Transit hacks
Photo: There are ways to make your commute to Ryerson a little more bearable.
It’s an unavoidable dilemma: if you want to go to school, you have to find a way to get there. For those who live off campus, oftentimes the only option is braving the TTC. Toronto residents are familiar with our transit system’s many woes—it is crowded and expensive, and now has Seth Rogen’s loud voice permeating the air. If you’re an incoming student who has never stepped foot on a Toronto subway, the mere act of navigating your body through space might start to feel like a bloodsport.
But fear not! Ryerson Today has curated some tips ‘n’ tricks for navigating your commute. We can’t fix every problem, but we can maybe save you some time pushing through 500 sweaty bodies on the Yonge-Bloor escalator.
PROBLEM: Yonge-Bloor Station. It’s small. It’s crowded. It’s where downtown’s two busiest subway lines meet.
HACK: If you’re coming east on the Bloor line, switch lines at St. George or Spadina and go southbound to College or Dundas. It’ll be a 5-10-minute longer ride, but it will also be more pleasant. Alternately, avoid the TTC altogether by investing in a Bike-Share membership (external link) .
PROBLEM: An adult Metropass costs $146. Ouch.
HACK: In 2010, GTA student unions successfully lobbied the TTC to create a Student Metropass, bringing the price down to $116.75 for full-time students in diploma/degree-granting programs. Bring your TTC Photo ID and purchase a Student Metropass at RSU’s Member Services Office (external link) starting on the 25th of every month. For more information visit the Ryerson Student’s Union (external link) .
PROBLEM: “Aaargh!!! Where is my bus???”
HACK: The TTC Watch app (external link) (available in the iTunes store) offers up-to-the-second estimates for when buses and streetcars will arrive at any nearby stop. You can also subscribe to My TTC e-services (external link) emails to be notified of delays. It won’t ease the pain of a 30-minute delay, but at least you’ll know if you should walk a few blocks to catch another bus line.
PROBLEM: “Aaargh!!! Too many people! I’m going to miss my stop!!!”
HACK: Yes, the subway is crowded, but you’re not going to miss your stop—so don’t crowd by the door. Crowding by the door only makes it harder for people to get on and off. There is space further inside—use it, appreciate it.
PROBLEM: You’re commuting to and from outside of town, and you want to get ahead on some reading.
HACK: Find a little peace and quiet on Go Train’s Quiet Zone, a designated area on the upper level of rush-hour trains.
PROBLEM: Seth Rogen is yelling at you from the P.A. system.
HACK: Umm… buy earbuds, maybe?