Effort to restore YRT bus service to York University continues

Commuting patterns have changed since Vaughan TTC extension

Yorkregion.com
June 5, 2019
Fred Winegust

Over 12,000 students from York Region attend York University, making it a major destination for our residents. Prior to last September, the majority of these trips were by transit, with about 4,600 commuters per day using York Region Transit bus routes and about 2,100 commuters per day using GO Transit bus routes that all terminated on campus.

However, the commuting patterns have changed, triggered by the TTC subway extension to Vaughan. YRT pulled its buses off campus in September and GO Transit vacated the campus in January. Both now use off-campus stops. It is possible to transfer to the new TTC subway, but this incurs higher costs and usually longer travel times.

There is much student anger and hardship from this change. A petition by the York Federation of Students generated over 17,500 signatures during the 2018-19 academic year.

Keep York Moving (KYM) is a York Region citizen-based advocacy group, with a focus on reducing traffic congestion. Restoration of YRT bus service to Ian MacDonald Boulevard on the campus is a key focus.

KYM has been meeting with stakeholders in all sectors since late 2018, including York University students and senior administration, elected officials and senior staff from York Region and TTC management. Our discussions have been enlightening, particularly with regards to new commuting patterns that have emerged.

Specifically, we have learned that YRT has measured that over 1,000 YRT commuters to York University are now walking in from Steeles Avenue rather than pay the second transit fare. Over 75 per cent of these commuters came from three bus routes operating north and east of campus.

We also learned that Presto data analysis showed a 2019 average of less than 370 university commuters per day were transferring between YRT buses and TTC subway. This is a very small revenue contribution to the TTC.

This lead us to develop a three-part strategy

1. Convince York University to amend its November 9, 2018, invitation to the YRT to restore bus service to campus, so that it continues even after fare integration.

2. Convince the TTC to waive Clause 14.4 in the 2009 memorandum of understanding and the subsequent 2017 Operating Agreement. This waiver would lift the restriction to not permit YRT bus service on the campus. It is also key that TTC not require York Region to pick up the estimated $30 million subway operating costs north of Pioneer Village in exchange for the waiver.

3. Update the York Region Transit budget to ensure there is 2019 funding to restore service by September 2019, once the first two elements of the strategy are successfully executed.

So where are we now?

On April 28, 2019, KYM sent a letter to York University president Rhonda Lenton and met with her staff. We shared new ridership data and made the argument for a partial restoration of YRT bus service. We are waiting for a response to our letter.

On May 23, KYM met with TTC chair Jaye Robinson. We shared the new ridership data with her, showing that restoration of YRT bus service to campus would not significantly affect the 3.4 million annual TTC Line 1 ridership and revenues generated in York Region. Chair Robinson is asking TTC staff to validate the implications of offering York Region the penalty-free waiver.

As to costs of restoration, staff estimated capital costs would be $6.3 million, and annual operating costs of $4.1 million. Restoration of a single route, the 3-Thornhill, would have a capital cost of $600,000 and an annual operating cost of $711,000.

Assuming that TTC agrees to the penalty-free waiver and York University agrees to amend its letter, then the decision to restore YRT bus service to campus becomes a York Region budgetary reallocation matter. If service is to be restored by September 2019, it would require about four months to bring the service back to campus, once the money is found.

KYM and the York University community are all eagerly awaiting restoration of YRT bus service. Introduction of a new subway service should not result in more hardship to transit riders!