CEO's Report: February Commentary

I want to begin this month’s commentary by thanking the TTC Board for supporting our extensive and far-reaching plans to protect and enhance services where they are needed most while recognizing the need for critical state-of-good-repair work across the transit system.

Late last month, the TTC Board approved the 2025 Annual Service Plan, which outlines our service changes for the year. The plan continues to enhance connections across the network and aims to better serve all customers, including our priority groups – women, shift workers, and lower-income customers.

A key priority of this year’s plan is to improve the Community Bus service through route improvements, better customer communication, and improved wayfinding. Additionally, Commissioners approved a nine-month pilot for a new Community Bus route in Scarborough, running three days a week, to serve Masaryk Park Homes and nearby destinations.

At the same time, we are making huge investments to upgrade Toronto’s transit system and address the backlog of state-of-good-repair work through the TTC’s 2025 schedule of subway closures and streetcar diversions.

Subway closures this year will ensure that projects, such as the ECLRT, Rogers 5G, ATC Line 2 enabling work, Scarborough Subway Extension, and other essential repair programs are scheduled efficiently to minimize customer disruptions. Co-ordinating these closures accounts for what is happening throughout Toronto and days/weekends where major City events are avoided based on impact and proximity to maintain a good customer experience.

The TTC 2025 streetcar diversion plan aims to ensure asset availability for FIFA World Cup. It pays particular attention to vital King Street track intersection replacements – at King and Church and King and Dufferin – as well as the replacement of the Fleet and Bathurst intersection, resulting in streetcar diversions on the 504 King, 509 Harbourfront and 511 Bathurst routes. As part of the 2025 strategy, various life extension programs are planned for the tangent tracks along King Street.

Ridership update
​For the week ending February 1, the overall weekday boardings stood at 2.6 million per day and increased slightly by two per cent from the same week of last year. Weekday boardings by mode continue to be highest on the bus network at 1.2 million, followed by streetcar at 250,000 and subway at 1.1 million. Compared to a year ago, subway demand increased by eight per cent and streetcar by one per cent, while bus decreased two per cent.

People and Culture Group

Celebrating Black History Month
​This February, the TTC proudly celebrates Black History Month (BHM). This year’s campaign theme, City of Belonging: Celebrating Toronto’s Black Community Builders, honours the contributions of Black Torontonians who have played pivotal roles in creating a sense of belonging, safety, and unity within the city.

In collaboration with employees and community stakeholders, the TTC is recognizing six honourees through vehicle wraps, station murals, and social media channels. This year’s honourees include: Dr. Akua Benjamin, Debbie Douglas, Adonis Huggins, Louis March (posthumously), Angela Robertson, and Colleen Russell-Rawlins.

My thanks to TTC Chair Jamaal Myers for joining us at our official BHM kick-off, which took place on February 3 at McNicoll Division. The event featured inspirational music and poetry performances. We also collaborated with the Toronto Region of the Council of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) and the Blackhurst Cultural Centre on more events throughout the month.

The TTC remains committed to building an organization that truly represents and reflects the diversity of the city we serve. This commitment continues through the ongoing work of the TTC’s Anti-Racism Strategy, which drives meaningful change across the organization. In addition, our Executive and Senior Management teams are actively engaged in inclusive leadership training, reinforcing our efforts to foster a workplace where all employees feel valued and supported.

By sharing the stories of Black Torontonians and TTC employees, we honour their contributions to Toronto’s Black cultural fabric and their role in making the city a more inclusive and welcoming place for everyone.

Strategy and Customer Experience Group

Streetcar safety camera pilot starts in 2026
​Earlier this month, we announced that the TTC and B.C.-based Gatekeeper Systems will launch a streetcar safety camera pilot to start in 2026. Automatic camera enforcement technology will capture incident and license plate information of motorists who illegally pass open doors.

Cameras will be installed on four streetcars for the nine-month pilot, but no tickets will be issued during the period. The TTC has advocated for the use of cameras since 2015, and the Board endorsed the project last November. We are also developing an on-street safety campaign that will roll out in the coming weeks to remind all road users to stop behind open streetcar doors.

Safety is our top priority, and we are committed to ending illegal passing that puts our customers at risk.

New ACAT Chair and Vice-Chairs
​I want to officially welcome the Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit’s (ACAT) new executive members elected last month: Chair Betty Rivington-Law and Co-Vice Chairs Lori Bailey and Sophie Petrillo.

Our shared goal is achieving a transit system that is fully accessible and user-friendly for everyone. I am grateful for the recommendations that ACAT has provided over the years, and look forward to collaborating with the new ACAT executive committee.

Ms. Rivington-Law is an advocate for people with disabilities and mobility challenges, as well as for seniors.

Ms. Bailey brings expertise from a lifelong career in human resources and has served on boards and committees focused on social services and health care.

Ms. Petrillo is the Ombudsman for Hydro One. She is responsible for investigating individual and systemic issues and making recommendations that help Hydro One deliver fair and equitable services to the public.

New Ride Guide now available
​The Winter 2025 Ride Guide began circulating recently. This edition’s cover illustration by artist Andrew Kolb is titled, Sharing This Busy City. It is a light-hearted look at various modes of transportation crafted from everyday items. The artwork encourages customers to keep discovering new details whenever they pick up a copy.

Ride Guides are available at all subway stations, the TTC Customer Centre (above Davisville Station), and major shopping mall information kiosks. A poster version of the cover art is available for purchase at ttcshop.ca.

TTC helps riders make personal connections
​Everyone knows that the TTC makes millions of daily connections to vocational and recreational destinations in Toronto and beyond. The TTC is also a place known to spark personal and long-lasting connections between people.

On Valentine’s Day, we debuted a new video series called Between Stations on the TTC’s Instagram page (@TakeTheTTC). This four-episode series follows a group of young adults as they get to know each other face-to-face and hope to find love and friendship while riding the better way. The series runs until April. Follow along to discover how these connections unfold in a place we all know and love. Everyone is welcome to like, share, and comment on these posts.

Transportation and Vehicles Group

Celebrating 50 years of Wheel-Trans
​Fifty years ago, on February 3, 1975, a two-year demonstration project designed and operated to provide transportation for persons with disabilities began in the city. Operated by a private company and funded by the Province and Metro Toronto, this pilot was called Wheel-Trans.

Early reviews of the service showed that participants were enthusiastic about the new door-to-door service.

Wheel-Trans was fully integrated with the TTC in 1989, which led to improvements in service and vehicle reliability. Today, Wheel-Trans has nearly 43,000 registrants and carried more than three-and-a-half-million trips last year.

The TTC will be celebrating Wheel-Trans’ 50th anniversary throughout the year. We look forward to sharing more details as they become available.

Everyone at Wheel-Trans and the TTC are proud to provide service that ensures dignity, spontaneity, fairness, and freedom of travel for all customers.

SmartYard technology introduced at first bus division
​Late last month, the TTC’s new SmartYard system launched at Arrow Road Division. The system offers Operators a convenient, daily printout of their vehicle assignment and route information, improving the employee experience. The system also improves the efficiency of vehicles leaving and entering the yard.

The TTC is one of the first transit systems in North America to adopt this new technology. Staff will continue rolling out SmartYard at other bus and streetcar divisions. The next launch is planned for Mount Dennis Division.

Operations and Infrastructure Group

Update on Reduced Speed Zones
​As of February 4, the TTC had 10 Reduced Speed Zones (RSZ) in place in the subway system. Trains are required to travel at a slower-than-normal speed to minimize rail wear and allow maintenance work to be completed in these zones. RSZs are installed as a safety precaution and do not indicate that the track is unsafe for operation. Regular inspections continue to identify new defects that require a restricted zone to be installed. A complete list of RSZ locations is available at ttc.ca.

We have established a baseline target of 12 slow zones in the system at any one time, but we know this number can and will fluctuate as we carry out more inspections. This spring, we will conduct another comprehensive audit of track geometry. That will undoubtedly result in more slow orders being put in place, and we apologize in advance for that. But with safety always at top of mind, we must stay on top of the state-of-good-repair even if it means temporary service impacts.

Safety and Environment Group

Ride with winter safety in mind
​While we have several weeks to go before the first day of spring, I want to remind our riders that the TTC is the better choice for commuting in the winter season. Please be mindful of slippery conditions and check ahead before you begin your trip by following @TTCNotices on X (formerly Twitter) during bad weather.

During hazardous or icy conditions, the TTC will need to take certain stops in hilly areas of the city out of service as we did on January 28. Customers at these locations can scan a QR code on special signs to check if their bus stop is in service. They can also check the status of these stops on our website before starting their journey. These signs also show the location of the nearest bus stop that is in service.

Please know the TTC will work diligently to provide customers with a safe and reliable ride through the rest of winter.

Finally, we were deeply saddened by the news that TTC pensioner Joe Mihevc Sr. passed away on January 26 at the age of 101. He retired from Duncan Shop in 1998 as a Lead Hand mechanic after 36 years of service. Joe Sr. was the father of former TTC Vice-Chair/Councillor Joe Mihevc. In 2023, the TTC celebrated his 100th birthday by presenting him with a special framed certificate and commemorative TTC 100-year book. Our thoughts are with the Mihevc family.

The next scheduled TTC Board meeting will be on Monday, February 24. The public meeting will be live-streamed on the Official TTC YouTube Channel, starting at 10 a.m.

Greg Percy
​Chief Executive Officer
​February 2025