FROM THE CEO: TTC Board Highlights

This week, the TTC Board held its final meeting before the summer break. This followed the inauguration ceremony for our new mayor, Olivia Chow, which took place at City Hall on Wednesday (July 12). I had an opportunity to speak with Mayor Chow following the election and on behalf of the TTC I let her know that we looked forward to working with her.

At Wednesday’s Board meeting, it was my pleasure to show off the Mayor’s Cup won by our Red Rockets cricket team, and introduce Commissioners to the TTC’s youth challenge winners as well as some of our Rewards and Recognition recipients.

I was especially proud to bring the Board’s attention to the Bus Design Innovation (BDI) program. This exciting program was developed in partnership with the TTC, ATU Local 113 and Centennial College. The initiative explores opportunities for new bus designs with the goal of developing a safer and more environmentally friendly transit vehicle while also improving the customer experience.

TTC Chief Transportation and Vehicles Officer Rich Wong and Andrew Falotico, Executive Board Member and Safety Representative for Local 113, lead a presentation on some of the initiatives underway under BDI to reduce collisions and assaults, and improve accessibility, ergonomics and customer experience.

Our teams have developed a superior and complete barrier to help prevent assaults. A prototype bus with the newest design is making the rounds at divisions to gather Operator feedback. This project was presented to the U.S. Federal Transit Administration in Washington D.C. in June and the ATU International Conference last fall.

The BDI program is a demonstration of effective management-labour collaboration, while leveraging our long-standing relationship with Centennial College and apprenticeship programs and other partners committed to our safety and security objectives. Through our apprenticeship programs, a new generation of college students is actively engaged on research and development of these new designs.

The TTC is an industry leader and produces its best work when there is full collaboration between union and management.

Please see below for more highlights of Commission decisions approved on July 12. The next scheduled Board meeting will be held on September 26.

Rewards and Recognition nominations now open
People are our greatest asset and the TTC is fortunate to have great talent out there making a difference every day and night. Please take the time to highlight someone who is making a big contribution to the TTC’s success. Nominations for the fall awards are open until August 4 so don’t hesitate to nominate.

Stay safe.

Richard J. Leary
Chief Executive Officer
July 14, 2023

TTC Board Highlights
TTC Board Meeting July 12, 2023

TTC flags half-masted in honour of former TTC Vice-Chair Bev Salmon
Board members and TTC staff acknowledge the passing of former TTC Vice-Chair Bev Salmon, who died on July 6 at age 92. Ms. Salmon was Toronto’s first black female City Councillor. She served on the TTC Board from 1989 to 1994, and was our Vice-Chair from 1991 to 1994. Flags at TTC properties were lowered in her memory on July 12.

CEO’s Report – Rogers’ Wi-Fi update
The TTC Board received for information the CEO’s Report for July. This month’s report includes an update on Rogers’ plan to provide cellular and 5G connectivity throughout the subway system, including tunnels and stations. This build will take place in conjunction with the TTC’s own subway infrastructure work.

Phase 1A will enable the Line 1 Lower U (St George to Bloor) with tunnel and station cellular and 5G capability, including 9-1-1 coverage. The target is to complete this in time for the upcoming school year, specifically by fall 2023. Phase 1B focuses on enabling Line 2 (St George to Keele and Yonge to Castle Frank) stations only (not tunnels) with cellular and 5G capability by winter 2023.

2023 Accessibility Plan Status Report
Board members received the 2023 Accessibility Plan Status Update. The report describes the TTC’s progress toward achieving the objectives of the 2019-2023 TTC Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (Accessibility Plan). The Accessibility Plan identified 47 specific objectives to improve the accessibility of TTC services and facilities for customers by 2023. To date, 28 of these objectives are completed; 12 are in progress; and seven are ongoing, comprising regular review, planning, and design activities and are not intended to have a set end date.

Major planned accessibility initiatives that are planned to be implemented by the end of 2023 include: completing Easier Access accessibility upgrades at one additional subway station (Donlands); continuing tactile platform edge tile upgrades at up to 17 additional subway platforms; and launching the new Wheel-Trans mobile app.

Wheel-Trans Transformation Program 2023 Update
Board members received the Wheel-Trans Transformation Program (WTTP) 2023 Update. The report outlines accomplishments, impacts and next steps, including the operationalization of Family of Services (FOS), Travel Training, Access Hubs and the rollout of new technology. It also provides an update on the staff review of the Reservations Contact Centre and Wheel-Trans fleet replacement efforts.

The Board also adopted a motion by Commissioner Paul Ainslie requesting staff to explore the implementation of a Community Bus service in Ward 24 Scarborough-Guildwood and report back as part of the TTC’s Annual Service Plan review.

Key accomplishments since the June 2022 update include:

• FOS expansion, bringing the total network to 81 FOS routes and 508 vehicle transfer stops.

• 602,881 FOS trips completed by Wheel-Trans customers in 2022.

• Solution assessment completed establishing a path forward for Phases 5 to 8 of the Reservations, Scheduling and Dispatching software system upgrades.

• Continued Contact Centre performance improvements, resulting in an average wait time of two minutes and 10 seconds for 2022.

• Continued fleet replacement, bringing the total to 230 new ProMaster vehicles in service.

Wheel-Trans will focus on customer re-registration, fleet replacement, Contact Centre performance and procurement efforts for Phases 5 to 8 of the Reservations, Scheduling and Dispatching software system upgrades throughout 2023 and into 2024.

The TTC has consulted extensively with Wheel-Trans customers, members of the public, community organizations, and other stakeholders (i.e. University Health Network, Ontario Human Rights Commission, Local Health Integration Network, Ontario Medical Association, etc.), including the TTC’s Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit (ACAT), to ensure the Wheel-Trans 10-Year Strategy is carried out in a manner that is accessible and inclusive.

The cornerstone of the WTTP is the FOS model, which was enacted by the eligibility changes enacted on January 1, 2017. FOS provides Wheel-Trans customers with the option of using accessible-conventional transit service (bus, streetcars and subways) for all or part of their trips.

Procurement Authorization – TTC Uniforms and Work Clothing
Board members approved a staff report authorizing the TTC Chief Executive Officer to negotiate and approve the issuance of 29 contracts for the period ending December 31, 2025 on a single-source basis to the following vendors, in the total upset limit amount of $9.1 million, including applicable taxes, as follows:

• The Uniform Experts to supply uniforms for Transit Operators, Supervisors, Station Collectors and Customer Service Agents for a total upset limit of $4.4 million, including taxes;

• Mark’s Work Warehouse to supply maintenance work clothing for a total upset limit of $3.4 million, including taxes; and

• 10 remaining vendors to supply garment accessories for Transit Operators, uniforms for Special Constables and Fare Inspectors for a total upset limit of $1.3 million, including taxes.

The TTC is using this opportunity to better define uniform requirements to ensure the supply of uniforms and work clothing will meet gender- and religious-based needs and review work clothing entitlements. This will determine requirements to optimize work performance and best provide TTC customers with clear identification of TTC staff working in the transit system that do not wear uniforms.

Supply of Cummins factory-remanufactured engines contract approved
Board members approved the award of a contract worth $10.8 million (inclusive of HST and core charges) to City View Bus Sales and Service Ltd. for the supply of 153 Cummins factory-remanufactured engines for the TTC’s Nova 12-metre (40-foot) buses. The 2024 Bus Rebuild Program will overhaul 180 Nova 12-metre buses. With 27 engines already procured in 2023 as provisional, this contract supplies the balance of parts required for the Nova 12-metre bus rebuild project for 2024.

Procurement Authorization – Bloor-Yonge Capacity Improvements
Board members approved the award of a contract worth $9.9 million (inclusive of all taxes) to Clearway Construction Inc. for utility works required in advance of major construction on the new station structure. The scope of the contract includes the construction of a 600-mm concrete combined sewer, and the installation of new Toronto Hydro Electrical System Ltd. infrastructure, including duct banks, cable chambers and conduits.

St Clair West Loop replacement contract approved
Board members approved the award of a contract worth $7.2 million (inclusive of all taxes) to Duron Ontario Ltd. for the St Clair West Loop replacement. St Clair West Station streetcar tracks were last replaced in 2007, and is at the end of its useful life. Infrastructure work required providing safe and efficient service includes: streetcar rail replacement, replacement of the expansion joint system and associated waterproofing under the track bed, removal of overhead security doors and localized repairs to the overhead system and customer platform.

Streetcar service will be interrupted for two board periods, from October 8 to December 23, 2023. During this timeframe, alternate bus service will operate instead of streetcars on the 512 St Clair route on St. Clair Avenue West.

Next meeting of the TTC Board
The next scheduled TTC Board Meeting will be on Tuesday, September 26.

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