March 16, 2008
Beating the Suburban Winter Transit Blahs
The streetcar, subway, or bus is never a fun place to be during rush hour, and it’s even worse during those slow, wet, and frustrating during- and post-snow storm trips, where the Better Way can turn into hell on wheels/rails. Between angry drivers, puffy coats, and that strange gentleman who mutters to himself about Polish androids eating his muffins, you’ve got to wonder just how the taking transit could ever seem like a nice ride, even if it did save you from digging the car out of that snow bank that formed on your driveway.
Fortunately, the folks to the north have a great idea. Remember the massive snowstorm we had earlier this month? While you were struggling through the curmudgeonly crowds, folks in suburban Thornhill (Vaughan, technically) woke up to the sight of kindly transit representative shovelling their driveways and offering them free York Region Transit/Viva tickets, giving them the choice of either foregoing their SUV for transit that day, or using taking the bus next time around. Commuters already used to taking transit were given a nice surprise when they discovered even more transit reps were giving out free hot chocolate on their usual trip.
They’re calling themselves the Snow Angels, the brainchild of YRT/Viva’s PR folks. Despite this, their random acts of kindness not only encourage drivers to take transit, they also—in their own small way—make taking transit a bit nicer. In the car-laden suburbs, anything that gets residents to take a bus is a step in the right direction.
But then there’s Toronto proper, where an exponential amount of people rely on transit daily. We have to wonder how such a brilliant, quasi-whimsical idea hasn’t hit the TTC yet. A less toxic environment on the bus would make everyone’s day a bit better and get rid of that commute-induced depression that reigns all winter long. Besides, hot chocolate is tasty.
Then again, hot chocolate on a crowded streetcar could just lead to spills and more self-righteous anger. Maybe the solution to winter-transit rage is twofold—streetcars coming more often and free hot chocolate.
With snow expected a bit later this week, the Snow Angels will probably have one or two more chances to make someone’s day this season. As for unlucky Toronto commuters, there’s always next year. Or free transit-lemonade in the summer.
Photo by sdfrederiksen from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.
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Shovel my driveway and give me free hot chocolate? That's not enough. I want the TTC to come over and clean my apartment, do my laundry and go grocery shopping whilst singing "Whistle While You Work".
Isn't this basically the platform that Homer SImpson created in that episode about the fact that "the garbage man can"?
You know, when the garbage d00ds cleaned people's houses....
"Can't someone else do it?"
I think this is a great idea. They should have started this when winter started, instead of waiting until the end. But still, people around here (the suburbs) really need a kick in the butt to even consider ditching their cars for so much as one hour. It's sad.
By the way, Thornhill is actually split between Markham and Vaughan. Don't give them all the credit. ;)
The best way to let the TTC know how you really feel about its service -- both compliments and complaints about streetcars, subways, drivers, cleanliness, etc. -- is to email head Adam Giambrone directly at councillor_giambrone@toronto.ca
The TTC's answer will be they'll do it - with corporate sponsorship. As long as Cadbury's, Nestle or Hershey's pony up a hundred grand or two anything is possible...
Giving out hot chocolate at transit events seems to be a 905 thing, not sure I remember it at anything in 416?
I for one can't wait to hear the subway announcement: "Next Station, St. Patrick, St. patrick station... this announcement brought to you by Tampax, Tampax...."
Check out how the tide has turned with this TTC thread at http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/03/ttc_union_the_propaganda_way/index.php Looks like the individuals claiming to be drivers need to be locked up in a mental hospital!