Heather Brown of Toronto writes:
I understand that buses need to pull within a foot of the
curb -- is this right? This has been my biggest gripe against the TTC for
a couple of years now, since having hip problems and (difficulty) getting
off and on buses. During the winter, bus drivers use the excuse of snow
drifts and being unable to get into the curb. During the rest of the year,
they don't have a leg to stand on, but use parked cars as an excuse --
even if (the cars are far from) the stop! I just can't believe that
drivers, who stop thousands of time a day, can't stop their bus perfectly
nearly every time -- if they really want.
Driving a big vehicle in Toronto traffic is not easy, yet
TTC drivers often win national and international contests for their skill.
That being said, it’s hard to confirm whether sloppy stopping is an
isolated problem or more widespread. The TTC closely measures and reports
on things like delays and collisions, but when it comes to poor driving,
the only way to keep tabs on the situation is through rider complaints and
the direct observations of transit supervisors when they are out on the
routes.
Howard Smith, the TTC’s superintendent of surface transit,
says buses must stop within 10 to 15 centimeters of the curb, which “makes
it a nice stepping distance.” He says that although parked cars, snow or
construction may keep the bus from stopping at the edge of the street,
“under normal operating conditions there is no excuse for an operator not
pulling within 4 to 6 inches, but in fact most will probably nearly brush
the curb with the tire.”
The TTC relies on riders themselves to say which problems
they think are widespread. Says Smith, “The number of complaints that come
in about that specific issue are few and far between.” It falls to the
TTC’s uniformed and plainclothes supervisors to monitor whether bus
drivers are performing well, and to weed out bad apples. But what happens
if more than a few employees start to get sloppy on a particular
procedure? Smith points out that much depends on whether there is a
supervisor present to catch a transgression, “bearing in mind we’ve got
4,000 operators and 159 supervisors.
While customers may count on buses pulling up to the curb,
drivers often have to think about how to get back into traffic. A new
“Yield to Bus” rule may make their job easier. The law, set to take effect
across Ontario on January 2, will require other vehicles to slow or stop
when a bus signals its intent to pull into traffic. Currently, TTC
operators wait for motorists to voluntarily give way. Jim Sinikas, a
senior project engineer with the TTC, explains “The legislation...
requires that motorists yield the right of way -- it doesn’t allow our
operators to take the right of way, so they still have to ensure that
approaching vehicles are coming to a stop and are able to stop before they
move out into traffic.”
There are similar laws in Quebec and British Columbia, as
well as in the U.S. The Ontario government is planning a public education
campaign for early December, including ads on the backs of buses. Special
decals will be affixed to buses when the law takes effect. Motorists will
face fines if they do not obey, but considering how many traffic laws are
currently unenforced, it remains to see how well this new rule will work.
If drivers only obey because they fear being caught, then the lack of
officers on the streets will doom the new initiative. However, just like
bus drivers who pull to the curb because it is the right thing to do,
there are also many motorists out there who already give way to buses.
Send e-mail to transit@eddrass.com. Include name and phone
number.