The TTC has released its Customer Service Charter for 2016, and it includes a number of ways the transit provider promises to improve the passenger experience this year. The promises range from increased subway and bus service to the addition of bike parking at subway stations to the installation of additional information screens on train and bus platforms.

Of the many highlights, I suspect the most exciting of the bunch are plans to fully rollout PRESTO, implement Apple Pay at subway stations, start the subway an hour earlier on Sundays, extend the rollout of subway station WiFi, and to introduce a new streetcar route on Cherry St.

Here are 25 improvements to look forward to on the TTC this year.

January to March

• Apple Pay to be made available at collectors booths in all subway stations.
• Reduction of streetcar short turns by a further 20% compared to the first quarter of 2015.
• Subway service on Sundays to start approximately one hour earlier (8:00 a.m.).
• Addition of train service on Line 1 to decrease delays during off peak hours.
• Introduction of five new express bus services across the network.

April to June

• WiFi installed at 22 new stations starting with Lansdowne, High Park, Royal York, Old Mill and Keele.
• New fare gates to be rolled out (Main Station will be used for the pilot).
• Bike parking to be improved at 5 subway stations.
• Install up to 20 additional bike repair stops at subway stations (pending pilot results).
• Addition of 12 vehicle information boards at busy subway stations.

July to September

• 509 Harbourfront and the 511 Bathurst streetcar routes to be serviced by new streetcars.
• High capacity bike parking to be piloted at one subway station.
• Trains on Line 4 to be replaced with new Toronto Rocket subways.
• Train frequency to be increased by three trains on Line 1 during morning peak.
• Increased service during peak periods to 25 busy bus routes.
• New streetcar service to be introduced on Cherry Street to the West Donlands.

October to December

• The entire TTC system will be enabled to accept PRESTO fare payments.
• Reduction of delays by 10% on the subway.
• Installation of an external stop announcement system on all streetcars, subway trains and buses.
• Installation of customer information screens in the mezzanine and platform levels at Union Station.
• Installation of customer information screens at Dufferin, York Mills, and Lawrence Stations.
• Installation of time-saving signal priority technology at 15 intersections.
• WiFi to be made available at 10 additional TTC stations.
• Installation of new stop markers at over 3,000 transit stops.
• Review and improvement of schedules on 32 bus and streetcar routes.

Photo by BruceK in the blogTO Flickr pool.