January 4, 2000

Ms. Novina Wong

City Clerk

City of Toronto

Toronto City Hall

100 Queen Street West

Toronto, Ontario

M5H 2N2

Dear Ms. Wong:

At a special meeting on Friday, December 17, 1999, the Commission considered the attached report entitled, "2000 Service Plan - Results of Consultation."

The Commission adopted Recommendation Nos. 2, 3 and 4 contained in the above report as listed below:

"2. Note that TTC staff are deferring the recommendation to remove Saturday, Sunday, and holiday evening service on the 160 BATHURST NORTH route so that it may be considered in conjunction with the TTC's response to a request for a budget reduction from the City of Toronto.

3. Note that TTC staff will prepare a separate report, to be presented to the Commission at its meeting of January 12, 2000, which will address other issues which have arisen during the consultation period, concerning service to the University of Toronto at Scarborough and service on the 120 CALVINGTON, 12 KINGSTON RD, 130 MIDDLEFIELD, and 131 NUGGET routes.

4. Forward this report to the City of Toronto and all City Councillors."

The Commission amended Recommendation No. 1 contained in the report, as listed below, by deferring consideration of the proposed service change for the 312 ST CLAIR service until its next meeting in order that staff can report back on comments made by Mr. Philip Webb during his deputation concerning this change.

1. Approve the introduction of the following service changes for a trial period, beginning on February 13, 2000, noting that no comments were received in opposition to these changes:

· 303 DON MILLS - Overnight service on Thorncliffe Park Drive

· 37A ISLINGTON - Sunday and holiday evening service on Rexdale Boulevard

· 131 NUGGET - Revised service on Morningview Trail

· 72 PAPE and 121 FRONT-ESPLANADE - Revised service on Mill Street

· Pearson Airport - New service from Kipling Station

· 109 RANEE - Saturday late evening service

· 73 ROYAL YORK - Revised looping at Dixon Road

· 79 SCARLETT RD - Service on St. Clair Avenue

· 112 WEST MALL - Monday to Friday evening service to Disco Road

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

TORONTO TRANSIT COMMISSION

REPORT NO.

MEETING DATE: December 17, 1999

SUBJECT: 2000 SERVICE PLAN -- RESULTS OF CONSULTATION

RECOMMENDATIONS

It is recommended that the Commission:

1. Approve the introduction of the following service changes for a trial period, beginning on February 13, 2000, noting that no comments were received in opposition to these changes:

· 303 Don Mills -- Overnight service on Thorncliffe Park Drive

· 37A Islington -- Sunday and holiday evening service on Rexdale Boulevard

· 131 Nugget -- Revised service on Morningview Trail

· 72 Pape and 121 Front-Esplanade -- Revised service on Mill Street

· Pearson Airport -- New service from Kipling Station

· 109 Ranee -- Saturday late evening service

· 73 Royal York -- Revised looping at Dixon Road

· 312 St Clair -- Overnight service to Jane Station

· 79 Scarlett Rd -- Service on St. Clair Avenue

· 112 West Mall -- Monday to Friday evening service to Disco Road

11. Note that TTC staff are deferring the recommendation to remove Saturday, Sunday, and holiday evening service on the 160 Bathurst North route so that it may be considered in conjunction with the TTC's response to a request for a budget reduction from the City of Toronto.

12. Note that TTC staff will prepare a separate report, to be presented to the Commission at its meeting of January 12, 2000, which will address other issues which have arisen during the consultation period, concerning service to the University of Toronto at Scarborough and service on the 120 Calvington, 12 Kingston Rd, 130 Middlefield, and 131 Nugget routes.

13. Forward this report to the City of Toronto and all city councillors.

FUNDING

These service improvements will increase the TTC's revenues with no change in the overall cost of operating the TTC system because existing service resources will be re-allocated to accommodate the changes. The service improvements are expected to increase fare revenue by approximately $80,000 per year.

BACKGROUND

The TTC's mandate is to move people within the City of Toronto, and customers' expectations of the TTC are continually changing, as their travel needs evolve. In turn, the TTC must continuously adapt its network to best serve its customers. TTC staff use input from customers, as gathered through travel surveys and direct communications to plan improvements to the TTC's route network. Recommendations to change the TTC network are based on the best interests of transit customers.

Contributions from governments toward the cost of operating the TTC have fallen dramatically in recent years, to the point that over 80 percent of the cost of operating the TTC is now paid by customers, through their fares. The trend toward increased reliance on fare revenue has made it even more important to meet customers' travel needs; not only are the customers the TTC's sole reason for existence, they are now also, by far, the most important source of funding.

To meet its responsibility to continuously improve transit service, the TTC carries out a range of transit planning activities. One among these is the preparation of an annual service plan. The work to prepare a service plan begins by asking city councillors early in the year for suggestions for service improvements, and by collecting comments from customers and TTC employees. Through the spring and summer, TTC staff evaluate the proposals, to measure the benefits for customers, to compare the proposals to the TTC's financial standards, and to conduct physical route assessments. The service plan is presented to the Commission in the summer, and consultation with councillors is carried out through the fall.

The 2000 Service Plan was presented to the Commission at its meeting of September 1, 1999. The report recommended 10 service changes, designed to improve service for customers and thus increase ridership and revenue. These service changes include improved service on seven routes and new service on four routes.

The changes are expected to improve service for approximately 300,000 customer-trips each year, by reducing the distance that customers need to walk to or from their nearest bus stop, by reducing the number of transfers that they need to make, or by reducing their travel time. It is projected that these service increases will attract 55,000 new customer-trips to the TTC each year and, thus, increase revenues by approximately $80,000 each year. While the service changes increase the costs of operation on some individual routes, the total cost of operation of the TTC system will not change, because resources will be re-allocated from other routes and services in the system to accommodate these changes. The net effect of all of the changes is to improve the financial situation of the TTC.

The TTC's service standards process includes a period of consultation after the changes are presented to the Commission and before they are implemented, during which time comments are requested from city councillors. If requested, TTC staff also attend meetings of the community councils and public meetings, or provide additional information regarding the recommendations. At the end of the period of consultation, if no suggestions have been made to change the recommendations, or if no comments are received in opposition, then arrangements are made for the service changes to begin. If changes are suggested, TTC staff review these suggestions or concerns and report to the Commission before changes are made to the service.

The period of consultation for the 2000 Service Plan began upon the presentation of the report to the Commission on September 1, 1999, and continued until November 10, 1999.

This report presents the results of the consultation, and TTC staff responses to the comments that were made during the consultation. Appendix A lists the details of all of the comments that were received during the consultation.

DISCUSSION

Service changes with no opposing comments, to begin in February 2000

The following 10 service changes were recommended in the 2000 Service Plan. As no comments in opposition to these changes were received during the period of consultation, arrangements are being made for these service changes to be introduced, beginning in February 2000. It is recommended that the Commission approve the introduction of these changes, because they will improve service for customers. Further details about these changes can be found in the excerpt from the 2000 Service Plan that is attached to this report.

· 303 Don Mills -- Overnight service on Thorncliffe Park Drive

· 37A Islington -- Sunday and holiday evening service on Rexdale Boulevard

· 131 Nugget -- Revised service on Morningview Trail

· 72 Pape and 121 Front-Esplanade -- Revised service on Mill Street

· Pearson Airport -- New service from Kipling Station

· 109 Ranee -- Saturday late evening service

· 73 Royal York -- Revised looping at Dixon Road

· 312 St Clair -- Overnight service to Jane Station

· 79 Scarlett Rd -- Service on St. Clair Avenue

· 112 West Mall -- Monday to Friday evening service to Disco Road

Recommendation to reduce service on 160 Bathurst North deferred

TTC staff recommended in the 2000 Service Plan that Saturday, Sunday, and holiday evening service be removed from the 160 Bathurst North route, because of low ridership and poor financial performance. This route duplicates service provided by the 7 Bathurst route at these times but allows customers to make a transfer-free trip to Wilson Station, if they wish. During the evening on weekends and holidays, relatively few customers use this special service.

This recommendation is being deferred for consideration at a future meeting of the Commission, so that it may be considered in conjunction with the TTC's response to a request from the City of Toronto for a budget reduction. City staff have asked the TTC to identify possible budget reductions of $15-million to $38-million in 2000. Budget reductions of this magnitude would require the elimination of service from many parts of the TTC network. If such budget reductions were required, some or all of the services with poor financial performance, listed in Appendix B of the 2000 Service Plan, would be considered for service reductions or for complete elimination. The TTC's service budget for 2000, as currently proposed by staff, however, does not require that any service eliminations be implemented in 2000.

Planned reductions in service deferred

The 2000 Service Plan included descriptions of reductions in the frequency of service that were being planned to begin in January 2000 on 29 routes with low ridership and poor financial performance. These reductions are not being made for January but are also being deferred for consideration in conjunction with the City's request for reductions in the TTC's operating budget.

Issues for further discussion

A report will be prepared for the Commission meeting of January 12, 2000, to discuss other issues which have arisen during the consultation period, as described further in Appendix A. These are:

· A proposal for direct service from Scarborough Centre Station to the University of Toronto at Scarborough.

· A proposal to provide new service during the midday from Monday to Friday on the 120 Calvington route.

· A proposal to provide continuous service east of St. Clair Avenue on the 12 Kingston Rd route.

· A proposal to provide new Sunday service on the 130 Middlefield route.

· Suggestions for further modifications to the service east of Morningside Avenue provided by the 131 Nugget route.

JUSTIFICATION

The service changes from the 2000 Service Plan will improve service for approximately 300,000 customer-trips each year by making service more convenient, more direct, and faster. The recommended service changes are being introduced to attract new customers to the TTC and thus generate increased fare revenue, and to improve service for customers without increasing operating costs.

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

November 29, 1999

11-76

Attachments: Appendix A

Excerpt from 2000 Service Plan

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF CONSULTATION

This appendix gives details of the consultation that has taken place on the service changes proposed in the 2000 Service Plan.

Distribution and request for comments

Copies of the 2000 Service Plan were distributed in September 1999 to all city councillors. The September 10, 1999, letter to all councillors from the TTC's General Secretary passed-on the Commission's request for councillors to provide comments on the service changes proposed in the report by November 10, 1999.

Etobicoke Community Council

Etobicoke Community Council considered a City staff report about the TTC's 2000 Service Plan at its meeting of November 9, 1999, and made the following comment. TTC staff remarks are shown in italics.

· Community Council approved a recommendation that City of Toronto Transportation Services Division staff and TTC staff examine the viability, and costs associated, with a "bus only" connection from Richview Road to Eglinton Avenue West, and, further, that City of Toronto staff postpone the design or construction of the proposed bus-only access until the TTC's post-implementation review of the new 73B Royal York (Royal York Stn-Eglinton and La Rose) service has been completed. TTC staff agree that work on this bus-only road access should await the completion of the post-implementation review of the new service. Ridership counts on the service are now underway, and the review will be presented to the Commission early in 2000.

Scarborough Community Council

Scarborough Community Council considered a City staff report about the TTC's 2000 Service Plan at its meeting of November 9, 1999, and made the following comments. TTC staff remarks are shown in italics.

· Community Council requested the to TTC review the establishment of regular Sunday service on Pharmacy Avenue north of Highway 401. This proposal will be evaluated in the 2001 Service Plan.

· Community Council requested the TTC to change the proposed 30-minute interval for the 134 Tapscott route during the midday from Monday to Friday to a 25-minute interval. As noted in this report, the plans for service reductions are being deferred until after the TTC's budget for 2000 is set.

· Community Council requested the TTC to investigate the viability of increasing direct service between either Kennedy or McCowan stations and the University of Toronto at Scarborough, and to seek input from representatives of the University of Toronto and its Students' Administrative Committee. A proposal for direct service between Scarborough Centre Station and the University of Toronto at Scarborough was evaluated for the 2000 Service Plan. Further information on this issue will be presented to the Commission in a report for the meeting of January 12, 2000.

· Community Council requested the TTC to review its public notification policy to ensure that the public is advised, either through newspaper advertising or other means, of the transit service changes proposed prior to their implementation. TTC customers are advised of all major service changes by notices posted on bus stops and at subway stations.

· Community Council requested the TTC to ensure that intervals remain at 30 minutes from Monday to Friday and at 20 minutes for Saturdays on the 67 Pharmacy service north of Highway 401. As noted in this report, the plans for service reductions are being deferred until after the TTC's budget for 2000 is set.

· Community Council requested the TTC to reinstate the 12C Kingston Rd service. A separate report on this issue is being prepared for presentation to the Commission at its meeting of January 12, 2000.

· Community Council requested the TTC to reinstate the 15-minute interval for the 139 Huntingwood route. The interval between buses on this route is presently 17 minutes in the morning peak period and 15 minutes in the afternoon peak period from Monday to Friday. As noted in this report, the plans for service reductions are being deferred until after the TTC's budget for 2000 is set.

· Community Council reported that it endorsed the policy that the interval between buses on any route should not exceed 30 minutes. The TTC's standard is that service will operate no less frequently than every 30 minutes, unless a service has such poor financial performance that it would otherwise be removed. In that case only, an interval of more than 30 minutes (but not more than 60) would be operated, because a less-frequent service is preferred over complete removal of the service.

Planning and Transportation Committee

The Planning and Transportation Committee of City Council considered the TTC's 2000 Service Plan at its meeting of October 26, 1999, and made the following comments. TTC staff remarks are shown in italics.

· The committee recommended that the TTC be requested to consider enacting a proactive programme for extending bus services, especially on routes with revenue-cost ratios over 60 percent. The TTC carries out a range of transit planning activities which are governed by the TTC's service standards. Service is routinely increased when ridership is high on any route, the hours of service are often extended when ridership is high on the present first or last trip, and major improvements to service are recommended each year in the annual service plan. Improvements in service are recommended for all routes, and are not restricted by the financial performance of the route.

· The committee recommended that as the inconvenience of increased waiting time on a number of routes is an important consideration to transit users, the TTC in future document the number of customer-trips that would be inconvenienced by each service reduction. TTC staff will include this information in future years' service plans.

Councillor Ashton (Scarborough Bluffs)

Councillor Ashton has written to the TTC, further to the evaluation in the 2000 Service Plan of extending the 12 Kingston Rd route to provide a direct service between points east of and west of St. Clair Avenue. The former 12C Kingston Rd (Victoria Park Stn-Morningside) service was removed in February 1999, after approval by the Commission as part of the 1999 Service Plan. After the service was removed, some customers contacted the TTC and the councillors for the area and asked that the service be reinstated. Further information on this issue will be presented to the Commission in a report for the meeting of January 12, 2000.

Councillor Augimeri (Black Creek)

Councillor Augimeri contacted TTC staff to express her strong support for new service during the midday from Monday to Friday on the 120 Calvington route. This proposal was evaluated for the 2000 Service Plan and was not recommended, because the service would not meet the TTC's financial standard. Councillor Augimeri would like to address the Commission on this matter. Further information on this issue will be presented to the Commission in a report for the meeting of January 12, 2000.

Councillor Balkissoon (Scarborough Malvern)

Councillor Balkissoon met with TTC staff to discuss several transit issues in the northeastern part of the city:

· Recommended new routing for the 131 Nugget route -- Councillor Balkissoon arranged a public meeting, which was held on November 25, 1999, and which was attended by TTC staff. The local transit customers who attended generally supported the recommended new route, but also had several suggestions to further modify the service. Further information on these suggestions will be presented to the Commission in a report for the meeting of January 12, 2000. In the interim, Councillor Balkissoon supports the introduction of the recommended route change.

· Proposal for Sunday service on 130 Middlefield -- This proposal was evaluated for the 2000 Service Plan, and was not recommended, because the service would not meet the TTC's financial standard. Councillor Balkissoon is assisting TTC staff to gather more data about potential ridership to religious establishments in the area. Further information on this issue will be presented to the Commission in a report for the meeting of January 12, 2000.

· Proposal for direct service between Scarborough Centre Station and the University of Toronto at Scarborough -- This proposal was evaluated for the 2000 Service Plan. Further information on this issue will be presented to the Commission in a report for the meeting of January 12, 2000.

Councillor Jones (Lakeshore-Queensway)

Councillor Jones wrote to the TTC, and asked to be kept informed of the results of the consultation process with respect to the planned service improvement on the 80 Queensway route and service reduction on the 110 Islington South route. As noted in this report, the plans for service reductions are being deferred until after the TTC's budget for 2000 is set.

Other communications from councillors about the 2000 Service Plan

Councillor McConnell has written to the TTC to request that weekend service be increased on the 65 Parliament route. Service on this route is now provided between approximately 5:15 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and between approximately 5:15 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays. Evening and Sunday service on this route was removed in 1996, as part of the TTC's response to reductions in funding for transit from the provincial and municipal governments. Proposals for service later in the evening on Saturdays and new service on Sundays and holidays will be evaluated for the 2001 Service Plan.

Communications from others about the 2000 Service Plan

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority has written to the TTC and expressed their support for TTC service on the 58 Malton route to Terminal 3. TTC staff have arranged a meeting with GTAA staff to discuss ridership and other information about Terminal 3. TTC staff will use any new information received from the airport authority to re-evaluate the projection of ridership to Terminal 3, and will report back to the Commission if any changes are recommended.