The month of
September is ushering in some important changes for transit
commuters across greater Toronto. You’ll find new or altered service
on the TTC, throughout York Region, in Mississauga and Brampton as
well as on GO Transit.
If you use the
TTC regularly, the most significant update affects transit passes.
Starting September 1, users of the monthly adult Metropass will no
longer be required to show accompanying identification. Students and
seniors will have to continue showing ID.
There is also a
new weekly TTC pass available -- and it too is transferable. You can
let someone else use the pass, but only after completing your trip.
There’s also
good news for those who use the TTC outside rush hour. As part of
the long-awaited Ridership Growth Strategy, more streetcars and
buses will be added to many of the busiest routes. This means
vehicles may come more often during mid-day, evenings or weekends.
Visit www.ttc.ca for details, and don’t forget to look up the
changes for streetcars at Broadview station and new overnight bus
service on Steeles, Sheppard and Lawrence Avenues.
This weekend,
York Region will debut greater Toronto’s newest form of transit.
Viva is a system of special buses on dedicated lines, including
Yonge Street and along Highway 7. Stops are less frequent than on
regular bus routes, and vehicles get priority at main intersections.
Ticketing is the same as York Region Transit (YRT), but you will
have to validate your fare before boarding a Viva bus.
York Region
officials hope Viva will appeal to automobile drivers, especially if
bus-only lanes can be built in the future, allowing express buses to
by-pass traffic congestion. Viva service will begin in stages
through the autumn, and some of the people who currently use GO
Transit buses may switch to Viva.
Riders on GO’s
Yonge Street routes should keep their eyes out for changes this
weekend and in November. New timetables for GO’s North corridor
should be available soon, or check online at www.gotransit.com to
see if your commute will be affected. In other parts of the GO
network, look for updates to the Georgetown service and lines
serving universities.
If you live or
work west of Toronto, you may have some surprises starting this
weekend. Mississauga Transit (MT) patrons need to prepare for
Tuesday, September 6. Many bus route names are changing, new routes
will be launched and there will be routing changes on some lines.
It will be up
to MT officials to be ensure that riders are adequately warned of
the differences, but just in case -- call ahead. GTA transit riders
can look up any agency’s website via www.findtheway.ca.
Earlier this
year, Brampton Transit was substantially reconfigured with some bus
lines disappearing or being rerouted. More frequent service and
other changes will take effect starting Tuesday, September 6.
On a last note,
be aware that labour disruptions could affect Oakville Transit as
soon as 12:01 a.m. Friday, September 2.