29 Dufferin Bus

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results… This is refreshing because here I thought giving the 29 Dufferin bus three stars was INSANE!
My relationship with this route reads like a bad tele novella. It basically cheats steals and lies to me every day and I continue to ride it as if this tumultuous relationship works for both of us… But something unexpected occurred that changed my mind.
You see I made the unfortunate but financially necessary decision to move north of st-​Clair last summer (on the flip side watching people water their sidewalks each morning does make my mouth curve into a smile like position.) Here in my residential hell I am able to access the Dufferin bus so north that there is virtually no one and I mean no one on the bus.
For the first time the seats of the 29 caressed my posterior and I experienced the bliss of being able to rest my bag on my lap in lieu of lugging my 10 pound brick purse around my shoulder further assaulting my fragile back. I know this was all circumstantial, and the sudden rush of blood to my head from all that relaxing sitting may be blinding me from seeing the truth, but maybe the 29 Dufferin is turning a new leaf…
In any case I have since moved to King West and no longer need to ride this heap of metal on wheels. I have traded in my anger for this route for a more peaceful existence with the 504, the 63 and walking via my own two legs. Much like a bad relationship which you seem to romanticize years later after you’ve forgotten how bad it was, I choose to stick to my three stars and close the chapter on this bus.*

Aside from all of the drivers being kind I honestly can’t think of anything good about this route!
While waiting in the morning the arrival times are constantly being pushed back one after another creating a massive lineup of people. Often to the point where literally an entire block of people are shoulder to shoulder, pushing and shoving each other to ensure they will make it onto the bus.
The route is constantly changed without warning. one moment you are on a bus headed south to dufferin gates and the next you are being kicked off at minus 20 to stand on the corner of college street to wait and try and make it onto the people filled bus trailing behind or your standing at the corner of queen and dufferin waiting for the bus north and instead of stopping at the corner, without warning the bus short turns at the dufferin bridge and speeds off to the next stop by-​passing you and the rest of the people waiting in line!
The conditions of the busses are poor… always left extremely dirty and often water is left leaking from the emergency exit roof top windows.
The characters you encounter are scary more often then not and half the time I feel uncomfortable riding on the bus alone after dark.
Although it is an extremely convent route to get to and from work I have decided it is not worth the stress and would much rather spend the extra money on a cab or better yet take the extra time and just walk.

You can rate buses? Well thats not going to end well. Everyone on here has put it better and funnier than I. Its the worst, or in the words of one friend, «Bezelbub’s Chariot»

I take the 29 Dufferin bus on a regular basis, commuting to and from work. It’s an essential line for me and for other Torontonians, and I do quite appreciate its existence. The thing, though, is that the buses of the 29 Dufferin clump up badly and leave the line underserviced for long periods, and do so badly that Toronto transit expert Steve Munro devoted a category of his blog to explore just how it goes badly. Two nights ago, I saw three buses clumped up; the morning after, four.

This goes out to the whole TTC operation: You are garbage. I left my backpack on the 29D bus and called as soon as I noticed. the operator interrupted me to say «call in tomorrow.» I was like, «huh?!» Then he said, «I didn’t hear anything that u said except for ‘just now’ and I don’t get any info on today until tomorrow after 2pm.» WHAT!!! How does THAT help me?!! Tomorrow after 2pm?! What chance do I have of getting it back then?!? TTC u suck! Sure I only had a chilli cheese burrito and a pair of leggings in the backpack, but that burrito came with 4 packs of FIRE sauce! It’ll be useless by tomorrow! Man if only i could round house kick that operator. Thanks for nothing TTC

I saw a young guy out late at night, standing on the curb under the Dufferin st. bridge with his back to the street, taking a photo with his SLR as I was waiting for the bus. The bus got there as he was doing this and the driver pulled up right behind him and actually nudged him (more than likely deliberately) with the front right rear-​view mirror… OF A MOVING BUS. I don’t know who these drivers think they are.

Oh eff my face, The Duff bus kills me. Kills me as in makes me laugh? No. It’s beyond reproach and beyond compare.
I think I’d rather be on the Sherbourne bus, and once a man asked my friend if he could cut off her ponytail on the Sherbourne bus. Oh, and I got puked on on the Sherbourne bus… or at least my foot did. If I’d rather be on that shit show, what does that tell you about The Suffrin’ Bus?
I want to be kinder to this route, but it just slays my spirit in a way I rarely experience. Is it possible that I’m lacking humour these days? Yes. Am I willing to take it out on The Duff? You bet, it sucks.
PEPPER POINTS for being 24 hours… but you’re still 1 star.

Moses and his flock weren’t lost for as long as I’ve had to wait for this darned bus. It’s supposed to be one of the busiest routes in the city, and technically has FS most of the day. However, there’ve been times when I’ve walked for 30 mins before I’ve see a 29 bus pass me by, and then 5 buses pass in quick succession. Feels as if the overcompensated TTC bus drivers of the 29 bullock cart text each other each day and decide to play several rounds of Yahtzee intermittently in-​between routes. After their craving for board games is over they decide to ply the route.
I hope the heavens open up and smite this bus one day.

They SWEAR the bus stop will be moved back at the end of March. The TTC never lies. Right? RIGHT?
Uh – So… it’s the end of July and uh, the bus stop isn’t back yet. Does this mean that I can no longer accept your word as your bond TTC?

The Non Bus is what this should be called…
Or cluster bus?

Comes every 30 seconds Northbound from Parkdale to Bloor — yet Southbound from Bloor, there’s a 20 minute wait for 5 to show up at once. Crazy drivers take the Queen W bend at 200 kph, but if you’re under 70 a multicultural army of grandmothers, all on their way to Dufferin mall, will shame you out of the relative safety of your seat on this overcrowded conveyance. Thanks, Dufferin bus, for driving me from the TTC on to my bike — I’ve lost 10 pounds and dramatically improved my reflexes and cardiovascular fitness!

The only thing more annoying than the dog leg this bus has to take through back streets to get North of Queen is how often the buses roam in packs.
I am actually surprised when I see one on its own lumbering down the street. I’m afraid a larger, more aggressive motor vehicle will sense the lone bus’ momentary lack of defense and be snatched up by a hungry tow truck of building crane.