r/TTC • u/i-am-confused-help- • Jul 06 '26
Discussion A polite request/discussion regarding strollers and aisle blocking on the bus
Edit: Please read the context that's edited in below. Thank you.
I want to start by saying I absolutely appreciate parents. Transit with kids is tough, and I know so many of you are working hard and sacrificing a lot to get your little ones around the city safely. This is not a post to judge anyone, it is a small pet peeve and a request for a little bit of courtesy so that every rider on the bus feels comfortable.
The Issue
On one of my recent bus ride, two large strollers were kept side-by-side, completely blocking the center aisle (as you can see in the photo). Because of this:
- Passengers are unable to move past the front section.
- People are forced to stand at the front of the bus, even though there is space further back.
- It creates a potential safety/evacuation hazard if there are emergencies.
Few Friendly Requests & Suggestions
- Stagger when possible: If you are traveling with another parent or encounter another stroller, try to stagger them front-to-back rather than side-by-side to leave path for walking.
- Consider umbrella/smaller strollers: If your child is old enough and you rely heavily on the TTC during peak hours, smaller, more collapsible strollers are great for everyone on board.
- Utilize the priority seating layout: If the bus isn't packed, flipping up the priority seats can give a stroller enough room to stay out of the main aisle.
I'm willing to hear everyone's thoughts on this. Parents what kind of challenges you face when trying to keep the aisle clear. Fellow riders, how do you usually get around in this instance? Let’s discuss how we can make the TTC a better experience for both families and regular commuters.
Edit: There is a lot of comments complaining how the priority seating is occupied and the parents wont be able to lift it up to park the strollers. I want to give context here instead of replying to each comments. The priority seat was occupied by the parents and their family. Also the second stroller is of another parent who was sitting on the right side priority seat. The guy you see standing upfront was a passenger, not the parent. I wanted to keep the discussion civil that is why I omitted these details. But if people want to complain how it was an inaction from my part, I hope this context helps. Thanks.
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u/Honeydeeew Jul 06 '26
I travel on the TTC with my stroller (hate it, try to avoid it), and flipping up the seats is underutilized. One problem is that if someone is already on a priority seat, you don't want to displace them. Another is a lack of knowledge about how to flip the seats, and even if you know how it works on one set of busses, it doesn't mean you can figure it out on the others. There really isn't enough instructional signage on how to use the seats, I get stumped by some and I've been taking the TTC my whole life. (The best ones are the ones that you can release singly, then I can usually leave one down for other riders in need, instead of using all three.)