Reece Martin has a critical eye for analyzing public transit systems around the world.

If you don’t know, Martin is an independent Toronto-based content creator behind the popular YouTube channel “RM Transit”, and he recently visited the construction sites for some of the biggest Metrolinx-led transit projects currently underway in the GTHA. 

These sites include the Union Station Enhancement Project, progress along the Finch West LRT, the Willowbrook GO Maintenance Facility, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, and the Davenport Diamond – All of which have since been featured on his YouTube channel.

Martin, who’s done quite a lot of travelling says of all the major cities he’s visited around the globe, he’s most impressed with the pace of change in Toronto.

“The raw number of big projects happening at once is really something,” admits Martin.

“The most interesting individual site I visited was certainly the northern TBM for the Eglinton West subway extension project though - I've long wanted to visit a TBM!”

For those unfamiliar, TBM refers to the tunnel boring machine currently digging tunnels for the project.

Having produced 595 videos and with around 213,000 YouTube subscribers, Martin has built an extensive, global audience and has generated lots of interest for transit projects, especially the ones underway in and around Toronto.

“A lot of cities are doing big transit expansion programs, but few are as substantial as Toronto's,” explains Martin

“There's also just been a huge change from the 2000s where we were doing approximately zero big transit projects to today where we are doing roughly ten all at once.”

When asked which project completion he is looking forward to the most, Martin says it is hard to choose just one.

“All of these projects will have different positive impacts. But I am especially excited that Eglinton West will get the subway network into Peel Region for the first time.”

“Though, what excites me most is what we cannot predict. Transit projects and travel patterns have a lot of unexpected impacts, and those impacts lead to new city shaping development!”

Martin, who has been a full-time content creator for over ten years says he looks forward to covering more transit project both locally and internationally and will be back to cover more Metrolinx projects in the coming months.