Study in Canada Toronto’s unique bus culture

Toronto’s bus culture: ladies can get off the bus in front of their homes

New immigrants often cannot avoid starting a new life by taking public transport. Although North America is a kingdom of private cars, public transportation still has an irreplaceable position. Especially for a metropolis like Toronto, Canada, public transportation is an indispensable link for the city's operation.

To this end, the reporter interviewed Linda, an immigrant who has lived in this city for three years, and listened to her talk about the unique local bus culture.

Don’t take a car? Hide here and there?

In addition to private cars, most Torontonians will choose to take buses. According to Linda, Toronto’s bus system is called TTC (Toronto Transit Commission), which includes buses, trains and subways, and tickets are universal.

The relatively comfortable riding environment was Linda’s first impression of local bus transportation when she first arrived in Toronto. ?Whether it is the subway, bus, or light rail, they are all in the same red and white series. Although this iconic color looks monotonous, it is eye-catching and easy to recognize, without unnecessary gimmicks, and it is like a beautiful scenery when traveling through the city. ?

Except for a few simple advertisements, there is no excessive publicity in the carriage. Linda added that the bus is often quiet. Many people take out their books and read when they get on the bus. Even if someone chats, it is always in whispers. Passengers who bump into each other quickly say "I'm sorry". ?

Of course, there will inevitably be crowding and long waiting times during rush hours, but it is completely different from the current bus environment in China. ?Linda still remembers the painful scene of squeezing into buses to and from get off work in China a few years ago. ?Especially on rainy days, the roads are blocked and it’s hard to hail a taxi. It’s common to wait for hours with an empty stomach. ?Linda complained to her husband immediately after returning home, ?We should never suffer like this again after going abroad. ?

Having lived in Toronto for three years, Linda lamented that the lack of crowding has reduced theft and sexual harassment cases, and a safe riding environment has created a safe riding mentality. ?The situation that I used to protect my wallet tightly after getting in the car and hide from men will never happen again. ?

Transfer centers facilitate multiple transfers

?The transfer system is a major feature of Canada. ?Linda said that because Toronto's road system has a grid structure and there is a bus on each major road, you can usually reach any destination in the city with one ticket after transferring.

According to Linda, several large transfer centers are transfer stations between cars (or streetcars) and subways. Major stations such as Scarborough and Kennedy Station are all three stations for light rail, cars, and subways. Layered switching center. ?This design not only provides convenience for passengers to transfer directly within the station, but also makes full use of the underground space to save land. ?Linda concluded.

However, this method of transferring trains within the station also made Linda laugh when she first arrived in Toronto. At that time, Linda lived near the North York District Government and wanted to take a bus at the North York Transit Center. Since she was not familiar with the entrance and exit, she saw a gate on Sheppard Road and walked in. When she handed the ticket to the driver, the driver curiously asked her where she came in. Linda pointed to the gate. The driver said that was the car entrance and exit, and there was a fine for walking there.

?The fine was waived in the end, but this embarrassing situation also sounded the alarm for me. I felt that when I first arrived in a new country, I had to take it easy and learn more about the local culture, living habits, and so on. Take detours. ?Linda said with a smile.

Ladies can get off the bus in front of their home

? It is said that Canada is a paradise for children and the elderly. I think it can also be called a paradise for people with disabilities. Linda said that public facilities specially designed for disabled people can be seen everywhere in public places. ?

According to Linda, people with disabilities enjoy special priority on buses, too. In addition to the seats and wheelchair areas specially designed for disabled people in the carriages, some buses also have automatic lifting ramps for wheelchairs to get on and off, and there are elevators in subway stations to serve them. ?What’s even more gratifying is that disabled people can actually book special buses to pick them up and deliver them door-to-door. ?

At the same time, public transportation also provides some safety services. ?For example, women can ask to get off at the intersection closest to their home at night instead of being limited to ordinary stops; there are special safe waiting areas in subway stations, and emergency call systems are equipped in the carriages. ?Linda added.

When it comes to supporting facilities, we have to mention the unique door-to-door press (pull) bell service. According to Linda, in Toronto, buses are equipped with bells and pull cords that are within easy reach, so the driver will not remind passengers when they arrive at the stop, nor will they repeatedly remind you like the domestic loudspeaker: Please pull up the handrails when the vehicle is turning. , pay attention to safety when getting off the bus, and be careful when crossing the road? Instead, the passengers press (pull) the bell to remind the driver to get off the bus.

Perhaps this ancient method is used to create a quiet riding environment, but it is not easy for new immigrants. ?I am very unfamiliar with this city when I first arrived in a foreign place, and I am already half-timid mentally. When I get on the bus, I have to test my ability to know the way. So after I got on the bus, I was often uneasy. I took the map and kept looking at the road signs in front of me along the way to prevent missing the stop. ?Linda described, ?Even now, when I go to unfamiliar destinations, I often get off at the wrong stop and take a lot of unnecessary steps. ?

Expensive fares

80% of Toronto’s bus operating expenses are balanced by fare revenue, with very little financial subsidies. It is also the city with the highest break-even rate among North American bus systems. . ?So TTC fares are also rising year after year. Daily passes have increased to $10 from $7.75 in 2010. ?Linda sighed.

Once, Linda went to see her husband at his workplace in Markham City. He actually said to Linda distressedly: Markham City is out of Toronto. It will cost you 4 round-trip tickets to come to my place. It’s too much. Not worth it anymore. ?However, Linda said that good news has come out recently and the fare increase will be temporarily suspended for a while.

?The Toronto Transit Board recently announced that it will no longer increase the increase, and the TTC’s budget gap of CAD 24 million this year will be raised separately by the city government and the Transit Board. ?According to Toronto Mayor Ford and Bus Board Chairman Stinz, TTC ticket prices will remain unchanged, including tokens of 2.5 Canadian dollars each, adult weekly passes of 36 Canadian dollars, monthly passes of 121 Canadian dollars, and one-month tickets. A daily pass is 10 Canadian dollars; a weekly pass for seniors and students is 28 Canadian dollars, and a monthly pass is 99 Canadian dollars; children's tickets also remain at the original price. ?The bus culture here is one of the reasons for me to stay. The small and seemingly inconspicuous facilities and design concepts reflect social civilization and social equality everywhere. ?Linda sighed.