Planning a TTC Trip Can Be Complicated
The TTC is trying to make hopping on public transit easier with its new trip planner.
While this online gadget seems snazzy, it comes one year after a community initiative called myTTC.ca which does the exact same thing.
So why not test it out? (See below). After punching in a few different starting off points, with each final destination City Hall, I have a clear favourite - myTTC.
I have a few problems with the official TTC site. First, it's very wordy. If you're in a hurry, you may skim the directions too fast and miss something. Secondly, there was a spelling error ("Rennymede" station?) in the directions. You also have to go through a multi-stepped process and while it does guarantee the system will almost always get the locations you plug in correct, the step before your final directions can be confusing.
I looked at this page first, thought it was the official directions and will admit I didn't understand. I didn't know why they didn't give me exact stations. Then I noticed the "View details" button.
The simplicity of myTTC is why it's the clear winner in my books. Fill in your start and end points and - bam! - directions and a map of your route.
I think the TTC should have tested this thing out a little more before it went "live." Venturing off the subway line can be confusing enough for some, having something that helps you that perhaps twists the situation more just doesn't make sense.
*****
Here's a random example, departing from 100 Gilmour Ave. in High Park (copy and pasted directly from both sites):
MyTTC.ca
Walk to Southbound on Runnymede at Annette
Board the 71B Runnymede departing from Southbound on Runnymede at Annette at 5:01 pm and travel to Runnymede Station
Board the Bloor-Danforth Subway departing from Runnymede Station at 5:06 pm and travel to St George Station
Board the Yonge-University-Spadina Subway departing from St George Station at 5:19 pm and travel to Osgoode Station
Walk to 100 queen st w toronto
You should arrive at 100 queen st w toronto around 5:28 pm
TTC Trip Planner
Depart and head South from GILMOUR AVE (116 metres), turn right on ANNETTE ST (197 metres), turn right on RUNNYMEDE RD (16 metres). Total walking distance: 329 metres.
71 RUNNYMEDE TO RUNNYMEDE STN
Leaving at 5:15pm from RUNNYMEDE ROAD AT ANNETTE STREET
Arriving at 5:19pm at RUNNYMEDE STATIONTransfer to BLOOR-DANFORTH TO KENNEDY
Leaving at 5:23pm from RENNYMEDE STATION
Arriving at 5:39pm at YONGE STATIONTransfer to YONGE-UNIVERSITY-SPADINA TO DOWNSVIEW
Leaving at 5:44pm from BLOOR STATION
Arriving at 5:49pm at QUEEN STATIONDepart and head South from YONGE ST (42 metres), turn right on QUEEN ST W (265 metres). Total walking distance: 307 metres.
The second to last page off of the TTC Trip Planner:
Leaving at 5:15pm from RUNNYMEDE ROAD AT ANNETTE STREET
Using these routes 71 RUNNYMEDE TO RUNNYMEDE STN
BLOOR-DANFORTH TO KENNEDY
YONGE-UNIVERSITY-SPADINA TO DOWNSVIEW
Arriving at 5:49pm at QUEEN STATION
34 minutes, 2 transfers
Traffic Map
