Mayor John Tory and Members of City Council
City Hall, 100 Queen St. W.
Toronto, ON, M5H 2N2
Cc: Premier Wynne
Re: Time for two hour fare transfers
Dear Mayor Tory and Members of City Council,
We are writing to ask you to support the introduction of two hour fare transfers in 2018.
The TTC Board will soon begin voting on the TTC’s plan to increase ridership on the TTC. This plan is called the Ridership Growth Strategy. The Ridership Growth Strategy will be recommending two hour fare transfers so riders can travel freely for two hours without having to pay again if they exit and then reenter the TTC within that time window.
Here are some key reasons why two hour fare transfers will benefit Toronto.
- Two-hour transfers will give transit riders more travel freedom. Approximately half of the TTC’s 1.8 million transit riders use tokens and cash to access the TTC.
- It worked in St Clair West. The two hour fare transfer system was used along the St Clair West streetcar route with great success for riders and local businesses until it was cancelled earlier this year.
- Two-hour transfers are great for local businesses. They encourage foot traffic, business and tourism on streets close to TTC routes because riders can easily leave the TTC to shop and then board again.
- Ridership growth. As an attractive alternative to car use for short errands, the two hour transfer contributes to the City of Toronto’s plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
- Other cities have successfully introduced time-based transfer systems. Edmonton, Brampton, York, Durham, Hamilton, Mississauga, Ottawa, New York, Cleveland and Montreal all have time based transfer systems. If these cities can do it, so can we.
- Two-hours transfers align with provincial transit guidelines. To attract and retain transit riders, transit must be competitive with the cost of using an automobile. Transfers can be simplified to offer short-term, unlimited, directionally unrestricted rides to encourage transit use for quick errands.
- A two-hour transfer system is easy to implement. The PRESTO system, which the TTC is rolling out, is more easily able to calculate time-based transfers than the more complicated transfer system the TTC currently uses.
What we are asking of you is to to introduce two hour fare transfers in 2018 to encourage ridership and make the TTC the best way.