Some Poor Sod is Robbing the TTC
Twice in two weeks, and at different stations, I’ve been a “victim”. Perhaps its Karma but the few occasions that I don’t buy tickets from a body in a booth I got scammed, well almost.
Last week a TTC constable saw my ill fated coins disappear into a machine without spewing a token. Lucky. I still got to ride the subway. Today I was just trying to grab a token for later in the day while I passed by Union. Again the scammers played tricks. One penny fell from the coin return but no token. Argh! Thanks to a kind woman I got my token from here cache.
Sad to see, yet again, that the TTC is getting hit by “poor scammers” jamming token machines in order to harvest coins. Probably happens everday. Thankful that I had help riding the rocket by any means necessary!
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I’ve always viewed those token booths with deep suspicion. I see I wasn’t wrong!
It’s not the machines its homeless people or grifters. The TTC machines get paper or something jammed into them so change can be fished out. Much like the scam long ago with ATM’s where cards were “eaten by the machine” only to be recovered by theives. The Banks have adjusted most ATM’s for this now. It would be interesting to see whether the TTC, under fiscal constraints, will update their machines or just have more cops around them?
Prob just install cameras… whether they work or not though…
should we blame this on Mr. Miller? he’s so focused on increasing rates here and there yet cannot fix a defective machine… I still should we blame this on Mr. Miller? he’s so focused on increasing rates here and there yet cannot fix a defective machine… I still
Why not? Here’s a headline: “Petulant Miller Sabotages Vending Machines, Payphones.”
Can’t say I’m a fan of Miller’s slash and burn but people can’t have it both ways. If the TTC is user pay (at one of the highest rates in North America and well well over 50%). The problem everyone seems to skirt around is taxes or fare hikes are the only option for a tax and user pay transit system. Of course this is not popular with riders or NIMBY taxpayers.
THE REAL SOLUTION: the Ontario Government should at minimum should restore funding level pre-Mike Harris and the Feds should also kick in additional funding. Seems to me that cut happy previous governments have wounded and decimated the TTC far worse than Miller could do. Miller’s actions don’t make things any better but he’s done something very predictable increase taxes (service cut = tax increase). A tax increase was coming anyway, the great comprimise was unavoidable. Now if Miller and Co. cut some of their perks and office reno etc. they would have more credibility but I can’t fault them for doing what many have been calling for for years. CUT CUT CUT…
Did you see that graphic I mentioned a couple of days ago, showing the above-inflation budget increases after Miller was elected the first time? So I’m not in the mood to give him any quarter until he at least does as you suggested, cut perks etc.
As for the TTC, I did a comparison of systems on my blog — and was thinking it’s time to update that…at some point — between Canadian and American and Toronto. The big difference is that even American public transit systems have their subway expansions funded by their capitalist federal government. So I don’t know what Harper’s excuse is. And totally agree with you, the Ontario government has to get back in. It’s shameful that McGuinty didn’t do that during his 4 years in power.
LOL @ Eric’s headline!