Planning the Trip – Car vs. TTC vs. GO
Here is a comparison on how in my opinion public transit is not always the most efficient way of getting to and from work. More specifically the TTC is not always the best route.
By Car (via Google Maps) – 11 / 12 minutes
Google Maps Directions
Google Direction Options
Google goes one step further and provides another option which is 2 minutes faster. This is all based on the fact that there is not a crazy amount of traffic. Given that if there are any accidents or rush hour traffic increase the time it takes to get to work by car. My experience over the months of December ‘09 and January ‘10 have resulted in no longer than 20-25 minutes to get to work by car.
Parking costs add up to $6 per day. Factor in gas costs would be approximately $2 to $4 a day (guesstimate). Total cost: $10
By TTC – 57 minutes, 2 transfers
TTC Trip Planner Map
TTC Trip Planner Itinerary
With TTC there are much more chances of delays due to accidents, mechanical failures and/or just traffic both on the roads as well as underground. So these 57 minutes could easily turn into 90 minutes.
Fare costs add up to $6 per day. Monthly metro pass costs $121 per month, which works out to about $6 per day taking into consideration 20 work days per month.
By GO Transit – 10 / 15 minutes
GO Transit Schedule
GO Transit Fare Calculator
The caveat with GO is that you have to drive to the station and park your car there, unless you can walk to the station. Parking availability is also limited if your station does not have enough parking spots to begin with. Last but not least, in the winter times GO Trains also have cancellations and delays due to mechanical reasons or because of snow on tracks.
Cost per day is $8.10 which also varies depending on where one is coming in from. The further away you are the more you pay.
So in conclusion, the best and straight forward option for me is to drive in to work. Factoring in the delays and having to be entirely dependent on public transit is not something I want to do anymore. Time is important and having full control of how you use your time is something much more important.
The winner is, Driving in to work! 
Interesting analysis, but the hidden factor here is what would happen if everyone took this route and drove to work? Unfortunately driving to work becomes quickly unsustainable as parking spaces will fill up and road will become clogged by single-person commuter cars.
The problem with public transit in North America is that our cities weren’t designed for them, and now that we are all noticing a need no level of government is willing to commit.
Khosrow, you make a very interesting point in that if everyone took this route to work the roads would be congested. The beauty of human beings is that each of us have our own reasons for taking the car, GO or TTC to work.
In my opinion, public transit in North America was built with the assumption that there is enormous amounts of land so we don’t have to worry about running out of space to grow. What they did not envision/foresee is the general population growth and the rate at which it has grown. You are also correct that government is unwilling to commit to anything. The primary reason for this is probably that the government doesn’t know what to do and although on the surface the system isn’t broken to a point where it needs fixing the need to fix it is not pressing enough to worry about it.