COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the City of Toronto’s budget, not least because of the steep decline in TTC ridership.
As UTTRI associated faculty Professor Matti Siemiatycki says in CBC’s “Public transit will be critical to Toronto’s COVID-19 recovery, but will it be safe for riders?” May 22, 2020, riders will only return to normal transit use when it is safe to do so:
Public transit has been identified as a location where there’s going to need to be extreme care.
The key is that there’s going to be enough service that people can continue to use transit and that the service is provided safely.
Measures such as installing plexiglass barriers and requiring riders to wear cloth face masks may not be adequate to protect public health if there is crowding of passengers on the TTC.
If riders do resist public transit in the coming months, Siemiatycki said governments will need to do more to make cycling and walking viable options.
Failing to do so will drive more people to use cars, he said, acknowledging that people with longer commutes may have no other option.
Read the full article on CBC’s website.