Trains have been halted in both directions along Toronto's busy Bloor-Danforth subway line between Jane and Ossington Stations, according to TTC officials — and just in time for the morning rush hour.
There's currently no TTC subway service between Jane and Ossington. Hundreds are trying to get on shuttle buses - 📹 @MMarcell1M
— blogTO (@blogTO) January 22, 2020
#Toronto #TTC pic.twitter.com/F0jXTgPHsN
The transit commission announced around 6:30 a.m. that there would be no service on the westerly portion of Line 2 while they worked to "fix a mechanical problem."
Some 100 shuttle buses were sent out and are now running along Bloor Street to pick up the slack, but, as usual, there's not nearly enough space to accommodate everybody going to work or school this chilly Wednesday morning.
Waited for the shuttle an hour and this was still ahead of me. There were people yelling, people giving up and going home (like me), seniors looking upset. All of us freezing. Please try and give us a time estimate. We have jobs to get to. pic.twitter.com/5MnGFSMM5s
— Sam Holmes (@samholmestweets) January 22, 2020
TTC spokesperson Stuart Green blames the service suspension on "a partial derailment of one of the middle cars of a train that was leaving Keele Yard."
Crews are currently assessing the cause of the derailment and working on a rerailing plan, but Green said at 7:30 that the problem would still take "a few hours to resolve."
Just another Wednesday morning in Toronto #ttc pic.twitter.com/Y3haOJlKO2
— Pete (@Pete_Nguy) January 22, 2020
Fortunately, while Line 2 is down, TTC customers can transfer to GO Trains for free at Union, Kipling, Weston and Bloor Stations.
This should help people with longer journeys, but those who are simply trying to get from one stop on Line 2 to another are effectively out of luck.
This is Jane stn@just before 8am.
— やまだ(YAMADA) (@melon0538) January 22, 2020
My husband could catch a shuttle bus for 1 hour because they didn’t organize. You need luck for getting it, not by turn. #TTC pic.twitter.com/AKW31ETqGe
Passengers are reporting immense crowding at most stations affected by the service stoppage.
Commuter chaos! This is what happens when there is no TTC subway service between Jane and Ossington stations - 📹 @Pete_Nguy #Toronto #TTC pic.twitter.com/ryqKdnOiYn
— blogTO (@blogTO) January 22, 2020
In many cases, customers have been waiting for more than an hour to board a shuttle bus — if they've even seen a shuttle bus come by at all.
Line for shuttle bus wraps around the block. It was a nightmare getting out of the station. I’m so happy the #ttc is raising fares again. pic.twitter.com/D6QxjezdDS
— Josiah (@NoUseForJosiah) January 22, 2020
Commuters are once again facing difficult decisions about whether to be late for work or to shell out an astronomical amount of money for an Uber or Lyft.
"Good morning to everyone but Uber and Lyft for raising fares to $112 for a $20 trip during TTC closures," tweeted one Torontonian, reflecting the sentiments of many.
This is why people get cars, congest traffic, and create pollution. Transit isn’t reliable. Uber takes advantage of the desperation. (For context, this ride is normally roughly $20) pic.twitter.com/824Q227CcU
— Sam Holmes (@samholmestweets) January 22, 2020
Even those who can somehow find cabs or will pay more than $100 to get to work are still miffed by the fact that they won't get any sort of refund for their transit fare.
"Stuck in the cold. Surrounded by crowds of negative energy and frustration. No TTC shuttle buses," wrote one commuter on Twitter. "Starting to lose sensation in my fingertips. Until this one gentleman yelled: 'TTC, Take The Car.' And so I did find an Uber... My TTC fare today is a donation!"
Hey Toronto City Council? Can we properly fund the TTC please? I need to get to work. pic.twitter.com/DrMJBOa682
— erin (@why_erin) January 22, 2020
The situation is bad, to say the least, and with no immediate end in sight, people are starting to lose their cool.
Overhearing a guy yelling at his new boss who is expecting him to still come into work. He just said “I know you’re new and all but I never liked you and I quit!” #ttc
— Sannah Choi (@SannahChoi) January 22, 2020
"Eventually there will be casualties from a TTC meltdown-induced stampede because every level of government thinks they shouldn't have to fund public transit," commented one angry citizen. "This is embarrassing."
Me: Where the hell is my bus? It's not even snowing.
— Casey Wolfgang // (@CaseyToGo) January 22, 2020
TTC: https://t.co/TNCFin7Srx
Services remain suspended between Ossington and Jane Stations on Line 2 as of 9:15 a.m.
Bosses, be kind to your late employees today. They'll likely need some compassion after waiting for hours to get on a packed shuttle bus for the umpteenth time this season.
by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO
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