The TTC has taken another step in ensuring their planned fare hike hits all riders equally.

Tomorrow will mark the last day tokens will be supplied to TTC ticket agents and booths until the fare hike comes into effect on Jan. 3, 2010. Once that supply is exhausted, riders will be asked to purchase temporary paper tickets at the current rate of $2.25 per ticket.

The new tickets, which will have an expiry date printed on them, will be honoured after the increase, but riders will be required to kick in an extra 25 cents to match the 2010 fare.

The TTC says the move is designed to ensure riders don't stockpile tokens in advance. Which they claim is already responsible for an estimated $1 million in losses.

"If we don't do this, the potential revenue loss in 2010 would be over $5 million because of token hoarding," TTC communications director Brad Ross told ctvtoronto.ca. "We have a financial responsibility to the people of Toronto and to our customers to stem those losses whenever and wherever we can"

The commission reported token sales are up as much as 40 per cent in certain cases without a corresponding ridership increase, pointing to individual token hoarding and leading to a potential supply problem in the new year.

TTC Chair Adam Giambrone's statements, however, were more geared towards those he believes are frustrated by their inability to buy tokens in bulk for short-term use.

"By issuing temporary tickets, the TTC has found a way to allow customers to buy bulk fares in the short term," said Giambrone.

He added that he believes the move "alleviates customer frustrations, and also allows the TTC to ensure it doesn't lose, potentially, millions of dollars in much-needed revenue."

Meanwhile, immediate public reaction has been primarily anger at the new decision.

The Commission's twitter page has already been littered with comments expressing disbelief. Issues already raised include long lines in the absence of automated entrances, counterfeit ticketing, and poor communication between the TTC and its users.

The TTC acknowledged that the halt on token sales will create an inconvenience for those that rely on automated entrances but are unable to purchase more tokens, but pointed to the greater problem of revenue loss as a more pressing concern.