TTC Chair, CGM recommend Advisory Panel on Customer Service

Commissioners received and endorsed a letter from TTC Chair Adam Giambrone and TTC Chief General Manager Gary Webster calling for a review customer service at the TTC – training, customer interaction, technology and the complaints process. The Chair also called for the establishment of an independent advisory panel representing different industries to provide suggestions for improving customer service, communications and the rider’s experience of the TTC.

2009: A good year for Ridership

Commissioners received a report showing ridership for 2009 was the highest ever recorded in TTC history. Ridership last year came in at 471.2 million carried, 4.5 million more than the previous all-time high set in 2008. The record total can be attributed in large part to massive service improvements introduced in the past few years, and the fact that fares had not increased since 2007.

Commission approves conceptual design for Finch West Station

Commissioners approved the conceptual design for the Finch West Station on the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension. Finch West Station will be located under Keele Street, north of Finch Avenue West. The station will include nearly 360 commuter parking spots and a 10-space passenger pick-up lot. It’s designed with a concourse at each end of the station to improve the passenger experience and simplify the flow of space. The station design will be shown at a public open house in March. A second public open house will follow in the summer, which will include station finishes and an art concept.

Moving forward on Etobicoke-Finch West LRT

Commissioners unanimously voted in favour of proceeding with the design and tender work to facilitate the construction start of enabling works on the Etobicoke-Finch West LRT in 2010. The Etobicoke-Finch West LRT will provide east-west service along Finch Avenue, from Finch Station on the Yonge Subway to Hwy. 27 (Humber College).

501 Queen Streetcar recommendations

Commissioners approved the final recommendations for improving service on the 501 Queen streetcar route. A strategy called Step Forward will be introduced weekdays, from noon to 8 p.m. This route management technique works by disconnecting the Operator’s schedule from his or her vehicle, which results in significant and measurable improvements in gapping, bunching and short-turning of vehicles. TTC staff will also explore opportunities to apply Step Forward to other routes.
 The 501 route, which operates in a mixed-traffic environment, was split in two with a downtown overlap on a trail basis late last year. It did not result in service improvements. Customer feedback was negative in both the east and the west experiment.

Report on the St. Clair project experience

Commissioners received a report and endorsed a report called “Getting It Right” – Lessons Learned from the St. Clair Streetcar for the Implementation of Transit City. According to its authors, transportation experts Richard M. Soberman and Les Kelman, its main objective is to extract valuable lessons learned from implementing the St. Clair streetcar improvements and using those as a guide for Transit City LRT projects.

Public Transit for the 2015 Pan Am Games

Commissioners received a report outlining the preliminary details available following the award of the 2015 Pan Am Games to Toronto, and noted its implications to transit services and Transit City projects, such as the Sheppard LRT, Scarborough-Malvern LRT and the upgrade and extension of the Scarborough RT. Commissioner Bill Saundercook was appointed as the board’s representative for TTC matters related to the Games; Commissioner Ron Moeser was appointed his alternate.