Commendations Corner - January 2017

Arrow Road: Donna Duncan, Christopher England, Wayne Ferguson, Christian Gendron, Tameka Hayles, David Hoy, Douglas Ireland-Fenton: “Bus driver picked up my 85-year-old mother who was waiting at a bus stop along the Sheppard West route. The driver allowed her to board the bus with we assume was no money and she was taken to the subway stop where transit security/police were called … My mother has dementia and Alzheimer’s. If you asked her what happened she will not remember a thing. We are very grateful for all the assistance that the TTC provided for my mother. Please pass on our heartfelt thanks to the driver who quite likely saved her life as the temperature hovered around the freezing point and we don’t know how she was dressed.” … Michael Jones, Nunzio Signore, Jermaine Scott, Marlon Tomlinson, Daniel Voce

Birchmount: Neil Hermes, Emerald John, Filip Milosevic, Doug Prentice, Shawn Wight: “Getting my wallet back has save me so much worry and work. Everything was there, nothing missing. Please give kudos to this wonderful representative of the TTC … I’ve been using the TTC for 60 years now – and with staff like Mr. Wright, it truly is the better way. Hugs and thanks to him and to you all.”

Customer Service Centre: Elizabeth Foeller, Hanh Nguyen, Nanica Peters

Eglinton: Patrizio Ziccardi

Danforth: Joe Guarnaccio, Rob Leithwood

Malvern: Carlos Belmontes, Douglas Chassels: “Thank you for making sure that both myself and the other car driver was doing okay during the accident in Scarborough. It was kind on your part to check on us.” … Derick Diaz, Jason Dick, Gregory Diedrick, Kyron Lewis, Lorenzo Long, Billy Papas, Claire Paskar, Michael Racioppo, Danielle Ray, Sukhwinder Virk, Michael Williams

Mount Dennis: Robel Boka, Josesilva Carvalheiro, Rennie Coombs, David Elrick, Angelo Flabiano, Robert Green, Chad Hutchings, Ingrid Lielbardis, Damany Luke, Anderson Neverson: “I asked this driver for directions as I am new to Toronto and he was so helpful! With his in-depth directions I made it to my job interview for minutes to spare! I was very nervous and anxious about being late, but his politeness and calm demeanour even calmed me down and made me feel like I would get the job! Oh, and what a nice smile he had!” … Michel Nunes, Rayyan Quraishi, Nadia Roubos, Judy Samuels, Grantley Soudine, Rudy Wilson, Brian Yu

Plant Maintenance: Kevan Black, Winston Buccat, Paul Castro, Dorothy Coombs, Mark Mollo, Mike Benzie, Dan Weinstock

Queensway: Vida Baksa, Steven Lachapelle: “This is one cool cucumber! Drunk gets on, safely talks him down, gives in a transfer and congratulates him for taking the bus home and not his car.” … Jeremy Monte, Natasha Noel, Charles Shirton, Jay Thornberry, Robert Tippett

Roncesvalles: Robert Brown, Leonardo Debenedictis, David Freitas, Davanand Gokhool, Benjamin Le Gendre, Chris McLean, Wajahat Mir, Barbara Ramsay: “With such gentleness and care, she helped her up into the streetcar, asked for several seats to be vacated so she could sit the elderly lady down and called for help. She was very competent and comfoirting with how she assisted the lonely elderly and scared woman.” … Chris Scapicchio, John Small, Kevin Walsh

Russell: Maher Abbod, Younane Abdulbaki, Gene Aguila, Tucker Axton Nore, Albert D’Cruz, Benjamin Escultor, Kester Fitzpatrick, Christopher Glenny, Clayton Jarvis, Gholamali Karimi, Donald LeBlanc: “He was wonderful and very sensitive. Within 20 minutes, with a little passing of my purse from one car to another, it reached me intact through the window to cheers from the rest of the passengers in the streetcar. I hope you can identify the driver and thank him as he did more than was expected of his job and in such an efficient and caring way.” … Chris Lewis, Matthew Mekler, Charles Morrow, Linda Naval, Logan Reith, Stefan Rosetti, Michael Sookoo, Rick Sterritt, Rudolph Tomlinson, Moses Wajcenberg, Reece Watson

Stations: Jennifer Gibbs, Paul Leow

Training/Development: Christian Maglieri

Transit Control: Jamie Simpson

Wheel-Trans: Ramanan Arulanantham, Michael Babsa, Derrick Brooks, Melissa Brown, Bruce Crosby, Allison Duncan, Corrado Guido, Chris Latour, Cristina Martinez, Paul McLay, Susan Patterson, Ken Pollard, Nigel Richardson, Mike Slade

Wilson-Bus: Ahron Fairclough, Kastriot Hysenaj, Jessie Stellato

Wilson-Subway: Scott Gaye: “Not only was the whole thing handled calmly and professionally, but the poor driver, who must have been in shock, was apologizing to us and asking everyone if they were okay. Please thank him from all of us on the train.”

At the Jan. 18 Board Meeting, TTC Chair Josh Colle congratulated the TTC, and the work of the Human Resources Department, on being recognized as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers. The award, a project of Mediacorp Canada Inc., acknowledges the progress the TTC has made in achieving the People Objective of its Five-Year Corporate Plan, which strives to foster an empowered, customer-focused workforce and be an organization that actively develops its employees. From left: Chair Colle, HR Project Co-ordinator Sarah Currie, Chief People Officer Gemma Piemontese and CEO Andy Byford.

The IT Department was congratulated by the TTC Board on Nov. 30, 2016 on receiving the Canada Order of Excellence – 2016 Quality Award. The award was presented by Excellence Canada, an independent not-for-profit organization and leading authority in Canada on workplace excellence based on quality systems and healthy workplace criteria.

The Diversity and Human Rights Department was congratulated by the TTC Board on Nov. 30, 2016 on receiving a Best Diversity Program (National HR Award). The TTC was named winner for outstanding achievement in diversity by HR Canadian Reporter and Thomson Reuters Canada Ltd.

TTC raises over $900,000 for United Way.

Congratulations to all TTC employees and pensioners on raising $906,919 for the United Way of Toronto in 2016. Popular pizza sales in the subway, payroll deductions and numerous staff activities helped raise much-needed funds for those who need it most in the community.