How did it take me so long to discover public transit?

As a committed driver for decades I had always dismissed the train or bus as an option but now that I commute to the downtown core it is so obviously the smartest alternative. 2.76 million passengers ride the Red Rockets (pet name for the Toronto Transit Commission’s streetcars, subways and buses) around town every day and that takes a lot of co-operation on the part of travellers!

Next to New York City and Mexico City we are the 3rd largest transit system in North America. Given the tight budget our transit commission is forced to work under and the lack of vision by some elected folks it’s impressive what we manage to achieve.

Coming in from the North of the City I also travel the GO transit system and 250,000 of us converge on Union station every morning.

The past few months however, have tested our civility to the limit as we must pass through two major construction projects: the renovation of the historic railway terminal and the construction of a second subway platform at Union station.

This has all gone on around us and every day is an adventure as we never know what entrances are open, what platforms we’ll arrive at and what other surprises we may find.

The pleasantness between construction workers, transit workers and commuters trying to get where they’re going is a tribute to us all!

The comraderie we discover as we suffer through this together is quite amazing. If anything people are more polite than usual as we work through each day’s challenges and it does make you feel better about our home town.