501 Streetcar Ride

As a cyclist, I have to admit that I rarely take the streetcar. Why sit on a 2km/hr moving vehicle when I can sail freely past traffic. But with a winter storm warning for the night and a destination further west along Queen street than I was used to wandering to, I opted to take public transportation, the 501 Queen streetcar.

During this slow journey, I sat bundled, lost in thought in my single seat, half cold from the draft coming through the door and half warm from the heater blowing at my feet. Frequently, the automated voice would speak, announcing stops, but not breaking the moment as I looked at Toronto through a window with traveller's eyes.

In recent months, the inefficiencies of the 501 Queen streetcar have been a continuing debate in Toronto. Problems include long wait times, irregular service, and frequent short turns. User groups have since started a petition calling on the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) to improve the service of the most frequently used route in the city.