The 44 Kipling South TTC bus is one of four that will be providing better service for South Etobicoke commuters.
South Etobicoke TTC bus users starting on May 12 are being promised shorter wait times, quicker trips and less crowding on the network.
At least three TTC South Etobicoke bus services will obtain faster service, according to City officials.
The TTC head Rick Leary said the Commission is increasing service to near pre-COVID levels on select routes.
The upgrades comes as a result of customer feedback as ridership overall has returned to 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. The move will affect the 44 Kipling South, 76 Royal York South, 123 Sherway and 111 East Mall bus routes
Improved service with less wait or crowds is also promised on the 123 Sherway bus route.
The South Etobicoke routes are among 24 which will have services boost due to complaints, according to the TTC.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow was joined by TTC Chair Jamaal Myers, TTC Commissioner, Councillor Paul Ainslie, and Leary, in Scarborough on May 7 to announce the service increase.
Customer feedback has played a crucial role in shaping these improvements, and we are committed to continually enhancing our services to meet customer needs, said Leary.
Better service and more TTC buses also promised on the Royal York South route.
“We are investing more than ever in the TTC to ensure that buses arrive sooner, with more room on board, and that your commutes are faster and more reliable,” said Chow. “I am focused on delivering better TTC service to all customers, without increasing fares.”
Myers said TTC service has increased to 96 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
“We are improving the daily commutes for thousands of customers, including in our suburbs,” he said
Twenty-four bus routes will see improved service, mostly in off-peak periods, providing more room on board and improving more than 140,000 daily customer trips.
Mayor Olivia Chow and other officials announce the TTC bus service increase in Scarborough.
Myers said that as of the end of April, weekday trips on the TTC reached 82 per cent of 2019 levels, with an average of 2.52 million daily boardings. He said ridership on the city’s bus network is currently at 91 per cent capacity.
Last year service across the TTC was boosted from 91 to 95 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in order to meet growing ridership. The TTC has said that it is hoping ridership will reach 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year.
The TTC said the service increase will add thousands of service hours across the city at all times of the day. The increase will be coming in the form of additional buses; larger, articulated buses to reduce crowding on busy routes, and increased frequency to match demand.
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Board on Dec. 20 approved a 2024 C$2.6 billion ($1.95 billion) operating budget that “freezes fares, continues to increase service, and invests millions of dollars in system safety and cleanliness.”Dec 22, 2023