Vehicle and Station Design

Comments:

“You said that the drivers have the ability to manually open the ramps, but that doesn't happen majority of the time. Half the time or maybe even less, the driver will just say that, sorry, the ramp's not working.”

“You indicated the ramps are checked before they go on their route, but I've used the buses a lot of times and the ramps don't work.”

“Sometimes the driver doesn’t want to let down the ramp.”

Response:

All ramps are tested every morning before the buses enter service. If a ramp is not working, the bus does not enter service. If a ramp fails to deploy in service, Operators can use an assistive hook that is provided on the bus to help the ramp deploy. The hook is not intended for manual deployment. Rather, it helps break the seal of dirt, snow and sand. Breaking this seal should allow the ramp to work. If the ramp still fails to deploy, it is malfunctioning. The Operator is required to immediately notify a Supervisor of the situation, who will notify the next bus that a customer requiring the ramp is waiting at the stop, and advise the Operator of the time for the next bus to arrive. The Operator will give the customer the estimated wait time for the next bus. The bus with the malfunctioning ramp will be removed from service and replaced at the earliest opportunity.

Comments:

“When you check for ramp failures before buses leave garages, do you also check stop announcements and signs to make sure that they're also working?”

“Is there a way for bus/streetcar drivers to be automatically notified when stop announcements and/or signs malfunctioning?”

“On buses, improve displays so they don't crash frequently leaving Deaf passengers stranded and unable to know when their stop comes up.”

Response:

The automated stop call system is tested before the bus enters service. If it fails, the bus does not enter service. If the system fails in service, the Operator is required to call the stops verbally and the bus is removed and replaced at the first opportunity. Note that the stop announcement system is scheduled for replacement in the coming years as part of the new “Smartbus” CAD/AVL project.

Comments

“It is difficult to board a bus using a mobility scooter. I strongly urge the creation of a "practice zone". This would be a stress-less environment where those in scooters can practice boarding and de-boarding vehicles safely.”

Response

The space allocation for wheelchairs and scooters in the design of TTC buses is a result of Provincial and Federal legislation related to accessibility. All TTC buses are compliant with this legislation. It should be noted that these regulations are based on wheelchair dimensions and maneuverability, not scooters that vary in dimensions, shape and turn radius. Mobility device securement hardware is designed and positioned in our buses to maximize the use of available space for onboard parking. TTC does showcase its newest accessible bus each year at the annual People in Motion show, where customers can practice boarding and de-boarding. We are also looking into new travel training options as part of the Wheel-Trans 10-Year Strategy.

Comments

“At many bus stops, the magazine and newspaper boxes block the access for the bus ramp.”

“Can islands be constructed at key intersections along the streetcar network? This way, people can know which locations are accessible and can be traveled to and used.”

Response

Magazine and newspaper boxes blocking bus stops is best handled by Public Realm of the City of Toronto. In practice, we commonly ask for the City to install railings specifically designed for these newspaper boxes and situated away from areas on the sidewalk/platform that would block bus door access. At locations where these newspaper boxes are blocking the ramp, please inform TTC customer service and 211 to address this issue.

TTC will review whether islands can be constructed at additional locations as opportunities arise through street redesign projects (e.g. Roncesvalles Avenue). However, due to narrow streets, it is unlikely that many new islands can be created. However, please note that all on-street streetcar stops will be made accessible through the implementation of curb ramps at these stops, even if there is no island.

Comments

“Streetcar ramp is too steep.”

“I had the chance to use Spadina streetcar. The driver had to get out and use the key to access the ramp. This was necessary, the driver said.”

“I'm blind and I also use a wheelchair. What's in place for somebody who can't see to know where the accessible door is, so that they can get to the ramp?  And what's in place to help somebody who can't see and who also uses a wheelchair to be able to get to that door and get the ramp down themselves?”

Response

The slope of the ramp on the new low-floor streetcars is the best possible under the circumstances and is within accessibility standards for ramps on transit vehicles. Operator assistance up and down the ramp is available for manual wheelchair users. The ramp is a two-stage design, meaning it can deploy both to platforms and down to street level. At some stops, including all street level stops, the Operator will need to exit the vehicle to deploy the ramp to ensure safety for customers.

The streetcar Operator is responsible for ensuring that all customers boarding or alighting have safely done so. The low-floor streetcar is equipped with several cameras on the outside of the vehicle which the Operator can use to identify any customers intending to use the ramp or board the vehicle, even if the ramp or door buttons have not been pressed.

Comments:

“New streetcars need to have tie downs. Rocket trains are missing tie downs.”
“There are no tie downs on streetcars or trains.”

Response:

TTC, based on advice from ACAT, have determined that securement devices are not appropriate for rail vehicles (subway and streetcars), given the different operating characteristics as compared to buses.

Comments

“Designated handicapped seats are not as easily identifiable on Line 2 cars compared to the Line 1 cars where the signs are on the exterior of the trains.”

Response

All subway trains have an Access symbol located on the exterior of the train at the door where the accessible seating area is located. Inside the train, the accessible seating area is shown by Priority Seating decals and blue seats.

Comments

“There is poor lighting at exterior elevator locations.”

Response

An assessment will be performed of the lighting levels at all street level exterior elevator locations. Remedial action to upgrade the lighting will be performed at any locations where it is deemed insufficient.

Comments

“The bumpy area before people get on to the subway should be blue or a different colour where the door is going to be opening to.”

“In subway stations, I don't always know where the wheelchair door on the train will be, because there is no marking on the platform itself.”

“Has any thought been made for those persons with canes, walkers, hip, back injuries that would like to use the integrated services but the walk is troublesome. Realize moving sidewalks are in airports are expensive, but useful?”

“Designated Waiting Area (DWA) – there should be a light to push to indicate to the driver that someone with a disability needs additional time to get on.”

Response

The yellow color and textured surface of the platform edge warning tiles were designed in consultation with the CNIB and carefully chosen to warn visually impaired customers of the presence of the platform edge. The use of any other colour could potentially be a safety hazard.

The accuracy of stopping trains on the platform currently prohibits adding any kind of marker on the floor, however once Automatic Train Control is implemented, the stopping accuracy will be much improved and we will be in a position to consider implementing ways to improve wayfinding to subway doors, to ease platform congestion and improve boarding and alighting.

Installing moving sidewalks would not be feasible in the vast majority of TTC stations, due to a number of structural and other technical issues. In the few locations where feasible, they would be very expensive and often cover only short distances, which would limit their benefits. Moving sidewalks in airports are installed to cover long walking distances. No plans are currently in place to install moving sidewalks in any of our subway stations. Note that a moving sidewalk used to service the long corridor in Spadina Station (between Line 1 and Line 2), but had to be removed due to serviceability and maintainability issues.

It is the responsibility of the subway operator/guard to observe the platform and ‎ensure that sufficient time is given for customers to board the train. Having the train crew provide assistance to customers to board would cause significant impacts to train service. However, with the on-going implementation of PRESTO and the upcoming transition of Collectors to customer service agents, in the future a customer would be able to communicate from the DWA to an agent to ask for assistance.

Comments

“Regarding the gap issues, what you did at one end in Eglinton station should be done at both ends in all stations.”

Response

In 2015, TTC staff working with ACAT members to designed, tested, and implemented an improved platform edge at Eglinton Station in the vicinity of the elevator to reduce the “vertical gap” space at this station and improve safety for all customers. Staff are now reviewing to see which other stations can benefit from similar improvements to reduce vertical gap heights. Staff are also reviewing means to ease boarding for customers using mobility devices across the “horizontal gap”, or the space between trains and platforms; however, this is challenging given that a minimum of 2 inches of clear space must remain between trains and subway platforms to accommodate the side-to-side sway of trains as they pass through stations. Not all subway stations have gap issues, and for those stations that have issues, they can be either horizontal or vertical or both and cannot be treated the same way.  The TTC is currently looking into gap issues with a view of prioritizing the most problematic locations and is investigating various material/options on how to deal with this matter.

Comments

“Put WT signs in back windows of vehicles to inform cyclists about people getting in/out of vehicles.”

“When you are on a Wheel-Trans bus, I think it might cut down on frustration to have a display that tells you who is getting off next, which is the route, and that might solve a lot of questions as, why is he passing my street?  When is the next stop?  When am I getting off?  Why are they getting off first?”

Response

Thank you for your comments. We are redesigning the Wheel-Trans vehicle appearance and working with the City to find a holistic solution to co-exist with bicycle lanes.

We appreciate your suggestions and this will be reviewed with future processes and vehicle designs.

Comments:

“Islington Station has two operational escalators; however both operate in one direction only (going up). Because of this, even though I live very close to the Islington station, I am unable to access it, being a person with limited mobility. Please look into the possibility of reversing the direction of one of the escalators so that both the "up" and "down" trips can be accommodated.”

Response:

Unfortunately, this direction change is not possible to implement because there are steps in the tunnel that connects the escalator on the east side of Islington Avenue to the station concourse. This means that if one of the escalators was reversed, customers going either up or down would still need to use stairs in addition to the escalator. Proceeding with this suggested change may actually make it harder for some customers to access the station. The escalators between concourse and subway platform level do operate in both directions.

Comments:

“More supportive seating should be standard in Wheel-Trans vans. There is no consistency in approved vehicles; this impacts on board safety.”

“Back seats on TTC vans like a bench - can't get back to the support or feet to the floor this is unsafe. Why is there not a standard on the back seats of vans contracted to Wheel-Trans? Many are just like a rough ride in a police car!”

“Wheel-Trans taxis should have doors wide enough for those of us with slightly wider wheelchairs.”

Response:

Thank you for your comment. We will review these issues. The standard ramp based on the Canadian Standards Association D409 Standard and is 30 inches wide.