Crowding on TTC buses has been a major concern throughout lockdowns, and many Toronto residents are once again worried about the dangers packed vehicles will present this winter in light of service cuts and rising cases. 

Toronto commuter Rocco Signorile brought attention to the issue, as he has many times in the past two years, when he posted a photo on Twitter last week showing a bus full of transit users packed in like sardines on the 123C.

123c bus this morning how many are #Vaxxed no #SocialDistancing @TTCStuart #rickeary is this safe @TOPublicHealth ? @TorontoStar @blogTO @NarcityCanada @NEWSTALK1010 @CP24 @globalnews @CBCToronto @TheTorontoSun @CTVToronto @JohnTory pic.twitter.com/PMWJhXUTpR

— Rocco Signorile (@imthedarkknight) December 4, 2021

Overcrowding has also been a hot topic since the transit agency announced service changes and cuts as a result of staff suspensions related to its mandatory vaxx policy, which came into effect on Nov. 21. 

This is disgusting!! These people are crowded in here, simply because they are going to work, school, grocery shopping and more!! They deserve better!!

— JJM (@Jayman1975Jw) December 4, 2021

But as of that date, the TTC said 92 per cent of the agency's 15,061 active employees had shared their vaccination status, with "the vast majority" already fully vaxxed.

The 37B has to be the worst branch of all time. The wait times are ridiculously long. And when the bus does come you have to wait for the next one because it is over crowded. @TTChelps @cityoftoronto

— Novabus LFS 4th Gen|| JunkinPjay156 (@Junkinpjay156) December 8, 2021

The agency also said ridership was only at approximately 50 per cent of pre-lockdown levels, leading many to question why service levels can't seem to keep up with demand. 

What I don’t understand. If the #TTC has 92% (vaccinated) of employees still working and ridership is only 48% of pre-pandemic levels.
Why can’t it work?
Fact is, they’ve made cuts that had NOTHING to do with vaccination status!

— Hugh Jasole (@DriverDingo) December 5, 2021

At a TTC board meeting on Wednesday, however, a TTC official acknowledged that there were service cuts even before staff suspensions for non-compliance with the vaxx mandate.

Shits gonna get worse with how crowded the ttc is. Like, people are pretty much on top of each other on the subway

— Jaded Rose 🥀 #StopAAPIHate (@JadeEmilyRose1) December 4, 2021

Meanwhile, as the weather gets colder and cases of the virus rise, Toronto residents are becoming increasingly concerned about the risks of taking public transit this winter, including subways and streetcars as well as buses. 

On an overlying crowded Spadina Streetcar and all I can say is the #ttc is going to be one big plague factory this winter #toronto #COVID19

— Stephen Chanasyk (@deepthinking) November 26, 2021

In response to an online complaint about the issue from a commuter last week, TTC Customer Service said "As more people start returning to the system there will be crowded vehicles, especially during rush hour."