TORONTO GIRL CHRONICLES

Dearest TTC,

How I love to hate you. Four years riding you and we are still having problems. You make me sad, you make me cry, you leave me out there in the cold, waiting. I hate waiting. The truth is... I need you. You are not the kinder way, but you are THE ONLY WAY to thousands of riders that board your trains, buses and street cars. Unfortunately, Toronto is not the bicycle friendly city that it claims to be and I rather wait 30 minutes in the rain than get run over by a mad cab driver at Yonge and Eglinton. So you see, I've come to depend on you.

And its not only the waiting that upsets me (I will always be confused as to why I have to wait 30+ minutes during rush hour) its your drivers. Maybe 2 or 3 times a year I will come across a driver that smiles pleasantly and tells a joke on the microphone, but the other 997 times I ride the TTC I've encountered really horrible attitudes. Sure, your drivers go through a lot of shit, I get it, but an eye for an eye just makes everyone blind. Yeah, sometimes I have rough days too, but I don't swear at the people that call my office...maybe I'm just too nicey nice, too "small-town".

Oh! and the price increases, man! they really get to me. Price increase = better service. Not. Oh TTC, why can't we just get along...

Oh wait. I just read that you're sorry. You're promising new fare vending machines and text messages to let me know when the next street car is coming, wow, you're even offering to train your staff in customer service. TTC, love/hate of my life: I just hope you follow through because the truth is we can not live without each other, but if I don't see major changes...I'm getting a bike.

Yours,

Toronto Girl