Welcome to the 20th Century T.dot

Big news item and talk show topic this morning in Toronto was the big announcement (timed once again for the election) that a “pilot” project is “in the works” for implementing an electronic transit pass with consolodation of the various systems in and around the city. Wow, only a decade too late to implement and two decades from the first time I heard about it.

Imagine loading up a card which is then debited as you use it for all the various transit systems. No more change, tokens, transfers, and paying again when you switch systems. Imagine going from the commuter diesel system to the electric subway without buying another ticket. Imagine going from the suburban bus system to the train and then to the subway and finally to a street car and all you do is swipe your card each time. If the timeline is accurate we can expect to do this “around 2017″. Yeah right, that means we’ll talk about it again in 2017 and start building it, maybe.

Most of the world has moved to this bright idea a long time ago. Most of the world pays the majority of the cost for the systems from tax dollars so that the commuter has a cheap way to get around. Contrary to the whining it is a benefit to the car drivers because each transit rider is one less car on the road. There are 100,000 reasons that 100,000 people can give for why they drive instead of using transit. Fine, just allow the other people a means to get around that doesn’t always involve a car. It isn’t all or nothing and the transit isn’t about poverty. But we don’t get it, the politicians speak from the same place I fart, and I believe little until I see it.

And to be really useful it will take the buy in from all the other systems. And that is not a sure thing and no doubt will cost the rider more than it does now but will certainly be a little more convenient. Woopdy doo. Here’s a hint to the city fathers, I no longer live in, work in, or visit your fine city except under very rare circumstances. The transit system that was once wonderful is now a broken down expensive shell of its former self. Driving is not even close to being an option for me. Call me up in 2017 and maybe I’ll come take a look. By then I should be listed in the Icelandic phonebook (listed by first name order as is the custom).