CEO's Report: May Commentary

In 2025, the TTC’s fleet of TR and T1 trains carried more than 185 million riders and operated over 85 million kilometres. Of the TTC’s 178 accessible-conventional bus and streetcar routes, 171 connect directly with subway and/or LRT services during peak periods. The subway is where much of the network comes together, and its performance shapes how customers experience the TTC as a whole.

Next month, Toronto welcomes the world as a host city for the FIFA World Cup 2026™. Hundreds of thousands of visitors will rely on public transit to move around our city. The TTC will play a central role in shaping how Toronto is experienced, and customers will expect a system that is ready, safe, and reliable. The work underway across our subway network is critical to meeting that moment.

Performance matters because it directly affects how customers experience the system. In March, subway on time performance reached 90.2%, exceeding target, with customers experiencing more consistent and predictable service. We are continuing to advance targeted strategies to reduce delays, strengthen system resilience, and improve reliability where customers feel it most.

Reliability improvements are also reflected in the performance of our subway fleet. Both train fleets exceeded their reliability targets. TR trains on Line 1 achieved 675,000 kilometres mean distance between failures (MDBF), a 10% improvement year-over-year. The older T1 fleet on Line 2 achieved a 50% year over year improvement, reaching 408,000 kilometres MDBF. These gains translate directly into fewer in service disruptions and more dependable trips for customers.

Subway boardings are steady year-over-year, while overall boardings declined slightly by 1% year-over-year. At the end of the first quarter, weekday subway demand was marginally lower, down less than 1%, while weekend subway demand increased by 5%, driven in part by milder March weather compared with last year.

Year to date, conventional ridership and passenger revenue are 6% and 5.5% below target, respectively, resulting in $13.6 million less revenue than projected for the period. These results reflect a combination of factors, including extreme weather earlier in the year, ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty, and slower growth in immigration and international student volumes.

We continue to advance the Easier Access Program with a clear focus on delivery and results. Earlier this year, Greenwood Station on Line 2 became fully accessible, bringing the total number of accessible TTC subway stations to 64 of 70. Subway elevator construction remains active at College, Spadina, Museum, Islington, King, and Old Mill stations. This progress reflects sustained co-ordination across planning, construction, operations, and our community partners to improve reliability and remove barriers throughout the network. All newly opened LRT stations are accessible and maintained by Metrolinx through their contracted maintainers.

Elevator and escalator availability declined slightly in March. To reduce downtime related to flooding, early detection sensors are being piloted on select elevators and escalators. These detectors are designed to identify water intrusion sooner and support faster response. Installation of the pilot equipment is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter.

Customer experience improvements are also evident through the Stations Makeover initiative at Finch, Kennedy, Lansdowne, Spadina, TMU, and Scarborough Centre Bus Terminal. Surveys of more than 20,000 customers conducted between July 2025 and March 2026 show a 13-point increase in overall satisfaction compared with baseline results, with perceived safety improving by 20 points. Customers also reported gains in signage, lighting, seating, cleanliness, and overall station comfort.

As Toronto prepares for a global spotlight, these results reflect focused, disciplined work across the organization to improve reliability, accessibility, and the customer experience. Our responsibility now is to continue building on this progress every day, so customers and visitors alike can rely on the TTC with confidence.

Mandeep S. Lali
​Chief Executive Officer
​May 2026

Published in the CEO’s Report for May, which offers a rotating review of service delivery performance across the TTC's transit modes. The current edition highlights bus service, featuring key performance indicators (KPIs) through the end of March 2026.