The better way? Try the Red Line. Or the A Train. Or the …

I was away in New York City over New Year’s (Times Square -“Whoo-hoo! Sure I’ll kiss ya, but not on that cold sore!” - and all that jazz), and had a blast. You want crowded? Half the world it seems was there to do the Dick Clark and there wasn’t an alley on the island of Manhattan south of the Park that wasn’t alive with people.

Getting around was a breeze, thanks to the subway (we did take three cabs).  We got up and down the island, east and west, in crowded cars a lot quicker (and cheaper) than if we’d plied the surface-dweller route (yeah, we walked and walked too).

Then … we came back to Mayberry (look that one up, kids).

Now I know that three days does not a statistical comparison make, but in New York we never found one subway station closed, part of the system down, or a train delayed. In my first three days back in town, the TTC’s subway system was either delayed or had sections closed for whatever reason each and every day.

On my first morning back at work, the train (“$3.00 please and thank you, sir”) from Union to St. Clair took about 40 minutes due to an announced signal problem at Davisville. (You know what’s at Davisville, donchya? TTC headquarters.) I guess the weather was to blame. Davisville is outdoors, and I guess winter sort of crept in unannounced.               Again.

The trip should take about 15 minutes. That’s a guess, really, as I’ve never accurately measured the time because, in the past two months of using it, I’ve suffered too many stoppages to gauge what’s regular service and what’s out of the ordinary.

Now while I’m certain that New York’s subway has delays and shutdowns, the back-to-back experiences sent me on a search. Consider the following:

-    The TTC’s subway has four lines (if you count the five-station Sheppard line and six-station Scarborough RT as one each). New York has 26 “routes”, meaning some lines have more than one route on the same section of tunnel.
-    The TTC has 74 stations, NYC has 468. If you count those stations that give you access to multiple lines (Bloor, St. George, Spadina) as one station instead of two, the TTC has 71 stations. NYC has only 421.
-    The majority of NYC’s subway system was built before WW II (Bing alert, kids!). And yes, many stations look it. Toronto? They didn’t pull out the garden weasel till 1954.
-    The TTC averages about 935,000 rides on its subway every weekday. NYC? Over five million.
-    And now the clincher: adult single cash fare on the TTC? The aforementioned $3.00. NYC’s? $2.25 (granted, it is an American dollar).

 

My point (finally) is this: New York is arguably the greatest city in the world, despite its many warts. And while its subway is only one small part of what makes the city so great, it’s a necessary part. The city wouldn’t exist like it does without it. Old and dirty, yes, but it moves people efficiently and at a reasonable price, given the service. It does so because the city and its people demand it.

Here? The TTC welcomes people back to the new fare with breakdowns and/or delays on its two (+ plus two little bits) lines every workday of the New Year. And this after the commission stopped selling tokens in December to avoid hoarding. (Hey! Brain trust! Why do companies love to sell gift cards? Because they get income NOW that they can put in the bank without having to shell out expenses. And there’s the added bonus that  people may lose the cards – and buy more -  or never use them at all, adding to the bottom line.)

How does the TTC get away with it? Because we – you and I – let them. Until we demand service for the fare and simply keep on taking what they give us, we’ll get no more. And we’ll deserve it.

God bless NYC.

 

John Schmied for Toronto News 24