Latest StatsCan report confirms all our stereotypes about commuting in the GTA
Statistics Canada’s latest report about commuting across Canada came out yesterday, and there are lot of interesting goodies in there (to the point that the Toronto Star basically geeked out and ran a half-dozen different stories). The numbers for Toronto basically confirm every stereotype we previously held about ways to get around this city.
Some highlights from from the Statscan report (here in PDF):
• People who take transit on average have a commute 20 minutes longer than those who drive. Yup, getting around by TTC is slower than driving.
• Drivers almost entirely refuse to take transit if there’s any other option (with 85 per cent of car users saying they’ve never taken transit).
• People with longer commutes (car or transit) feel more stressed out.
• Pedestrians and cyclists are the happiest commuters of all, giving statistical weight to the common belief that they’re all smug hipsters.
One thing that stood out was the fact that other cities actually do a better job with transit, as measured by the additional time it adds to a trip. In Montreal, transit only adds nine minutes to a daily commute. The report doesn’t give an explanation about why this is—is Montreal’s Metro better than our subway, or is the gridlock worse?—so for now we’ll just say that whether we’re in a mood to defend transit or not, it’s pretty clear that Toronto doesn’t do it perfectly. But then we knew that too.
• Commuting to work: Results of the 2010 General Social Survey [Statistics Canada]
• The route to commuter happiness? Two wheels [Toronto Star]
• 85% of drivers have never used transit [Globe and Mail]
• Bus-and-subway slog takes nearly an hour [Toronto Star]
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Statistics Canada’s latest report about commuting across Canada came out yesterday, and there are lot of interesting goodies in there (to the point that the Toronto Star basically geeked out and ran a half-dozen different stories). The numbers for Toronto basically confirm every stereotype we previously held about ways to get around this city.
Some highlights from from the Statscan report (here in PDF):
• People who take transit on average have a commute 20 minutes longer than those who drive. Yup, getting around by TTC is slower than driving.
• Drivers almost entirely refuse to take transit if there’s any other option (with 85 per cent of car users saying they’ve never taken transit).
• People with longer commutes (car or transit) feel more stressed out.
• Pedestrians and cyclists are the happiest commuters of all, giving statistical weight to the common belief that they’re all smug hipsters.
One thing that stood out was the fact that other cities actually do a better job with transit, as measured by the additional time it adds to a trip. In Montreal, transit only adds nine minutes to a daily commute. The report doesn’t give an explanation about why this is—is Montreal’s Metro better than our subway, or is the gridlock worse?—so for now we’ll just say that whether we’re in a mood to defend transit or not, it’s pretty clear that Toronto doesn’t do it perfectly. But then we knew that too.
• Commuting to work: Results of the 2010 General Social Survey [Statistics Canada]
• The route to commuter happiness? Two wheels [Toronto Star]
• 85% of drivers have never used transit [Globe and Mail]
• Bus-and-subway slog takes nearly an hour [Toronto Star]){kind=link}
Being a resident in Toronto (and have also lived in Vancouver and Edmonton), I can understand why Toronto transit system seems to be a lagging factor in commute time to work. One would think that with extensive and regular TTC and Metrolinx transit system, commute time should be LESS than other CMA of over 1 million in population. The contrary is true, however. Toronto subway system lacks the coverage within Toronto. In order to be within walking distance to a subway station, there are very limited communities to live in Toronto. You have few options: live close to Bloor Line (east or west); live in downtown core (plus street cars access); live along Yonge (as far north to Finch); live along parts of Spinda and parts of Bathhurt area). Besides these neighbourhoods, a typical downtown commuter would have to take connecting buses which add a substantial amount of traveling time. What we need is another east-west connecting line that can bring in more commuters to city centre without the need of connecting bus lines. A huge benefit is that there will be fewer buses on the road (help the vehicular traffic), and more carless commuters can get to different neighbourhoods without 1) taking connecting buses 2) travel to transfer stations like Yonge/Bloor/St. George. What we need is another line running from North West quadrant (Westin neighbourhood for example) of the city all the way to St. George (transfer station) then to Union (transfer as well), and then extend back to west to King Street West/Queen/Dundas. There are many possibilities. Extend an existing line is important, but it is not as important as CREATING another subway line that can connect many more communities within Toronto.
I agree with your comment, transit user. If only there was a plan for extending the transit system by putting transit in areas that really need improved access, such as along Finch.
Oh…wait. Crap.