Weekly races against TTC streetcars in Toronto consistently won by a local man
Man on a Mission: Mac Bauer Outruns Streetcars to Highlight Transit Inefficiencies in Toronto
Toronto, Ontario - A Leslieville resident named Mac Bauer has taken it upon himself to outrun the city's streetcars, as part of a mission to highlight the need for better transit infrastructure. So far, Bauer has won seven out of seven races on multiple city routes, with his most significant victory coming by as much as 25 minutes.
Bauer's challenges are not a matter of personal competition, but rather an attempt to draw attention to the issues that are hindering the efficiency of Toronto's streetcar service. He believes that factors such as traffic congestion, outdated infrastructure, and the lack of dedicated lanes contribute to his ability to outrun the streetcars.
The idea for the 'Man vs. Machine' challenges came to Bauer during a long streetcar ride home. He believes that updating the infrastructure to have its own lanes could make the TTC or streetcars a more positive and efficient experience for Torontonians.
"Seeing a car moving single people holding up a streetcar that is moving 50 to 100 people does not make it a more appealing option," Bauer said.
The City of Toronto and the TTC have been contacted for comment, but neither provided a response when Global News reached out.
One of Bauer's upcoming challenges will take place on the St. Clair line, which has a designated lane for streetcars, but still lacks signal priority. Bauer remains optimistic that this race will be a closer one, as the designated lane should help the streetcar keep pace.
In recent years, the City of Toronto and TTC have been working to improve streetcar infrastructure. For example, upgrades such as streetcar track renewals and dedicated transit lanes have been implemented on streets like Bathurst and Dufferin, aiming to help streetcars avoid congestion and maintain schedules more effectively.
The TTC has also been increasing streetcar frequency on busy routes to match rider demand, supporting efficient transit flow and reducing overcrowding-related slowdowns. Additionally, the City of Toronto and TTC's recent work on King Street East and Church Street intersection, including track replacement and sidewalk improvements, aims to enable safer and smoother streetcar operations, reducing delays caused by track problems.
By addressing these issues, the city can make transit more competitive with other modes, decreasing the chance that a pedestrian or vehicle could easily outrun a streetcar. Bauer's challenges serve as a reminder of the importance of investing in street infrastructure to improve transit performance, making it faster, more reliable, and more attractive to commuters.
Bauer posts his weekly challenges on his Instagram account, where he keeps a record of his race times while running the full routes of the chosen streetcar. His next challenge will take place on the St. Clair line, and Torontonians will be eager to see if Bauer can continue his winning streak.
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