Toronto's Public Transit Myth

After suffering through another televised yak-fest with Toronto's redoubtable Mayor Miller yet again defending this city's absurd "public" transit system, the time has come for "private" drivers across the GTA to cease their silent acceptance of this assinine system.

On City-TV during his recurring call-in show, Miller again trumpeted the age old decree and toed the company line that yes Toronto's transit system is world-class, but alas it will require larger infusions of tax dollars to maintain the current level of service. (Tangent #1: any area, agency or affilliate that insists on referring to itself as "world class" simply isn't. By definition, the designation is bestowed by awe-struck outsiders, not preening wannabees.)

The crisis (as the case last year, and the year before, etc) is that the cost of running the buses, subway trains and streetcars has risen, so more cash from - choose one of: Metro, Queen's Park, Parliament Hill, Norad, Nato or the Planet Zafod - is needed to keep the transit system afloat. (Tangent#2: Wherever the cash comes from - its still out of the same car-driving, home-owning, business-running folks) its Without this additional cash, transit Armaggedon will befall us and the great Mega-city of Toronto will be ground to a halt by all the transit dependant workers who will quit jobs because of the reduced service levels sure to ensue. Oh, the brazen megacity of it all.
(Everyone now take a deep, shock filled breath and then self-administer CPR to negate the unexpected shock.)

As Kurt Vonnegut would say, and so it goes.

But what of all the tens of thousands of car drivers that quietly put up with this ever upwardly spirally taxation every year? Isn't it time their voices were heard?

Here's the (not so) radical three step program drivers can follow immediately to let their Civic leaders know they are mad as hell . . . etc.

1)Refuse to pay a calculated portion of your property taxes that equals the expenditure the city makes on transit. Imagine if that billion or so dollars was redirected into keeping streets and highways without potholes, creating new thoroughfares and roads, and all the economic benefit that would generate.

2) Ignore the "Transit only" lane signs on major city streets. Let's get the police writing tickets until their pens run dry, and then we'll battle in court that curtailing lanes during the busiest times of day only achieves the exact opposite effect wanted - MORE traffic jams. With all the taxes levied on car owners (car purchase, tires, licensing, gas) they deserve MORE road space, not less.

3) Refuse to yield to Buses and streetcars. In fact, cut them off every chance you get. Do not give into this "I-drive-a-bus-so-I-am-God" business. If you are early for work and have some reading material on hand, stage a stalled engine schick dead smack on a street car line.
That'll learn 'em.


If there is to be any investment into transit, let it be the subways, a system that compliments and doesn't compete with private transit. Subways work, surface devices don't (see Montreal). Also, encourage free-lance transit. Let anyone with a minivan that wants to run a daily route go ahead. It is amazing how efficient self-interested drivers can be (see Manila). Finally, do everything possible to flood the city with taxi cabs. Unlike streetcars, cabs CAN get around impediments in the street. (see Manhattan).

Bottom line: The case for surface public transit is not a valid one. In truth, world class cities don't clog the streets with antiquities like street cars. Eliminate the beasts, and buses too.After all, if one can't afford to own and drive a car in Toronto, then move to Calgary.