TTC Board Meeting Highlights (February 25, 2015)

TTC Board Meeting Highlights February 25, 2015

Moment of silence

TTC Chair Josh Colle began the TTC Board Meeting with a moment of silence in memory of Susan Davidson, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Accessible Transportation, who died on Feb. 12.

TTC Board reduces operating subisdy request

In response to a City Budget Committee request, the TTC Board approved a $5-million reduction in budgeted expenditures, reducing the City’s subsidy for the TTC’s Operating Budget to $473.9 million from $478.9 million in 2015. TTC staff identified the reduction through increased workforce gapping, reduced WSIB expenses, a transfer of some streetcar rail work to the Capital Budget and the deferral of 40 operating workforce positions.

On Feb. 2, Board Members approved the 2015 Operating Budget totalling $1.69 billion, with an assumed operating subsidy of $478.9 million, to address a projected record ridership level of 545 million in 2015. To balance the budget, the Board also approved a 10-cent increase in the price of a single Adult token ($2.80 from $2.70) effective March 1, 2015, and a proportionate increase to all other fares, excluding cash, plus a one-trip increase in the price of the Adult Metropass.

Transit Enforcement Unit overview

Board Members received an update on the TTC’s Transit Enforcement Unit (Special Constables and Transit Fare Inspectors) and passed the following motions:

• Approve a modified uniform for Fare Inspectors that is more “customer friendly.”
• Support mental health training for all Fare Inspectors.
• Continue to search for a third party that can undertake the oversight function for Fare Inspectors.
• Approve in principle a pilot project where one or two LRT or streetcar lines are chosen where Fare Inspectors have no baton and no handcuffs, and request staff to report back on an implementation strategy and third-party evaluation process.
• When recruiting Fare Inspectors TTC staff reach out to the diverse communities in Toronto through all available avenues, such as advertising in community newspapers, websites, job fairs, and community organizations in order to recruit women and men who are qualified and reflect the TTC customer that they will interact with on a daily basis.
• TTC staff report back to the Board on powers for Enforcement Officers and Special Constables to issue tickets for parking bylaw enforcement infractions and other traffic bylaw charges (i.e. blocking intersections on transit routes and stops).

Project management services for Scarborough Subway

The Board approved the award of a contract with an upset limit of $80 million to Scarborough Link Joint Venture for project management services for the Scarborough Subway Extension. Board Members also requested TTC staff to report back on overall governance structure and project schedule. The Scarborough Subway Extension Project is jointly managed by the City and the TTC under the guidance of a City-TTC Transit Executive Committee, which is co-chaired by the City Manager and the TTC CEO.

Approval to purchase 50 buses

The Board approved a contract amendment worth $30 million with Nova Bus (a division of Volvo Group Canada Inc.) for the purchase of 50 additional low-floor, clean-diesel buses for delivery in 2015 and early 2016. The TTC is currently in a contract with Nova for the supply of 55 buses. The award of this amendment is subject to City Council approval of the TTC’s 2015-2024 Capital Budget in March.

Upcoming Board meetings

The next scheduled regular TTC Board meeting will be on Thursday, March 26 at Toronto City Hall, Council Chamber, starting at 10 a.m., with the public session starting at 1 p.m.