The TTC has rolled out nearly 50 additional buses to routes across the city that have been deemed busy and overcrowded to further encourage physical distancing between passengers and curb the spread of COVID-19.

“In order to reduce customer volume and allow for better physical distancing on buses, the TTC will provide a minimum of 47 extra buses for early AM and AM peak service on higher volume routes,” Stuart Green, spokesperson for the TTC, Wednesday morning.

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Toronto’s transit system is also asking customers, when possible, to consider delaying non-essential trips until after 8 am and to continue to practise physical distancing at bus stops and aboard all TTC vehicles.

Reminder: please practice #physicaldistancing when waiting for a bus at a crowded stop or in a bus bay in a station. Help #PlanktheCurve

— TTC Service Alerts (@TTCnotices) April 1, 2020

According to Green, these are the routes to which a number of buses are being added during the peak morning commute:

• 300 Bloor-Danforth Blue Night — (five extra buses)
• 320 Yonge Blue Night — (four extra buses)
• 29 Dufferin — (four extra buses)
• 35 Jane — (six extra buses)
• 37 Islington — (three extra buses)
• 39 Finch East — (four extra buses)
• 41 Keele — (four extra buses)
• 52 Lawrence West — (two extra buses)
• 96 Wilson — (four extra buses)
• 102 Markham Road — (four extra buses)
• 117 Alness-Chesswood — (two extra buses)
• 119 Torbarrie — (two extra buses)
• 123 Sherway — (two extra buses)
• 165 Weston Road North — (three extra buses)

Green says the TTC will also now have 14 supervisors assigned to key positions throughout the system to direct additional buses to where they are needed most on high ridership routes.

“This is redeployed service and an increase in operator availability. This is a work in progress and we will monitor,” added Green.

In order to reduce customer volume and allow for better physical distancing on buses, the #TTC will provide a minimum of 47 extra buses for early AM and AM peak service on higher volume routes.

Please consider delaying non-essential trips until after 8 a.m. if possible. 1/4

— TTCStuart (@TTCStuart) April 1, 2020

And while the TTC previously said that ridership is down as much as 60% across all its services, many morning bus routes are still overcrowded, drawing criticism from the public.

Maybe a reconfiguring of bus service is in order to ensure buses don’t get as full as this? I’m sure some routes have hardly any passengers. #ttc #topoli https://t.co/ObtbM5A2sf

— Trustee Norm Di Pasquale, TCDSB Ward 9 (@normsworld) March 31, 2020

Hey #TTC, enough is enough! How are hospital workers such as myself supposed to get to work safely (and on time) when buses are coming less and less frequently? This packed vehicle is what I have to face twice daily. Is this your idea of #SocialDistancing? #Toronto #Covid19 pic.twitter.com/MBNDVFu4ep

— Aura Torres (@Aura_Torres8) March 24, 2020

So much for social distancing on a TTC. Thank you so much #TTC for keeping us “healthy” and thank you for reducing bus routes. pic.twitter.com/pCoq8tA1Vb

— Yessie84 (@yessie_lopez) March 25, 2020

TTC rush hour this morning⁉️ @CanadaMoments @JayeRobinson @JohnTory @OntariosDoctors @MedicalPost @Canada @TorontoStar @CityNews @680NEWS @CTVToronto @CBCToronto #SocialDistancing #Social_Distancing #StayHome #COVIDー19 #COVID19 @fordnation @THP_hospital pic.twitter.com/aYHG5AbDJH

— A.IQ Net. (@Alpha_IQ) March 23, 2020

Last week, the TTC identified nine bus routes as “very busy” before 7 am on weekdays.

• 123 Sherway
• 117 Alness-Chesswood:
• 96 Wilson
• 35 Jane
• 165 Weston Rd North
• 119 Torbarrie
• 102 Markham Road
• 44 Kipling South
• 41 Keele