ttc bus

TTC buses are totally packed again and people are worried

Crowding on TTC buses has been a major concern throughout lockdowns, and many Toronto residents are once again worried about the dangers packed vehicles will present this winter in light of service cuts and rising cases. 

Toronto commuter Rocco Signorile brought attention to the issue, as he has many times in the past two years, when he posted a photo on Twitter last week showing a bus full of transit users packed in like sardines on the 123C.

Overcrowding has also been a hot topic since the transit agency announced service changes and cuts as a result of staff suspensions related to its mandatory vaxx policy, which came into effect on Nov. 21. 

But as of that date, the TTC said 92 per cent of the agency's 15,061 active employees had shared their vaccination status, with "the vast majority" already fully vaxxed.

The agency also said ridership was only at approximately 50 per cent of pre-lockdown levels, leading many to question why service levels can't seem to keep up with demand. 

At a TTC board meeting on Wednesday, however, a TTC official acknowledged that there were service cuts even before staff suspensions for non-compliance with the vaxx mandate.

Meanwhile, as the weather gets colder and cases of the virus rise, Toronto residents are becoming increasingly concerned about the risks of taking public transit this winter, including subways and streetcars as well as buses. 

In response to an online complaint about the issue from a commuter last week, TTC Customer Service said "As more people start returning to the system there will be crowded vehicles, especially during rush hour."

Lead photo by

Rocco Signorile


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