After a fare hike
and tumultuous labour negotiations, TTC riders might be in the mood
for some good news. There is word the country's largest transit
agency is considering a major shift in its fare policy by offering
transferable Metropasses. The TTC had already announced plans to
introduce a weekly transit pass for this September, one that would
not require the user to show identification. Currently, monthly
Metropass holders must show either a special TTC photo ID card or a
drivers licence along with the pass. The proposed new rules would
permit more than one person to use a pass, but not at the same time,
nor hand it back to another person after using.
Details are still
waiting to be filled in, but TTC chair Howard Moscoe tells In
Transit that a press conference is scheduled for Thursday in front
of Toronto City Hall, and the Metropass change will be among the
announcements. He confirmed that Mayor David Miller and he would be
at the conference, and "The pass is going to be transferable, the
weekly pass will be out at the same time... and we're also
introducing a new bus on Thursday -- one of the new hybrid buses."
Asked to verify
whether the new style passes would be sold starting in the fall,
Moscoe said, "I suspect that's probably the earliest we can do it,
but I'm not absolutely sure. The details are still being worked
out." The transit commission, which is made up of city councillors,
would apparently still have to approve the change.
TTC spokesperson
Mike DeToma confirms that a transferable monthly pass could cost $1
million in lost revenues over the first four months. If the
Metropass stays at its current price of $98.75, the TTC might lose
income as users lend their pass to friends or family when they are
not using it.
The first sign that
the transit commission had developed a new attitude about the
Metropass was during the recent fare hike in March. For the first
time, the price of the pass did not increase along with tokens,
tickets and cash fare. Also this year, there have been proposals to
expand the number of people who can use the TTC day pass on
Saturdays, and to extend the amount of time that customers can use
paper transfers on the 512 St. Clair streetcar.
Bob Brent, former
chief marketing officer of the TTC, says strong Metropass sales
brought millions more riders to the TTC in the 1990s. He says, "I'm
really pleased that they are focusing their efforts on the Metropass
because it is transit's greatest weapon against cars -- to (help)
make transit faster, more convenient and a better value than the
car." His only caution is that making the monthly pass transferable
"may cost revenue -- but the truth is that the TTC has been so
conservative of revenue over the years that maybe it's a risk worth
taking." Readers, would this expected rule change convince you to
start buying the Metropass?