Customer Town Hall Meeting - June 9, 2012

Issues:

This time out the issues were related more to fellow passengers as opposed to TTC employees, although in most cases it was suggested that the Commission plays a role in terms of making improvements.

One regular bus rider notes that there is often lot of room at the back of buses but because people won’t move to the rear, the entranceway becomes congested. At times the operator is unable to pick up any more passengers even though there would be room if people moved in.

Another attendee complained about customers who leave/spill coffee or food on the seats. He said this is not very conducive for the next person who occupies that space. On a related note, one person commented that we should consider signs for subway cars that read “Please keep feet off seats” and “Please occupy only one seat”.

On the employee front, one participant, a senior, mentioned an ongoing concern that he has when travelling on a bus. He said he has fallen in vehicles four times in the past and that operators should take more care when accelerating when seniors are on board, especially if they are standing.

Response:

The TTC realizes how frustrating it is for customers when buses become congested in the front and this can lead to a bus bypassing a stop even though the back of the bus is empty.  Operators have an important role in ensuring that all intending customers have an opportunity to access  service by instructing people via the on-board announcement system to move to the back of the vehicle.

We do consider considerate behaviour on the part of our customers toward their fellow travellers to be a large part of a positive transit experience. When people spill food and drinks, put their feet on seats or occupy seats with bags, it poses an inconvenience to other customers.   Through on-board announcements and posters, we do encourage transit customers to be considerate and to do their part to keep the transit system user-friendly and clean. We will continue to publicize customer courtesy issues that are brought to our attention.

Regarding vehicle operation, TTC operators receive extensive training at the commencement of their employment on the importance of providing a safe and comfortable ride.  Smooth acceleration and stopping is certainly key, especially when it comes to seniors who are standing in the vehicle.

Issue:

Comments and questions surrounding fares revolved around possible discounts for seniors, particularly low income seniors, and the benefits of Presto, with one participant mentioning the situation in Ottawa where customers are able to board the vehicle by the rear doors and tap their card on a reader at the back of the bus. Related to this, one customer questioning the continued use of paper transfers in light of more organizations moving toward electronic systems.

Response:

While we recognize that a case can be made for reduced fares for seniors, the TTC incurs a substantial cost in providing the reduced fare senior rate as it is not the subject of any special subsidy. The revenue shortfall from senior fares is largely made up from the fares of our adult riders. Any further reductions without additional subsidies would result in a revenue loss to the Commission and would be a matter of City Council policy.

With respect to Presto, we will have readers throughout the buses and streetcars so, for example, on streetcars there will be rear door readers which means that dwell times at stops will be reduced. Presto will also allow us to do far more in terms of transfers, such as considering further use of time based transfers, while at the same time allow us to retain important components of our fare structure such as student and senior concession fares.

Issues:

Only a few issues were touched upon in terms of the subway system. One customer wanted to know if anything can be done to alleviate or eliminate crowding at stairwells on subway station platforms, perhaps "designating stairs to be one-way up or down".

On the subject of the Toronto Rocket subway cars one customer suggested that the tinted windows should be replaced with clear windows.On the positive side, one person offered praise for the initiative of cleaning the subways at the end of the line noting that it makes a real difference.

Response:

Although it would not be feasible to ensure compliance with respect to one way systems they have been used on other metro systems and the TTC will consider their efficacy. That being said we do designate Subway Supervisors to known locations of peak period crowding to help facilitate passenger movement through the station. We will be increasing the presence of Station Managers/Assistants in the future to offer further assistance to our customers.

The use of tinted glass on the Toronto Rocket subway cars is to minimize the solar heat gain during the hot summer days in order to keep the cooling capacities at an acceptable level. This is one of the example to make the new TR trains became far more energy efficient than the other vehicles.

Issues:

Several people voiced concerns about driver shift changes and the length of time customers have to wait for a relief drive (Bayview and Lawrence was a particular sore point).  System delays continue to be top of mind for some attendees with one person suggesting that the problem with streetcars is that they tend to bunch up because of large passenger volumes at stops. One customer suggested the use of articulated streetcars may help reduce the number of cars needed and also speed up loading. A suggestion we have received at past Town Hals was again raised with respect to changing all bus route end times to coincide with the subway closing.

Some suggestions were offered in connection with Express buses, such as introducing additional Express routes in order to give more customers the option of offboarding at a stop that is in proximity of their intended destination and walking the remaining distance, or waiting for a local bus that will take them right to their stop.  Another thought was that there should be more stops introduced on Express services so that more riders can use them.

Finally, some attendees observed that there is much construction going on throughout the city, inconveniencing tourists and customers who are not familiar with such delays, and they asked what is being done to minimize the impact, particularly as it relates to major events.

Response:

Relief operators are scheduled to be at the relief point prior to a vehicle’s arrival and there should certainly be no reason for customers to be subjected to lengthy waits. We will continue to take action when such discrepancies are brought to our attention.

Regarding streetcar loading, during the peak period route supervisors are assigned to busy stops to facilitate loading.  When the new LRT lines are introduced they will travel on a right-of-way with fewer stops. This will make them more efficient because you can load a large number of people at fewer stops and move them very rapidly. We will also be revisiting the possibility of purchasing articulated streetcars in the future.

While it would be ideal to have the last run on all surface routes coincide with the last run on the subway, it is not feasible. Service is dictated by customer demand and on some routes it is simply not economically justifiable to run trips until 2:00 a.m. Similarly, express services can only be introduced when there is sufficient ridership demand to support the operation. In terms of adding additional stops to express routes, express stops are located at points to serve the greatest number of passengers who can benefit from the express feature, typically at major stops that are distant from the subway. Long-distance riders receive the maximum benefit of the express feature and by adding more stops, these benefits would be reduced.

In terms of construction affecting service, we do try and co-ordinate the work with the city and we are mindful of large events that could be impacted by service disruptions.  Our objective is to ensure that essential work is completed while still accommodating customers to these event. 

Issues:

Some unique issues were brought up that were not the subject of previous Town Halls or comment cards.
One customer who is new to the country asked that Wheel Trans review and change their acceptance policy to include customers with visual disabilities.

One customer commented on TTC Performance Indicators, questioning how accurate or useful they are and that we may be allowing too much leeway in terms of their on-time performance.

Another person wanted to know if, legally, she is required to give up her seat to a person. She realizes there are obvious cases but would like to know if there is a set by-law.

Finally, one customer said he would like to see the TTC employ more visible minorities or people with disabilities.

Response:

The Wheel Trans service is presently running at capacity and we are simply unable to accommodate all customers with disabilities. As such, the current eligibility criteria must stay in place to accommodate those customers who need the service most.

In terms of TTC Performance Indicators, this is a relatively new initiative and some of the service targets were implemented as starting points only with the understanding there would be a need for refinement. We now have more data on customer expectations and will be adjusting our targets accordingly.

As the name implies, the Courtesy Seating program is voluntary in nature and customers are not obliged to give up their seats. We try and encourage customer co-operation in this area particularly as it relates to disabled and elderly customers, and pregnant women.¹

Finally, when it comes to hiring, the TTC is a conscientious and committed equal opportunity employer with a very diverse workforce.

1. In August of 2013, this response has been revised to say:

In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005 (AODA), TTC now provides Priority Seating on all of its vehicles, designated for use by persons with disabilities. You must give up these seats for a person who is disabled or has a physical limitation requiring priority seating. A customer with a disability occupying a priority seat is not required to move for another customer with a disability. In this situation, use of these seats is on a first-come, first-served basis. You are not required to give up your seat that is not designated priority seating. TTC encourages customer co-operation particularly as it relates to giving up seating for people with disabilities, elderly customers, and pregnant women.

TTC By-Law No 1 requires that you obey signs posted by the TTC, including Priority Seating signs on TTC vehicles. Person who do not comply with Priority Seating signs may be subject to penalties under this By-Law and liable to a fine of up to $225.00.