LOLOL thanks for the post very entertaining indeed.

I spit out my drink half way through. That was amazing.

Excellent stuff.

So the problem is "chronic underfunding"? Okay. How much money would it take to avoid future strikes?

Mike W. - the answer is simple enough. Provide the TTC with enough dough to put their public subsidy fare at the average level for big North American transit agencies, and then and only then is it fair game to delve into payrolls, management, routes, etc. to decide how to best spend it. This level of funding would probably need to set 55% of revenue from the farebox instead of the 70% it is now.

Some quick, possibly totally wrong math: operating (not capital) budget in 2008 was something like $1.2 billion and revenue from fares was $835 million. If that $835 million was to be 55% of the budget instead of 70%, assuming fares stayed the same, you would need to toss in another $300 million annually to end the "chronic underfunding".

That's a pretty big number for a city with a budget of $8b total, which is why no city on the continent except Toronto tries to pay for transit solely out of city coffers. (Even somewhat similar city-only agencies like SF Muni get massive operating grants from the state and US governments) Cities have regional benefits, and therefore regions usually pay for city infrastructure like transit that benefit them indirectly. The only answer is regional, provincial and federal funding to level the playing field.