After an extended break, we return to chat about transit safety on the TTC, narratives of transit versus driving as dangerous activities, and looking ahead to 2023.
We talk about the gaping void of intercity bus maps in Ontario, and interview two transit advocates who filled that void with their own maps: Shaun Cleaver and Sean Marshall.
A super-sized episode about free transit: what it means, how to do it, where it’s been tried, and its successful implementation in Kansas City, Missouri. Guests: Jason Prince (urban planner & co-editor, Free Public Transit), Matt Staub (Kansas City transit advocate), Robbie Makinen (president & CEO, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority)
The next instalment of Station Shorts takes us to Dundas West subway station, where we encounter Vincent Loop, a two-way McDonald’s, and go on an adventure to find the Union-Pearson Express.
We tackle the thorny issue of TTC fare enforcement: its recent origins, why we don’t like it, and what the TTC should be doing instead of fixating on fare evasion. Adriel Smiley shares his Transit Story of being fare inspected at Spadina subway station.
A look back at the U.S. anti-racism protests in May-June 2020, and the unprecedented transit shutdowns in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, and Minneapolis. Part 2 of 2: Miami and Minneapolis. Guests: Laurie Scop (Miami transit rider) & Adam Burch (Minneapolis Metro Transit bus driver)
A look back at the U.S. anti-racism protests in May-June 2020, and the unprecedented transit shutdowns in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, and Minneapolis. Part 1 of 2: New York City and Los Angeles. Guests: Terry Nguyen (Vox Media) & Laura Nelson (Los Angeles Times)
A feature episode on the city of Brampton, Ontario, a car-centric suburb that’s achieving and sustaining impressive ridership growth through its “Transit First” approach to planning, operations, and policy.
Guests: Sean Marshall, urban geographer; Alex Milojevic, General Manager of Brampton Transit; Mayor Patrick Brown, City of Brampton.
A very special episode that examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected transit in three Canadian cities: Toronto, Windsor, and New Westminster.
Guests: Carlos Santos, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113; Councillor Rino Bortolin, City of Windsor; Councillor Nadine Nakagawa, City of New Westminster; Petros Kusmu, SaveTransit.
LRT (Light Rail Transit) – Rapid transit that has similar capacity and speed of a subway, but more cost-effective due to being above ground.
Metrolinx – The regional transit planning agency of the Government of Ontario that is overseeing the Ontario Line subway proposal.
P3 (Public-Private Partnership) – Contract between the government and private sector to build public infrastructure.
Example: Crosslinx is the P3 contract for the construction of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT (or Line 5) in Toronto.
Scarborough RT (or Line 3) – Six-stop rapid transit line between Kennedy subway station and McCowan station in Scarborough.
TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) – The public transit system of the city of Toronto, consisting of buses, streetcars, subways, the Scarborough RT, and the Eglinton Crosstown LRT (opening 2021).
In the pilot episode of The Next Stop, Helen Lee and Vincent Puhakka share why they want to explain and demystify transit in Toronto and beyond.
Vincent takes a first look at the proposed Ontario Line subway in an interview with veteran transit advocate, Steve Munro. Helen introduces the ongoing series, My Transit Story.