Calls for change to TTC, Metrolinx service and communication after issues when World Series ended

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There are growing calls for changes to how the TTC and Metrolinx provide service and communications after complaints on social media were raised following the end of the World Series Game 7 in downtown Toronto early Sunday.“To call this a major event is an understatement … it’s not rocket science. It certainly isn’t complicated,” a frustrated Coun. Josh Matlow said ahead of a TTC board meeting Monday morning.“When you screw up, you own it and you demonstrate that you’re going to do better. I don’t think the TTC, Metrolinx or the City of Toronto did a good job after Game 7.”As the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers went into an 11th inning of Game 7, a post on the City of Toronto X account at 12:08 a.m. on Sunday raised the ire of many over its tone and complaints that trains weren’t being extended to accommodate those at the Rogers Centre, at viewing parties or at restaurants and bars.“We know the game is running late, but transit won’t wait! The final GO train leaves Union Station soon, and the last TTC train is around 1:30 a.m.,” the post said. Related:Metrolinx, City of Toronto slammed for not extending transit service after World Series finale“It really pissed me off to see communications coming out of the City being dismissive and patronizing to Torontonians, and particularly on a night when we were all heartbroken. That’s the time they need to know the City has their back and people felt let down,” Matlow said in response to the City’s social media post.While GO Transit added some trips on certain train lines, all train service ended at different points before 1 a.m. TTC officials said the last Line 1 Yonge-University trains left Union station at around 1:45 a.m. and along Line 2 Bloor-Danforth line just before 2 a.m.In the hours that followed, videos surfaced on social media showing angry fans confronting front-line transit workers (especially those who work for the Metrolinx-run GO Transit and UP Express) over the service stoppage. Matlow questioned why the TTC subway network and GO Transit and UP Express weren’t proactively enhanced or extended later into the night similar to what’s seen on New Year’s Eve and Nuit Blanche. At Nuit Blanche in the past, GO Transit added trips in the 1 and 3 a.m. hours.TTC chair and councillor Jamaal Myers said while transit agency staff were prepared to run later service if the game went later to complement the existing overnight ‘Blue Night’ network bus and streetcar service, he conceded the communications needed to be improved.Related:Fight contributed to crowding at Union Station on New Year’s Eve“The TTC deeply apologizes for this mistake,” Myers said, referring to the X post.“No one was left stranded by the TTC. I can’t comment on service provided by other agencies.“We do know how to work collaboratively. Unfortunately, it did not happen with this event.”Matlow and Myers were looking to move a motion at Monday’s TTC board meeting to strengthen late-night service during major special events and increase collaboration with Metrolinx.As for Metrolinx (an independent entity owned by the Ontario government), the agency’s media relations office sent out a statement on Sunday defending GO Transit and UP Express service.Related:Frustrations raised over GO Transit train service for Coldplay concerts at Rogers Stadium“Metrolinx added additional late-night trains on the Lakeshore West Line, Kitchener line, Stouffville Line and Barrie line to accommodate fans heading home. These trains were held as long as possible after the game and every train was at full capacity when it departed. Many customers were also accommodated on GO buses and on the UP Express,” the statement said.“Due to track ownership and operational considerations, we cannot operate overnight or add additional trains past service time. We sincerely thank our customers for their patience throughout the playoff series as we have worked to support everyone travelling to and from the games.”The statement from Metrolinx didn’t sit well with Matlow when reporters asked about it Monday morning.“Give me a break … your job is to provide service when people need your service, and your job is not to just tell us what your problems are. Your job is to work on fixing those problems,” he said.“If you’ve got problems, solve them and don’t just tell us the problems you got.“They don’t have public trust. They don’t have the trust of Toronto city councillors and beyond because they’re not transparent. They’re very secret … they allude to things but don’t give us details.”