The Story of a Toronto Man Who Outran a Speed Car

This just in! According to a leading local news outlet, a Toronto man recently challenged the newly opened Finch Light Rail Transit (LRT) to a race—and won by an impressive 18 minutes, not in a vehicle or on an e-scooter, but on foot.

The Full Story: Mac Bauer, a racing enthusiast from Toronto, has made a name for himself in racing circles, particularly on social media, due to his passion for competing against Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) vehicles. Recently, local users of the Finch LRT encouraged him to investigate the surprisingly long travel time between Finch West Station and Humber College, which is reported to take 50 to 60 minutes. Given that the distance is just 10.3 km, Bauer was curious about how slow the LRT actually was.

“So, I decided to find out, though I wasn’t sure what the outcome would be,” Bauer said. He faced bitterly cold weather and challenging terrain, as part of the route runs through hilly regions. Despite these obstacles, he emerged victorious, finishing 18 minutes ahead of the LRT.

The incident sparked both laughter and embarrassment at Metrolinx, the operator of the line. However, there was a silver lining: Bauer provided valuable feedback on the possible reasons for the LRT’s sluggish speed. He identified several issues, including a lack of signal priority and an excessive number of stops within a short distance. When the stops are farther apart, the LRT can maintain a higher speed. However, as the train approached Finch West, the number of stops increased, significantly lengthening the travel time.

This situation is particularly concerning, as this part of Toronto has few commuting options, and residents had hoped the Finch line would save them time.