Trash Talk the TTC

Streetcars being short turned

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:45:13 GMT

by General (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:45:13 GMT)
Everyday. They short turn at Kingston a lot. A lot of people have to walk in the bitter cold.

Read Main Topic

Transit City a mess and incumbent plan

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:42:16 GMT

by General (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:42:16 GMT)
I honestly thought I was the only one against this stupid ridiculous plan. It's nice to know people have common sense. I mean why build one thing just to replace it with a subway?? It's not like subways are going to get less expensive. Build now for the future, not for yesterday!

Read Main Topic

Make the union compete

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:42:07 GMT

by Bunker (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:42:07 GMT)

ThisIsChris wrote:The union is responsible for the astronomical labour costs and unreasonable work rules.

Also, in my scenario, contracts would be up for renewal (with a new request for bids) on a regular basis, determined and announced in advance. Workers could unionize all they want, as long as they could remain competitive.

Far from correct. Sadly for your "point" TTC drivers, as well as subway operators, streetcar operators, maintenance people, fare collectors, etc. are all considered skilled trades (as well they should be, especially with the abuse they deal with from customers such as yourself on a daily basis) and are paid pretty much the average for skilled tradesmen (and women) in the province.

The TTC union's contract IS up for renewal on a regular basis (every four years, just like every other city employee), it just so happens that no outside company chooses to compete with them, so you really don't have an argument there, either.

Read Main Topic

Dundas Station downtown horror

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:39:25 GMT

by crosswire (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:39:25 GMT)
When the economy is in the dumps like it is now, there are layoffs everywhere. You know its bad when the gov starts laying off ppl.
but for the gov, its a plus since they can get rid of the deadwood or employees who have just stuck around because of the union and now they have reason to restructure and lay them off.
thats what the ttc needs. Get fresh ppl in. I've seen ttc employees some in wheelchairs and crutches etc and sure im not saying get rid of them, but quality of customer service is more imp than quantity at this point.

Read Main Topic

TrashTalkTheTTC is STUPID

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:38:20 GMT

by Bunker (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:38:20 GMT)

Brandaleena wrote:The creater of this site DID point out in the intro message that this is also used for the TTC to garner suggestions as to how to improve service.

Like any other business, if people don't talk about what needs to be changed, no one who is in the position to make the changes will know.

How is incessant union and worker bashing going to improve service?

IMO, the only time TTC management should look at this site is when the criticisms of the people who do not deserve it are removed and actual intelligent discussion takes place.

Read Main Topic

There should be mutual respect

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:35:56 GMT

by ten (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:35:56 GMT)
I am an older person. I have noticed some drivers treating young students/teenagers very badly. Many a times, I have seen these drivers starting/accelerating their buses hurriedly when they see a male student/teenager approaching/running to catch the bus. They don't mind waiting or stopping the bus for a pretty looking teenager/dame, but no such luck for young males. No wonder they get the kind of treatment from youngsters and it seems they ask for it. Youngsters are people too, they pay for the bus like everyone else, their money is as good as anybody's. Whether one is a driver or a passenger, you get the respect you give. If some drivers are treated badly by passengers, you know why! Does TTC check on the behaviour of drivers towards passengers?

Read Main Topic

aaaand George Robitaille is back on the "job"

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:29:34 GMT

by overpayme (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:29:34 GMT)
And if you had the power what is the punishment you would have deemed appropriate. Should he have been fired outright? Publicly flogged? Forced to attend a sleep clinic?

Really hasn't the public embarrassment and his subsequent apology been enough for you. He made a mistake and admitted to it, publically, to a city of 5 million people. Enough now.

Should his 25 plus years of public service count for nothing. Is the fact that he helped save a mans life and won the TTC's highest honour that year of no value. I guess not, he screwed up, fire him and move on. First offence? No matter, your out.

I guess anyone who feels this way has never made a mistake on their job and been given a second chance to make up for it huh? How many people that would have Mr. Robitaille fired would like to have pictures taken of what goes on at their workplace at any given time of the day. He does his job in a fishbowl, thus if he messes up he is subject to public scrutiny. Not all of us have to work, or would want to work in an environment where our errors were broadcast to the world.

Read Main Topic

Driver Who Annouces ALL Stops on Wellesley

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:27:52 GMT

by Evany (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:27:52 GMT)
I bet this is the same driver that I've encountered many times and he's really great! He's nice to everyone including all the kids at the high schools on his route. This is the kind of driver that they should be looking for. He stands out like a beacon in the black hole that is customer service on the TTC. There are a few others but they are very, very rare.

Read Main Topic

From a TTC driver

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:15:51 GMT

by Evany (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:15:51 GMT)

Does the public know how these drivers are treated ? Spit on assaulted and treated like dirt ! They have job to do like everyone else ! How would most of he private sector like to work under these conditions ?

I ride the system every day for almost two hours - several routes- and I see drivers being verbally abusive, disrespectful and contemptuous towards riders several times a week. I have never, ever seen someone attack a driver in any way and rarely see someone being verbally abusive towards a driver. Ninety five percent of the agressive behaviour is coming from drivers. That's usually why they're being assaulted. They treat people like garbage and sometimes run across some testosterone-hyped, hot head who becomes violent in response to the abuse.

I could drive a car if I chose to do so. I chose not to drive in the city for environmental reasons, and should not be subjected to this kind of behaviour because I chose to ride a system that I partially pay for with my property tax dollars.

Instead of telling riders who don't like to be treated worse than cattle that they should look at other options for travelling around, as some posters here are doing, it would be much more productive to suggest to the drivers who don't think customer service is part of their job to look for more suitable employment. If this were only a tiny minority of drivers behaving like this, I'd chalk it up to a few bad apples but it's so constant and pervasive in the system and of such little interest to the TTC that I can't help but think that they could really not care less about the customer service aspect of the system.

I think that a long diatribe on how people asking drivers for directions is slowing down the system and amounts to "holding their hands" is completely off the wall. Part of their job is to assist passengers. As someone pointed out, if in 99% of traffic situations a driver can't talk and drive the bus or streetcar at the same time, they are not fit for the job.

Read Main Topic

My grandpa drove for the TTC for over 20 years

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:09:26 GMT

by Cranky Old Fart (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:09:26 GMT)

Spinach wrote:
lanalaro wrote:Camera's are in banks and 7-11's too, but they get robbed.

And TTC riders are cowards and will not do a damn thing. 5 years ago a driver challanged a bad transfer on VP at 5 pm. Bus was crowded with passengers. The guy with the transfer started beating the driver, pulled him out of his seat, dragged him off the bus, and kicked him un-conscious on the sidewalk. Everyone just froze and stared.

So everyone who doesn't interfere with a (possibly armed) psychopath is a coward? Old guy with a cane is a chicken because he didn't do something about the beatdown?

Did no one call the police after a couple of minutes? Seeing something like that is kind of shocking; not everyone is going to have the werewithal to interfere. That doesn't make each and every TTC passenger a "coward."

Maybe the Passengers didn't think it was a "bad transfer" ?

Read Main Topic

Clean buses, streetcars & subway trains & stations

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:49:12 GMT

by Planning_Future (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:49:12 GMT)
I really believe that riders bear the most responsibility to keeping the passenger area clean. The busses and trams need to be on service for hours, with enormous amounts of people in and out.
I ask of the riders: is it that much trouble to put your snotty kleenex in your pocket until you step off and face a refuse bin?? The slovenly behaviour is an overall city problem, not specifically the TTC. I have seen the stages of clean-up in parts of the city, known for it's "dirt, like Parkdale, I have never seen more people leave their dog's business on the sidewalk!! but the city comes week after week and takes it away. Just like a new vehicle on service, it gets cleaned when it can be.
Torontonians need to develop some self love and participate in making the city what we want. Democracy has a funny way of working when approached in a constructive manner.

A suggestion for the TTC though, what about refuse bins at the doors of surface vehicles? people are lazy...there needs to be a middle ground.

Read Main Topic

Here's our TTC collector he finally woke up??

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:48:37 GMT

by Cranky Old Fart (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:48:37 GMT)
Thanks Mr. Robataille for being the catalyst in finally awakening the decades long pent-up frustrations Torontonians have had for all that is broken & wrong with the TTC from the politicians at all levels that have used the TTC for their political macinations, the uninspiring nature of it's Management, and the lacklustre & boorish performance of many of it's unionised employees

Read Main Topic

TTC drivers are traffics cops as well...apparently

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:48:24 GMT

by D_LaPointe (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:48:24 GMT)

Potato Salad wrote:Well If you watched the 6 O'clock news today..
It actually had a news story about crossing the road while the timer is counting down and hand flashing..
According to the LAW..
If you are already crossing the roadway when the timer/hand start flashing then it's ok to continue, but if the timer/hand are already flashing then you start crossing YOU are doing so illegally... And subject to a $50 fine
Just thought you should know..

Sure whatever...and the TTC is there to enforce this law????? They can't do their own job properly...what makes you think they can do two jobs??

Read Main Topic

Stop the long delays on the Subway at every shift change!

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:43:04 GMT

by overpayme (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:43:04 GMT)
Susan I would be willing to bet that it might seem like 5-10 minutes to you because when you are waiting time always passees slowly. However I can tell you that if we are tallking about the same thing, that being the change overs along the Spadina stretch, then you have rarely waited anything close to 10 minutes. Transit Control attempts to schedule the trains to change at a station where they will meet up while causing as little delay as possible. Sometimes they are off by a minute or two in their calculation but never the amount to which you are referring. Let's be fair and put a watch to it and time the process the next time it happens to you.

And 10 or 20 minutes for a changeover, c'mon lets be a little more realistic. If you ever had to wait 20 minutes it wasn't due to crew changeovers it was due to another type of delay ongoing. To put it in perspective, 20 minutes is the amount of time it takes to get from Downsview to St. George. There is no way that a gap in trains of that size would be allowed to develop without some reason other than crew changes. It would defeat the purpose of the excecise which is to put the line back on time before the p.m. rush.

Also, I have to believe you are exaggerating when you say that there is NEVER a driver waiting when your train arrives. To put it simply there is a 50/50 chance that you will have a driver waiting for you depending on whether his/her train was first to arrive at the change over location. If your train is first to arrive then yes you will have to wait for the other train to come and the crew to cross the platform. However if you are second to arrive then your new crew will be standing there to take over unless they had to run to the restroom before taking over your train. So for you to say there is absolutely never a driver there to take your train you are either being less than truthful or you are the world's most unlucky woman.

Read Main Topic

Stop-over privileges

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:37:15 GMT

by Planning_Future (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:37:15 GMT)
Winnipeg has a 2 hour transfer. It makes much more sense than trying to cover the station or time on your transfer so you can do a grocery shop and leave the car at home. I mean, who thinks it's fair to pay $6 just to go down the street and back?

Read Main Topic

When I was only 12

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:36:00 GMT

by Cranky Old Fart (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:36:00 GMT)
LOL I have a similar story from when I too was 12.

After school one day a few friends & I went up to a Record Store at Eglinton & Yonge spent our allowance on Vinyl & I then proceeded to head up to Finch & home from Eglinton Subway Station.

It was the start of Rush Hour at this point I went to the Fare Booth deposited my ticket & whump my pelvis & balls get crushed on a locked turnstile when I got my breath back & composed myself the Booth Jockey was telling me to deposit a Fare (which of course I already had). I tried in vain to plead my case that I already had paid (after checking my pockets for another ticket or enough change) but the crotchety personality disordered tax eater was having none of it. He was going to strand me until I paid yet again. After sometime I thought I'd try calling my Mother @ work with a dime I had left from my record purchases on the off chance she was working late. Lucky for me she hadn't left work yet.

My Irish Mother arrived paid my Fare (again) then proceeded to tear a strip out of the cantankerous tax eater for 5 minutes to the great pleasure of many rush hour commuters.

I found out the next day from a classmate that the TTC had a system where they could take your info in lieu of payment gave you a reicept & an envelope (they kept a copy) & you could pay the missing fare on your next trip by depositing it in the envelope along with the receipt. This possibility wasn't even offered to a 12 year old wearing his easily identifiable school uniform by the bitter tax eater !

Read Main Topic

Bus stopped, at the door - Still wont let me in???

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:27:50 GMT

by D_LaPointe (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:27:50 GMT)

I_have_an_idea wrote:lanalaro.... I don't think anyone on this forum is talking about making buses/streetcars wait for them or delaying service. I think everyone is talking about when a bus/streetcar has already closed its doors but is prevented from leaving the intersection due to the fact that they are at a red light. If the bus/streetcar has to sit there for the better part of a minute there is no harm in simply opening the doors. I think that is what everyone is getting at here.

YES!! If the bus is stopped at a red light in front of a bus stop...and it's not moving...there is not reason to not open the doors. NO TIME IS LOST.

THANK YOU!!

Read Main Topic

Transit City

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:15:39 GMT

by skittles (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:15:39 GMT)
The line to the airport is important..however, this is where the other muncipalities need to step it up. Most of the people that board from kipling, downsview, etc are from other Muncipalities,set the TTC cost burden falls onto Toronto residences. As mentioned before, the first priority is expanding the subway on queen/or king west. It is something that will clear up the roads and help expand the city. Also, eventually there should be one from the beaches, and expanding onwards. That area would be great, if it were adequately connected to the city. This is far from transit city, its a farce calling it one.

Read Main Topic

The Wellesley Station Polluter

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:06:30 GMT

by xinit (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:06:30 GMT)
I've filed numerous complaints, and tried to get a response other than "we're looking into it" ... while nearly every time I show up at Wellesley Station between 5:00 and 5:30 pm, there's a running van in the bus loop, with a TTC worker passed out at the wheel.

Sure, he might be on break, he's burning TTC gas and filling the loop and station with the stink of diesel exhaust. I've seen other employees bundle up in their TTC jackets and head to their personal vehicles for a break; though they didn't run their engines when I was there. Had they, it wouldn't have been TTC gas, nor likely poorly tuned diesel.

Wellesley is unpleasant enough without adding the stink of diesel exhaust to the mix.

Spacing mentioned this shortly before the ticket booth sleeper story took off, along with one of the poor quality blackberry photos I took of the culprit http://spacing.ca/wire/2010/01/18/the-t ... ing-bylaw/

Read Main Topic

Ceilings down everywhere!

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:59:25 GMT

by bubblykiki (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:59:25 GMT)
You think the ttc is disgusting, you should see New York! I was mortified and afraid to ride! Lol!!

Read Main Topic

Have a driver who impressed you?

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:52:21 GMT

by Phillip Sanders (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:52:21 GMT)

Cranky Old Fart wrote:
Phillip Sanders wrote:Take the time to call TTC Customer Service and give them a Commendation.

These are definately passed on to the operator, and are placed into his/her file. It takes a few minutes, but will make that drivers day.

416-393-3030 or on the TTC Website.

Conversley if they haven't impressed us does that go in the file or is it ignored ?

Commendations and Complaints are both put into the drivers file. Generally, complaints are forwarded to the operator's "Division", and the Operator has a little "chat" with the Boss about the complaint/commendation. Either way, the operator is made aware of the situation at hand. In the event of a complaint, the operator is encouraged to consider his actions and to ensure that such an incident does not occur again. In the case of a commendation, the operator is encouraged to continue his/her positive behavior.

Source: I am a TTC Operator

Read Main Topic

Poll: Why don't you bicycle?

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:48:39 GMT

by Boeing Bomb (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:48:39 GMT)
I live downtown and I go to school in near the bluffs. I'd rather take the TTC instead. That's the same reason why I didn't pick a high school any closer.

Read Main Topic

What about the Positive TTC Employees You Meet?

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:41:05 GMT

by Boeing Bomb (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:41:05 GMT)

xinit wrote:
That has always stuck me as a bit odd, but I've seen the sign on that route be out of order pretty frequently, rebooting or something. Maybe the recorded voice is as often buggy, and he's just become used to announcing them. Heard him apologize to someone the other day for the wheelchair ramp being slow to deploy, and waved the people at the stop to go ahead and board through the back door while the wheelchair was being offloaded. A small, but nice gesture to the people stuck out in the cold wind that night.

Most of the drivers I've seen on the 94 have been pleasant enough; can't think of any examples of bad behaviour.

Before, he used to annouce the stops while pausing the whole system. He still does the annoucements, but while the PA is running. He got reported for pausing the system.

Read Main Topic

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:31:45 GMT

by Cranky Old Fart (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:31:45 GMT)
I'd like the City of Toronto to impose a Residency Requirement policy for all City Employees : Transit Workers, Garbage Colectors, Cops, Firefighters the whole lot of them much like New York City did 20+ years ago. It's a slap in the face to the Tax Payers of Toronto to be paying these folks who can't even be arsed to live in the community that employs them. Paying taxes in Cobourg, Peel, Durham, York etc etc.

New York City imposes residency requirements - on municipal workers

Read Main Topic

Pushy riders

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:29:20 GMT

by luv2ttttc (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:29:20 GMT)
Yea, I observed a woman punch another woman in the back while they both were trying to get off at the same stop. The TTC is overcrowded. More buses are needed.

Read Main Topic

64 main bus

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:20:31 GMT

by bob noxious (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:20:31 GMT)

Dev9172 wrote:I have to get the first 64 main bus at 6am to get to the subway . I am walking to the stop before the time and the bus gos by . I have to walk to the subway now . When I get there the driver ( a women ) is sitting in the bus reading the paper . This really pisses me off . What kind of a place are they running ? It is so bad .

So you went through all this and in the end you did'nt even go up to her to give her a piece of your mind or complain to TTC? What a waste.

Read Main Topic

Create queues at busy stops

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:14:25 GMT

by luv2ttttc (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:14:25 GMT)
Put in bars similar to those at the banks and some department stores so that people must line up to get on very busy buses at the subway station transfer point. That way, the tension and shoving is eased and the people who get their first get on the bus first.

Read Main Topic

Leadfeet drivers

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:03:21 GMT

by luv2ttttc (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:03:21 GMT)
3 things bother me about the 63 Ossington bus I take to and from work.

1) the long wait at Ossington & Queen to go north while 4 practically empty busses go south

2) that a big crowd forms at the Subway waiting for the 63 to go south while the 64 bus that goes north always arrives and leaves almost empty

2) the drivers can't pick one place to stop so that the riders who arrive first know where to stand to ensure they get on the bus

3) The drivers who are so heavy on the brake that they send people flying when they stop. They do it on purpose because they hate their jobs.

4) The drivers who lurch the bus so that people get tossed around and can hardly hold on. They do it on purpose because they hate their jobs.

5) The drivers on the same route who played catch me if you can type games with each other

6) the loud-mouthed driver who lectures riders. Either let the person on or don't let them on. I don't want to hear about it and witness a rider being publicly reprimanded for the rest of the trip. Besides, the driver is promoting conflict and risking a fight rather than supporting a peaceful and safe environment.

7) why don't ttc drivers politely tell able-bodied people occupying the seats at the front of the bus that are reserved for the elderly and frail (or women carrying infants, etc.), to give up their seat?

8) that the bus is so crowded people can't get through to the doors and miss their stop

9) that the bus is so crowded that a woman with a child who was being shoved and pushed hard by the woman behind her punched her in the back

10) the nasty driver who made me pay twice just because he could, even though I have never needed a transfer to get on (in years). He told me that you need a transfer for every bus at a subway station. Can you imagine the line-ups at the transfer machines if that were true?

Oops! 10 things I hate about the Ossington bus.

Read Main Topic

Sympathetic politician list?

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:54:34 GMT

by phyto (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:54:34 GMT)
One of Toronto's wards with the highest rates of TTC use, Ward 18, is represented by Councillor Adam Giambrone: http://www.toronto.ca/wards2000/ward18.htm

If you live in Little Portugal, Dufferin Grove Park or any of the other neighbourhoods in this ward, it's time to inform your councillor of his constituents' views. If he doesn't, the 2010 Toronto municipal election isn't far away.

Read Main Topic

TTC Workers Foul Language

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:26:44 GMT

by luv2ttttc (Posted Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:26:44 GMT)
At Sherbourne Stn this morning around 10 am two ttc guys wearing the yellow vests with the crosses on the back went down the escalator and waiting on the platform going east at the same time as me. Going down the escalator and on the platform waiting for the train the two ttc guys swore their heads off. They were really loud and the guy who did most of the talking was not satisifed with the plainold F bomb, he seemed to prefer m*f*, and c*s*. I was sort of shocked because it was sooo loud and they appeared oblivious and unconcerned about their behaviour. After a minute or so on the platform I gave them a look and the one who was doing most of the swearing gave me a perfunctory and insincere "sorry ma'am" then turned and laughed loudly with his buddie.

It just seems wrong that I should be subjected to that language by ttc workers while I wait for the train.

Read Main Topic