CEO's Report: May Commentary

I want to begin my commentary by recognizing a significant anniversary at the TTC. We are honoured and grateful to salute the TTC Supervisory Honour Guard for their 30 years of dedicated service.

Over the past three decades, the Honour Guard has proudly carried the TTC’s colours during times of celebration and sorrow.

Since forming in May 1995, the Guard has displayed tremendous pride in their volunteer duties by upholding our core values of safety, service, and courtesy.

The Honour Guard has represented the TTC with dignity by marching in ceremonies and parades, alongside the City’s Honour Guards, who represent firefighters, paramedics, and police. They have also stood silently and stoically at funerals for our own fallen colleagues.

On behalf of the TTC Executive and all employees, I want to extend our sincerest appreciation to all current and retired Honour Guard members for their service.

Ridership update
​For the week ending April 26, the overall weekday boardings stood at 2.6 million per day and increased by two per cent from the same week last year. Weekday boardings by mode continue to be highest on the bus network at 1.2 million, followed by streetcar at 257,000 and subway at 1.1 million. Compared to a year ago, subway and streetcar demand increased respectively by seven per cent and five per cent, mainly due to an increase in downtown office commutes, while bus saw a slight decrease of two per cent.

TTC celebrates Asian Heritage
​The TTC is proud to celebrate Asian Heritage Month in May.

Throughout the month, we are recognizing and highlighting the contributions, backgrounds, traditions, and histories that enrich our vast workplace. I want to thank our employees of Asian heritage who are sharing their unique stories and experiences through a cultural campaign and special events held across our property.

Diversity and inclusion are priorities at the TTC as we strive to reflect the city and communities we serve. Our diversity is what makes us great!

TTC recognizes National AccessAbility Week
​The TTC marks National AccessAbility Week from May 25 to May 31. It is an opportunity to recognize the efforts of Canadians who are actively removing barriers and ensuring people with disabilities have an equal chance to participate in various spheres of society. The TTC’s Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit (ACAT) has played an important role in improving transit accessibility. To honour their contributions, the TTC will spotlight current and former ACAT members during AccessAbility Week.

TTC to stop accepting tickets, tokens, and day passes
​Sunday, June 1, 2025, is the final day TTC customers can pay to ride using tickets, tokens, and day passes. Legacy fares will no longer be accepted as fare payment after that date.

TTC customers can continue paying a fare with a physical or digital PRESTO card or PRESTO Ticket, a debit or credit card, including those in their mobile wallet on their smart devices, or with cash at station fareboxes, and on buses and streetcars.

Wheel-Trans customers have until December 31, 2025, to use their tickets, tokens, and day passes, but only for Wheel-Trans trips.

Danforth opens its doors to Toronto
​The TTC is pleased to welcome the public behind the scenes at Danforth Garage on Saturday, May 24, as part of Doors Open Toronto. The historic facility is located at Danforth and Coxwell, steps from Coxwell Station.

Originally called Danforth Carhouse, the Edwardian-style facility began servicing streetcars for Toronto Civic Railways in 1915. In 1921, the Toronto Transportation Commission took over operations and introduced the new Peter Witt streetcars. After the Bloor-Danforth Subway opened in 1966, the carhouse was fully converted to a bus garage and served in that capacity until 2002. Today, Danforth serves as an office for subway operations.

Doors Open visitors can take self-guided tours and photograph the equipment and artifacts on display. TTC staff and volunteers will be on hand to answer any questions. A BBQ lunch will be served in support of United Way Greater Toronto. Danforth last opened its doors to the public in 2023.

Visitors are encouraged to share their experience on social media using #DOT25.

Customer satisfaction surveys
​The TTC welcomes riders to participate in two surveys available on the TTC’s website. The COMET (subway service) and GOAL (bus and streetcar service) customer satisfaction surveys cover various aspects of our business, such as reliability, availability, accessibility, and security.

The TTC is among many transit systems in North America and internationally that are participating in this initiative. These surveys allow us to benchmark our customer satisfaction feedback against the results from other agencies to ensure alignment with industry standards and best practices.

The short surveys are available from the homepage at ttc.ca until May 19.

May service changes
​Starting on Sunday, May 11, the TTC will introduce service increases and/or additional trips during select travel periods on the following bus routes: 9 Bellamy, 101 Downsview Park, 123 Sherway, 125 Drewry, and 927 Highway 27 Express.

Seasonal service increases will be made on the following routes: 92 Woodbine South, 200 Toronto Zoo, 201 Bluffer’s Park, and 202 Cherry Beach.

Beginning at noon on Monday, May 19, the TTC will increase service on the 22 Coxwell and 92 Woodbine South to accommodate riders travelling to Ashbridges Bay Park for the Victoria Day fireworks display. The 22 Coxwell will be extended south on Coxwell Avenue and east on Lake Shore Boulevard to connect with Woodbine Beach. Additional TTC staff will be present to help direct customers to the appropriate boarding locations.

New dedicated bus lanes will be implemented on Queens Quay, between Lower Jarvis Street and Lower Sherbourne Street in the eastbound direction, and Lower Sherbourne Street and Bay Street in the westbound direction. This will reduce travel times and improve service reliability on routes 75 Sherbourne, 114 Queens Quay East, and 202 Cherry Beach.

We encourage TTC riders to follow @TTCNotices on X (formerly Twitter) or check ttc.ca for the most up-to-date information.

Update on Reduced Speed Zones
​A comprehensive audit of subway track geometry was recently completed in the subway system.

The survey, conducted by the global firm MERMEC Inc., collects data on rail wear and track geometry, including rail gauge, which is the measurement between two rails. This survey was conducted on all mainline tracks (Lines 1, 2, and 4) and selected yard tracks, with survey equipment installed on T1 revenue vehicles.

Data from the survey will inform the TTC of any track defects and will be used to develop the TTC’s Subway Track Rehabilitation program. The last survey, carried out in May 2024, resulted in several restricted speed areas on Lines 1 and 2. Depending on the number of defects found, the upcoming survey results could mean the introduction of new restricted speed zones (RSZs). RSZs reduce the wear and tear on the track, allowing the TTC to continue providing service and implement repairs.

The TTC will begin receiving data collected by the survey in June.

As of April 30, the TTC had 11 RSZs in place in the subway system. A complete list of RSZ locations is available at ttc.ca.

Summer students undertake station cleaning blitz
​The TTC has welcomed 100 post-secondary summer students to the ranks of the Stations Department. Our spring station-cleaning blitz is underway, with the objective of tending to all subway stations twice. The blitz teams will spend a week at an assigned station manually scrubbing surfaces and stairs, and performing detailed cleaning of stainless-steel doors, door and window frames, waste receptacles, elevators, escalators, benches, and much more.

On a recent visit to Lansdowne Station, I was pleased to see new improvements to the condition, cleanliness, and aesthetics of the station.

Lansdowne is part of a six-station pilot program that includes hiring nine new janitorial positions for higher-frequency cleaning, and additional Group Station Managers to enhance safety, security, and operational performance. Work at these stations involves deep cleaning, repainting, new floor tiles, ceiling repairs, new LED lighting, and replacement of worn tactile platform edge tiles.

These upgrades are just one element of the TTC’s focus on attracting new transit riders and retaining customer loyalty. The results of this pilot will inform a more comprehensive station management and cleanliness program across the system.

Watermain, track work to begin at King/Church intersection
​The TTC and the City begin watermain replacement work and streetcar track renewal at the King Street East and Church Street intersection in mid-May. This work will impact 501 Queen, 503 Kingston Rd, 504 King, and 508 Lake Shore streetcar service.

Starting on May 11, there will be no streetcar service on King Street, between Church Street and Spadina Avenue. Customers travelling on King will be able to transfer to a 504B King replacement bus, which will run between Church and Spadina.

501, 503, and 504 streetcars will be on diversion using Queen Street for the next several months. Wheel-Trans service will remain accessible in all areas where local traffic is permitted.

The TTC appreciates that construction can be disruptive, and that is why we are committed to keeping impacts to a minimum. My thanks to all the teams involved in this important work, and to customers and surrounding businesses for their patience during this construction.

100 eBuses milestone
​The TTC now has 100 battery-electric buses in service across Toronto, while dozens more are being commissioned for service. In recent months, the TTC received 74 new battery-electric buses and will be getting an additional 266 in the near future. This will bring the total eBus fleet to 400 – the largest in North America – as we work toward becoming 50 per cent zero-emissions by 2030 and 100 per cent zero-emissions by 2040 or sooner. These buses will serve communities all over the city thanks to joint funding from the Government of Canada and the City of Toronto.

Finally, I want to let everyone know that the WTS International Annual Conference takes place in Toronto from May 7 to 9. This is the first time the conference is being held outside the U.S.

The WTS conference attracts professionals from all sectors and modes of transportation, representing numerous provinces, states, and countries. This year’s theme is The WTS Mosaic: Mobility and Momentum, which reflects the diversity, innovation, and progress shaping the transportation industry today.

The TTC is supporting the conference with technical tours, an onsite information kiosk, and employees who are actively engaged in panels.

The next meeting of the TTC Board is set for Wednesday, May 14, and will be live-streamed on the Official TTC YouTube Channel. To view the monthly Corporate KPIs Report, please visit the Monthly Corporate Metrics page at ttc.ca.

Greg Percy
​Chief Executive Officer
​May 2025