfer-free services across municipal boundaries through the GTA;

· transit fares in the GTA are not as "seamless" as the services themselves, but only five percent of the 1.6 million transit trips made each day in the GTA are required to pay a second fare for travel between Toronto and its neighbouring municipalities; these are typically longer trips with a total fare comparable to the equivalent GO fare;

· these facts indicate that the Greater Toronto Services Board (GTSB) should not be focusing on "seamless" transit as a priority issue; the pursuit of "seamless" travel will not significantly affect travel choices within the GTA;

· outside of Toronto almost all travel is by automobile and, even if a concerted effort is made to increase transit usage, and the outside-Toronto transit market share were to double, 90 percent of all trips outside of Toronto would still be made in cars;

· in order for transit to be effective, convenient, and affordable in any jurisdiction, there must be a reasonably high density of development and compact urban form; the past and current predominant pattern of low-density urban sprawl in the GTA has made it impractical for transit to ever carry a significant proportion of GTA trips outside of Toronto or to have a significant effect on current or project traffic problems outside of Toronto;

· market research reveals that customers are not seeking high-tech solutions for transit, nor do they consider transit fares to be a major determinant in their travel decisions; rather, they are primarily motivated by fast and convenient transportation;

· there are a limited number of actions which can be taken within the GTA to make transit travel faster and more convenient and to, in turn, attract more people to transit, and these are described briefly in the attachment to this report; they are presented here for purposes of illustration only, and none are recommended herein because all require a thorough assessment of the costs, benefits, risks, and paybacks associated with each option; and

2. forward this report to Toronto City Council and the GTSB."

The Commission also requested that the presentation by Mr. Stambler be made to the Greater Toronto Services Board when the matter is brought forward for their consideration.

The foregoing is forwarded to City of Toronto Council through the City Planning and Transportation Committee for information.

Sincerely,

Vincent Rodo

General Secretary

1-16

Attachment

Similar Letter: Mr. A. Tonks, Chair - Greater Toronto Services Board

TORONTO TRANSIT COMMISSION

REPORT NO. 1

MEETING DATE: November 17, 1999

SUBJECT: TORONTO PERSPECTIVE ON GTA TRANSIT ISSUES

RECOMMENDATIONS

It is recommended that the Commission:

1. receive this report for information, noting that:

· most transit services in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), notably those crossing the Toronto boundary - which carry the majority of cross-boundary transit travel in the GTA - are currently "seamless" in that customers can travel on one continuous bus route across municipal boundaries without the need to change vehicles or to transfer;

· GO Transit also operates "seamless" bus and rail routes which provide direct transfer-free services across municipal boundaries throughout the GTA;

· transit fares in the GTA are not as "seamless" as the services themselves, but only five percent of the 1.6 million transit trips made each day in the GTA are required to pay a second fare for travel between Toronto and its neighbouring municipalities; these are typically longer trips with a total fare comparable to the equivalent GO fare;

· these facts indicate that the Greater Toronto Services Board (GTSB) should not be focusing on "seamless" transit as a priority issue; the pursuit of "seamless" travel will not significantly affect travel choices within the GTA;

· outside of Toronto almost all travel is by automobile and, even if a concerted effort is made to increase transit usage, and the outside-Toronto transit market share were to double, 90 percent of all trips outside of Toronto would still be made in cars;

· in order for transit to be effective, convenient, and affordable in any jurisdiction, there must be a reasonably high density of development and compact urban form; the past and current predominant pattern of low-density urban sprawl in the GTA has made it impractical for transit to ever carry a significant proportion of GTA trips outside of Toronto or to have a significant effect on current or projected traffic problems outside of Toronto;

· market research reveals that customers are not seeking high-tech solutions for transit, nor do they consider transit fares to be a major determinant in their travel decisions; rather, they are primarily motivated by fast and convenient transportation;

· there are a limited number of actions which can be taken within the GTA to make transit travel faster and more convenient and to, in turn, attract more people to transit, and these are described briefly in the attachment to this report; they are presented here for purposes of illustration only, and none are recommended herein because all require a thorough assessment of the costs, benefits, risks, and paybacks associated with each option; and

2) forward this report to Toronto City Council and the GTSB.

FUNDING

This report has no effect on the TTC's operating or capital budgets.

BACKGROUND

The GTSB has established as one of its highest priorities, the pursuit of "seamless" transit in the GTA. This report puts the "seamless" transit issue into perspective, relative to all other means of improving transit use in the GTA.

DISCUSSION

The attached presentation slides provide a basic definition of "seamless" transit, and discuss that the GTA currently has a high level of seamless transit service, with approximately five percent of all trips having to pay a second fare for their inter-municipal travel.

The fact is that the majority of transit travel within the GTA can presently be made on a "seamless" service basis, and that the pursuit of "seamless" transit will not significantly affect travel choices within the GTA. Therefore, "seamless" transit should not be a priority issue for the GTSB.

If the GTSB wants transit to be more effective, it must push for the higher densities and compact forms of urban development which are essential for transit to be truly viable and which, coincidentally, make virtually all other municipal services -- such as water, sewage, snow ploughing, and garbage collection -- more efficient as well. Unfortunately, the extent of the already-existing low-density car-oriented urban sprawl in the GTA, and the strongly-rooted habit of car travel in the GTA -- constituting 95 percent of all trips outside of Toronto -- mean that the GTSB will have a very difficult task in getting a significant number of additional people outside Toronto to take transit. Even if the transit market share were to double outside Toronto, it would not significantly affect traffic congestion or the demand for roads and highways outside of Toronto.

Transit customers have said, through market research, that what is most important to them is simple: fast and convenient service. There are a limited number of actions which can be taken to make transit faster and more convenient in the GTA, and/or which can encourage greater use of transit in the GTA. These are listed in the attached presentation slides. These options could be the basis of more-meaningful discussions at the GTSB regarding how to get more people to take transit in the GTA.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

November 10, 1999

11-84-80

Attachment: Presentation Slides: Toronto Perspective on GTA Transit Issues