Toronto could grind to a halt at 12:01 a.m. on June 7 if a threatened TTC strike goes through, and commuters are already preparing for nightmare travel conditions around the city if negotiations don't turn a corner soon.

Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 113, which represents some 11,500 TTC employees and is the transit agency's largest union, is gearing up for a potential strike as talks continue behind the scenes.

TTC CEO Rick Leary stated that he was "hopeful" the commission would reach a fair deal with the union following threats of job action in April, but a work stoppage is looking more likely as the possible strike date looms.

TTC riders say strike would make getting around city a nightmare https://t.co/xWffWErGz9

— blogTO (@blogTO) May 30, 2024

Though some service disruptions are planned for the GO Transit network this weekend, the regional transportation service will be able to absorb some would-be TTC commuters.

GO train stations within Toronto, such as Kipling, Bloor, Weston, Exhibition, Danforth, Scarborough, Eglinton, Guildwood, Kennedy and Agincourt, will all offer service to Union Station and will likely be busier than normal due to spillover if the strike moves forward.

UP Express trains serving Pearson Airport, Weston and Bloor stations will also likely experience a surge in riders unable to get around on more local TTC routes.

Alternative transportation methods like Uber, Lyft and taxis are bracing for a huge surge in demand should the strike go forward, though these services come at a premium compared to the much more affordable TTC and GO fares.

As with previous public transit stoppages, Uber has pledged to cap surge pricing and offer incentives to drivers to increase availability.

In a statement shared with blogTO, an Uber representative said that "public transit is a critical part of the transportation mix in the City of Toronto. Like our fellow residents, we urge both sides to reach a deal and avoid the widespread disruption a strike would bring."

While Uber stresses that "it is not reasonable to expect Uber to fill in the massive gap left by a transit strike," the company intends to do everything in its power to get cars on the road in what would surely be an extremely lucrative period for the rideshare business.

Uber claims such incentives worked in the case of a Vancouver transit strike in January, where the active number of drivers increased by 70 per cent during a one-hour period amid the morning rush compared to the same hour the previous week.

In addition to incentivizing drivers, Uber is recommending that riders try out the Group Ride or UberX Share features to carpool and help keep as many available drivers on the road as possible.

Beck Taxi operations manager Kristine Hubbard tells blogTO that the cab operator will "be operating at full capacity in order to do what we can for those who need to travel on Friday."

"We will try our best to maintain service levels but we won't be able to guarantee wait times," says Hubbard.

While Uber is capping surge fares, Beck has committed to not using this pricing model, though Hubbard acknowledges that "the City has given us the ability to surcharge."

"We are concerned about our City's most vulnerable who always seem to be the most negatively impacted during times like this. We will do our best to support TTC users as we see ourselves as complimentary to a healthy transit system and will be there when things are interrupted as we always are, but no ground transportation provider can replace the TTC."